Hemp pesto
As with all pesto recipes, it's a very very simple recipe. The reason I am specifically sharing this variation using hemp seeds is because of the nutritional value of hemp seeds. These little seeds taste slightly like raw cashews but carry a huge array of health benefits:
- high protein content
- high omega 3 & 6 content (omega 6 usually obtained from animal meat), as we all know these fats are important for brain and heart health
- the omega 6 found in hemp seeds is an usual type called GLA, known for its anti-inflammatory properties
- contain all 10 essential amino acids (amino acids are the building block for protein, these 10 are essential and cannot be made by our bodies and therefore be obtained via our diet)
Ingredients
A handful of fresh herbs, basil, rocket, watercress, parsley (sometimes I mix two kinds of herbs)
Juice from half a fresh lemon
2 tbsp shelled hemp seeds
Salt & pepper to taste
70-100 grams Parmesan or pecorino (or a mix of both) - chop or grate (for a vegan version use 2 tbsp nutritional yeast)
3-4 tbsp Extra Virgin Olive Oil
half or 1 clove of garlic
Instructions
Simply blend all the ingredients in a food processor or use a hand blender. Yep that’s it. Done. Serve with pasta, roasted vegetables, on a soup, as part of a sandwich combination, on a homemade pizza. The possibilities are endless.
You can keep the pesto in a clean glass jar in the fridge with a thin layer of oil covering the pesto for up to a week.
