Perfect Pesto (Nut-Free)

Pesto with one of our favorite crackers.

With the garden in great production of basil, I decided to try a nut-free pesto recipe.  I thought sunflower seeds would be a good substitute.  However, I could not find sunflower seeds to toast.  Out of all the products I reviewed in the stores and on the internet I found one that was not manufactured with other problematic foods.  Of course, it was out of stock.  Then I turned to my sunflower butter as it contains roasted sunflowers already blended.  It was great!  The taste is different than with pine nuts but yummy.  Plus, I was blown away by the fact every child of mine liked it on pizza with roasted peppers (dough recipe coming soon)!  That is really unusual.

Makes 12 tablespoons

Ingredients:
2 packed cups fresh basil leaves
5 sun-dried tomatoes, softened (mine came in halves so I used 10 halves)
3 cloves garlic, crushed
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons sunflower butter
1/4 cup olive oil

Directions:
Place basil, tomatoes, garlic, salt, and sunflower seeds in a food processor or blender.  Purée while adding olive oil slowly.  Blend until desired texture. Add additional basil and purée if the sunflower seed taste is too strong.  

Nutrition Information:
1 serving (1 tablespoon): 70 calories, 3g carbs, 6g fat, 1g protein, 1g fiber, 4mg iron

Rating:
5 out of 5 like this recipe

Food Allergy/Intolerance Notes:
Sunflower Butter: SunButter brand
Cracker:  Back to Nature Multigrain Flax Seeded Flatbread

Fabulous on pizza with roasted garlic
and red peppers!
(Dough recipe coming soon.)

It is delicious on pasta!