Presto Pesto

Basil and Cilantro Presto Pesto

Buying Pesto from the store is very, very expensive. They run approx $7.00 dollars for a smaller container than this 1/2 pint. This is one of our favorite summer recipes. It is great as lunch or dinner. It truly takes no time at all to make. It is also very healthy for you! All the ingredients have health benefits. Although the cheese is mainly added for the taste it adds to the pesto. This also freezes great in these 1/2 pint to 1 pint mason freezer jars. Enjoy!

2 -1/2 cups freshly packed basil leaves
2- 1/2 cups freshly packed cilantro
1 cup pine nuts
1/2 cup of walnuts
1 -1/2 cups of shredded Parmesan cheese (Regianno is the best. Optional)
1 cup of cold pressed olive oil (if you need more because it is too thick that is fine. If you need less because it
is too loose that is fine also.
5-6 decent size cloves of fresh garlic. (Add more or less to your own taste)
Celtic sea salt to taste. (add this slowly for the cheese is already somewhat salty so be sure to not over do it!)
1 loaf of whole wheat french bread or 1 baguette

Put all this into a food processor then blend until it is chopped finely. I have also blended mine in a blender if I wanted it to have a smooth texture.
We warm the bread in the oven on a low temp. After it is warm we then slice it up and spread the pesto on the bread. You can also add the pesto to whole wheat noodles if you prefer. Try it different ways! Then share it with the rest of us.

Here are some variations to try also:
Use all Cilantro and use only pumpkin seeds as your nut.
Use all Cilantro and use only walnuts as your nut.
Use all Basil and use only Pine nuts.
Use all Basil with only Walnuts.
Another variation is to add chopped tomatoes and shredded mozzarella cheese to the pesto.

We have also used Spinach and Parsley together and alone but I did not like it as much!

All of these variations are wonderful my family absolutely loves them. If I buy pesto from the store my family always asks me to please make my recipe next time. They prefer it over any other pesto I have bought in the past. Come up with your own creations to try.