Pea pesto

This sounds a wee bit weird I know, but bear with me, it’s delicious! Great on a cheese platter, on crusty bread, crackers, or even stirred through pasta or a salad like basil pesto. I’m always looking for ways to get more plants in my diet and this is a goodie.

Peas aren’t actually a vegetable, they are a legume (like lentils, beans, chickpeas and even peanuts). They are a great source of fibre in our diet and easy to access all year round as frozen peas. Peas are a good source of vitamins K, C and A. They also contain Thiamine, Folate, Manganese, Iron and Phosphorus.

Ingredients
1 C frozen peas
3 Tbsp walnuts
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tsp lemon juice
1/2 C chopped fresh basil
ground black pepper to taste
2 Tbsp extra-virgin olive oil

Method

Bring a small saucepan of water to a boil; add the peas and cook until softened. Drain.
Blend all the ingredients in a blender except the oil. 
While the food processor is running, slowly add the olive oil in a steady small stream. Adding the olive oil slowly, while the processor is running, will help it emulsify and help keep the olive oil from separating. Occasionally stop to scrape down the sides of the food processor.
Taste and adjust.

Serve on crusty bread. Also good with pasta, in salads etc.

If you’re a cheese lover, you can add parmesan cheese