Garden Fresh Pestos

(Used in this project: Circle Labels and Circle Tags in Caption style.)

Pesto is one of my favorite all-purpose sauces, and it’s also one of the easiest to make at home if you have a food processor. I grow basil in my garden each year just so I can make loads of pesto to freeze for the winter, and I use walnuts instead of pine nuts to keep costs down. The taste difference is negligible.

Luckily, basil isn’t the only green that can be used to make a pesto. You can use all sorts of herbs and greens, like parsley and cilantro. This year, I grew two different types of radishes, and used the young leaves to make a radish leaf pesto with almonds that was super delicious, so I thought I’d share my recipe with you here.

Both pesto recipes yield about one cup of pesto, which can be served immediately, or stored in an airtight container for up to a week. I usually like to let it sit in the refrigerator for an hour or two before I serve it so the flavors can meld together, and then I’ll use it over pasta, as a pizza sauce, over baked chicken or potatoes, or as a sandwich spread. Enjoy!

Radish Leaf Pesto

• 1 ½ to 2 cups radish leaves, washed with stems removed
• 1 ounce grated Parmesan cheese
• 1 cup roasted unsalted almonds
• 1 clove garlic
• 2-3 tablespoon Extra Virgin Olive Oil
• Salt and Pepper to taste

Blend together and store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to a week, or store in the freezer.

Basil Pesto with Walnuts

• 2 cups fresh basil leaves, rinsed and patted dry
• ½ cup grated Parmesan cheese
• ½ cup extra virgin olive oil
• 1/3 cup walnuts
• 2 cloves garlic
• Salt and pepper, to taste
• 1 teaspoon lemon zest (optional)

Combine all ingredients together in a food processor and pulse until you’ve reached desired consistency. Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to a week, or freeze.

To package my pesto, I used small wide-mouth ball jars, and Caption style tags and labels so I could insert photos from my garden.

Used In This Project:

• Circle Labels • I chose the “Caption” style and uploaded my own photo.
• Circle Tags • I chose the “Caption” style and uploaded my own photo.

More homemade gift ideas from Lindsay:

Slow Roasted Tomato & Jalapeno Ketchup	Homemade Ranch Dressing	Cinnamon Pear Jam	Dehydrated Tomatoes

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Lindsay (125 Posts)

Lindsay is a writer/blogger from Oregon who loves crafting, cooking, gardening, and simple living. You can find her writing about all of this and more on her blog A Wooden Nest.