Summer time is wonderful for so many reasons. Family time, fun in the sun, and deliciously fresh food! One of the best foods during the summer is pesto. It is delicious and can be used in so many ways. It’s also much easier to make than you think! Most pesto includes pine nuts, but for me, I use seeds. For those who are nut free (usually due to an allergy), or for those who just want to try something new, this is a nut free pesto made with pumpkin seeds that is super delicious! Give it a try – you won’t be sorry! 🙂

INGREDIENTS:

• 1/2 cup – Pepitas (toasted pumpkin seeds)
• 1 small garlic clove
• 1 cup – Arugula leaves (packed)
• 1 cup – Fresh basil leaves (packed)
• 1/3 cup – Avocado oil (or extra virgin olive oil)
• 1 tsp – Organic lemon zest
• 1 tsp – Fresh lemon juice (use the lemon you zested)
• 1 tsp – Red wine vinegar (I’ve also used champagne vinegar and it’s wonderful)
• 1 pinch – Red pepper chili flakes (omit if you don’t want any spice)
• Salt to taste

INSTRUCTIONS:

• Before anything, you need to make your PEPITAS! This is a very simple process and worth doing fresh. In a medium size pan, heat your raw/shelled pumpkin seeds over medium heat. Keep an eye on them and stir occasionally as they start to brown. They will start to make a small popping noise as they get a beautiful toasted color. They should be done within about 5 min. Be sure not to burn them. That’s it – you made pepitas! Now for the pesto!
• In a blender (MUCH easier to clean than a food processor) combine the garlic, arugula, basil, pepitas, avocado oil, lemon zest/juice, vinegar and red pepper flakes.
• Blend until smooth and season with salt to taste.
• Enjoy over noodles, zoodles, fish, chicken, etc.

• TIP: It stores really well in a jar in the fridge. It lasts 5-7 days in the fridge and 3-4 months in the freezer. To make dinner easier – make a double batch and freeze it in an ice cube tray. Once frozen, pop them out and put in a freezer bag. Whenever you want to make a pesto dish,grab 1 cube and throw it in the pan! Talk about a great kitchen hack! 🙂

MY DISH!

I prepared a beautiful dinner using my pumpkin seed pesto and it was delicious! My husband was such a big fan that I made it again a couple days later while the pesto was still fresh 🙂

Below is a photo of the dish I made. I used yellow squash noodles (similar to zucchini noodles / zoodles). My grocery store makes these and has them in the fresh veggies section. If you prefer to make them, you can use a spiralizer. I’m always looking for ways to save on time, which is why I get them fresh and already prepped from the grocery store!

Heat a large pan with a touch of cooking spray. Add your squash or zucchini noodles and after about a minute, add a couple spoonfuls of your pesto. Start slow so you only use enough pesto to cover the zoodles. Do not over cook this dish or they will get soggy. They will heat through very fast (a couple of minutes).

Put your zoodles onto a large serving dish, or onto your individual serving plates. Wash a handful of cherry or grape tomatoes and slice in half lengthwise. Wash some fresh basil leaves and cut off the stems. Garnish the zoodles with the tomatoes and basil leaves. You can even put a little parmesan cheese on top for a little extra yumminess!

I topped my dish with sautéed shrimp. You can eat it as is for a fully vegetarian dish, or top it with your preferred protein.

ENJOY! XO