Basil season usually means pesto time for me. My parents always had Genovese basil growing in the garden when I was a kid (and they still often do!), and some of my early garden memories involve going out to pick a few fresh leaves to put on top of my (poor quality) spaghetti. It wasn’t until I was around 27 that I finally learned just how easy and convenient it is to blend my own delicious pesto in the food processor/blender, all while nourishing myself and becoming truly alive with deep nutrition!

This pesto is highly customizable as you can use whatever edible leafy greens are growing in your garden or outside, and any adaptogens or nootropics that work for you. With a classic combination of healthy fats, delicious herbs and local greens in the form of garlic, sea salt, zesty lemon and basil, be sure to use authentic, biodynamic olive oil as the base for this. Pesto need not be relegated to solely pasta or zucchini noodle dishes; I often dump a spoonful on top of my pasture raised eggs, spread it on sourdough toast, use it as a sourdough sandwich spread, use it as a tallow fry or crudite dip, or even just eat it directly from a spoon. It provides a bright, zesty note to most any savoury recipe you can think of.

If you want the UV light information from food to optimally inform your body, mind and cells, and to promote lower deuterium levels (anti-cancer), you need to be eating as locally grown as possible. I always prioritize eating with the seasons and following local nature, and as pesto season comes and goes, so do my pesto related culinary adventures. Enjoy it while it lasts!

Ingredients

• 4-8 cups fresh organic basil (or half basil, half other leafy light herbs or greens you like, such as wild rocket, dandelion leaves, mint, kale, parsley…)

• 1 or 2 cloves raw organic garlic, peeled

• 1/2 cup raw organic macadamia nuts (or any activated raw nuts/seeds will work: walnuts, pecans, sunflower seeds, cashews, Styrian pepitas, hemp seeds…)

• 1-2 tsp wild pine pollen or baby spruce tips (or adaptogen of your preference)

• Juice of 1/2 organic lemon

• Big pinch of sea salt

• Few cracks of freshly ground organic black pepper

• 1/2 cup biodynamic olive oil

Method

1. In a blender or food processor, blend all ingredients except the olive oil until smooth-ish.

2. Slowly drizzle in the olive oil, blending on and off as you go. Continue to blend until everything is smooth AF. That’s it! Easy, right?

Tips:

• Use any leafy greens you like, but I find it doesn’t taste as good without at least basil included.

• Store it in a glass jar in the fridge up to a week, or freeze cubes of it in an ice cube tray and pop it into soups, stews, etc.

• To preserve it in the fridge for longer, mix in 1 or 2 tbsp raw apple cider vinegar (since it’s fermented).