The flavor is intense, there is a ton of garlic cloves in this Garlic Walnut Pesto. I like the hit of it because there is no doubt on your palette; its garlicky green goodness! I used walnuts and a nice gluten and dairy free Parmesan. It has just the right twang and sour that a good salty parm does. Along with basil, parsley and oil it coats your noodle or zoodle perfectly.
This pesto is universal and I use it in my meatballs, on toast, in a salad and I even topped a poki bowl with it so far. As I go I will be sharing those recipes too, this is one of my sauce staples!
Garlic and I have a love hate relationship. I love the smell when it just hits the right temperature to start sweating in a hot pan. That lightly caramelized sweet yet pungent waft of what we know. It’s a scent that you can’t mistake; it can lure you in like a temptress. The kiss is sweet, but she turns and bites back when the mood strikes. I went garlic crazed one night at the Stinking Rose in San Francisco about 15 years ago. I went way, way, way over the limit of what one semi toxic human should ever, ever, ever put in their body. I wreaked of garlic through every pore in my body for at least 3 days after the incident. In my trial by fire way of handling what is thrown at me in life, I started considering the effect garlic has after the strange episode subsided.
Garlic is a natural detox, one of the most potent. Detox of anything, any organ of your body; including your emotional self. If you have something you are not letting go of, literally and figuratively, garlic will find it and try to purge it out of you. It is a warrior and fights for you when you don’t even know it!
Each person has a tolerance for garlic, some can sprinkle it on and eat in everything while others can’t even get near it. My issues were so bad at one point my man could smell it on me at 50 paces. Not even a pizza sauce could pass inspection. Over the years, I have kept eating small amounts slowly adding more and more, now I cook with it all the time. It makes sense to me that we are BFF’s now because I don’t eat the way I used to and I have let go of so many negative emotions and thoughts since then.
Garlic Walnut Pesto
Ingredients;
1 c organic walnuts
2 c Italian Parsley
2 c Basil
10 garlic cloves
¾ c gluten and dairy free Parmesan cheese
1 t pink Himalayan salt
1 t pepper
¼ coconut oil (mct or brain octane are ideal)
¾ extra virgin olive oil
Instructions;
- Get your food processor ready with the chopping blade setting. Rinse the herbs thoroughly and dry them off on a paper towel or cloth. Grab the bunches and tear the leaves and stems in 2 to 3 inch clumps and blend the parsley and basil together until finely minced on low setting. I use everything including the stems.
- Clean off the outside layer on the garlic and drop in the processor along with the cheese, salt and pepper. Blend on low, combine the coconut and olive oil into a measuring cup with a pour spout, then slowly pour the oil into the top of the processor. Do this slowly over 30 seconds or so.
- Once all is combined pour into an air tight sealed container and keep refrigerated. I have kept in the fridge for up to two weeks and its tastes fantastic!
Makes approximately 2 cups, use a tablespoon at a time- easy does it!
Prep time 15 min
No cook time