Vegan Pesto

Chris and I planted three sweet basil plants this year in our garden.  Initially, I had started all three out as seedlings, but only one survived.  So to replace the lost two we purchased plants from our local garden store (at about $3 each).  I am proud to say the surviving seedling is doing just as well as the hearty plants we purchased later in the season and all three bushes have produced an over abundance of aromatic leaves.


In June, we harvested small amounts of larger leaves for our nightly recipes.  However, with the hot July sun, we quickly found ourselves overwhelmed with basil bushes nearing 3 feet tall.  What to do with all this basil?  


PESTO!  Cheese free of course, since both Chris & I don't consume dairy products.

1/2 of the harvested basil from our garden. 

I didn't want to harm the remaining plant and hinder new growth, so I cut the basil stalks with precision.  I carefully snipped just above the node of new leaves on the stem.  This will allow the remaining plant to mature to full foliage.  Since we had so much basil to harvest, the bushes were still full enough to survive.  

Chris picked through the leaves pulling out any wilted parts.  After rinsing with cold water and allowing to air dry, the basil was ready for pesto! 

Vegan Pesto Recipe

Serving size: 1/2 pint, recipe makes 4 servings


Tools
Food Processor (or blender)
Sharp knife
measuring cup and spoons


Ingredients
1/4 cup pine nuts
3 cloves of garlic
4-5 cups of fresh basil leaves (stems removed)
1/4 - 1/2 cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1 1/2 teaspoons of sea salt
1/2 teaspoon fresh ground pepper
1 package of firm tofu (drained & cubed)


Directions
In a food processor, pulse the pine nuts until crumbled.  Be careful not to process too long as the nuts will turn to a paste that is not desirable for this recipe. Once processed, set the nuts aside in a small dish. 


Pulse the garlic until minced.  In handfuls, add the basil to the garlic until the basil is minced.  Slowly incorporate 1/2 of the oil as you work in the basil.  Once all of the basil is processed, slowly add cubes of tofu one handful at a time.  Mix in the remaining olive oil.  If the mixture  is too thick add a small amount of olive oil until desired texture is reached.  


Transfer the processed mixture to a large bowl.  Fold in the pine nuts, salt and pepper.  Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.  


If you are using the pesto right away, cook the pasta according to package directions and then add pesto.

We froze half of the pesto to enjoy later in the year.  To safely freeze the sauce, we used a 1 pint mason jar. After adding the mixture, make sure to tap the container on a solid surface, this will bring any air bubbles to the surface.  Leave some headroom at the top of the jar if you plan on freezing it to allow for expansion.