Raw Pumpkin Seed Pesto

If you’d like something delicious to spread on your raw onion bread, my raw pumpkin seed pesto will do very nicely. I have a pint of pesto on hand at all times, a very tasty raw gourmet staple.

For thousands of years people have enjoyed combining basil leaves with all manner of oils, cheeses, seeds and spices. This raw pumpkin seed pesto is my variation on a timeless favorite.

This raw pesto is great on flax crackers, or it can be warmed in a dehydrator to be used on kelp noodles.

I’m sure you’ll find many ways to enjoy this pesto!

Here are the ingredients:

2 cups hulled raw pumpkin seeds
4 cloves of garlic, minced
1 cup fresh basil leaves
1 bunch fresh Italian (flat leaf) parsley
1 cup olive oil
1T Celtic sea salt
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice

When I first made this recipe, I used a food processor. When I got my Blendtec blender, I started using that exclusively, and find the finished product easier to spread.

Chop the basil leaves and stuff them into the measuring cup until you have one cup. Place them into the blender/processor. Then rinse and chop the parsley bunch and place it into the blender/processor. Put the rest of the ingredients, EXCEPT the pumpkin seeds, into the blender/processor. Pulse until you have a coarse basil parsley soup.

If you’re using a food processor, turn it up to high, and over the course of thirty seconds pour the pumpkin seeds in as it’s running. The processor will slow as the seeds get chopped up. Run it until the seeds are thoroughly whipped into the mixture. Be careful to not burn out your processor’s motor.

If you’re using a Blendtec blender, place the seeds on top of the liquid contents of the carafe, place the top on, and run the “Whole Foods : Sauces & Dips” program. Hold the blender down while running this program, as it may try to leave the counter.

If I’m not going to be using the pesto for a while, I refrigerate it. Even refrigerated, it’s still deliciously spreadable.

This recipe makes about 1 1/2 pints.