Macadamia Nut Pesto - Au Naturale!

Most store-bought pesto contains unhealthy oils, like canola, safflower, or soybean oil. You won't find any of those on Au Naturale Nutrition!  Just pure olive oil, baby! Traditional pesto contains pine nuts, however, I turned it up a notch and used macadamia nuts in this recipe.

Macadamia nuts have the highest amount of heart-healthy monounsaturated fats of any known seed. They also contain high amounts of vitamin B1, magnesium, manganese as well as calcium, phosphorous, potassium, sodium, selenium, iron, riboflavin, and niacin. 

Basil, the main ingredient in pesto, is a wonderful, delicious herb with many of the medicinal effects as other members of the mint family. It's used as a digestive aid, a mild sedative, for the treatment of headaches, for kidney ailments, and poor circulation.  It also provides anti-cancer benefits from its plant flavonoids, which protect cells from radiation and free-radical damage.  
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Source book: The Encyclopedia of Healing Foods, By Michael T. Murray

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​Macadamia Nut Pesto:

Mix these ingredients together in a blender or food processor:
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• 2 cups fresh basil leaves 
• 1/3-1/2 cup olive oil (depending on the thickness you prefer)
• 1/2 cup macadamia nuts (Find whole, raw macadamia nuts HERE!)
• 1 Tbsp. lemon juice
• 2 cloves of garlic
• 1/4 tsp. sea salt
• 1/4 tsp black pepper

Store pesto in the fridge.  It contains no preservatives, so use it within a few days.

You may notice that there is no cheese in this pesto recipe.  Many of my readers, like me, are dairy free. Plus, the pesto flavor is already very bold and I didn't think it was necessary.  If you want some Parmesan, add it in or sprinkle it on top.  :-)
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Order Olive oil

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​Kasandrinos Olive Oil:  The very best olive oil on the planet! It's top of the line in every way (except price).  Their olive oil is 100% pure and made from a Greek family business. It perfectly compliments the Paleo and Mediterranean diets. Opa!!  (A US veteran owned business, too!)

A kitchen hint: Place your olive oil in the fridge.  If it doesn't solidify withing a day, it isn't pure!

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Pesto is great in so many dishes! Try mixing it on chicken, eggs, or my absolute favorite: zucchini noodles! I make them with my Spiral Vegetable Slicer.

Buy it on Amazon

It's so much fun!  It can be used on so many types of produce: zucchini, squash, onions, potatoes, carrots, cucumbers, apples, and more.  It comes with 3 different stainless steel blades to make various size cuts.  

The vegetable slicer is easy to use, completely hand powered, and makes beautiful food!  It's a great way to get your kids to eat their veggies. ;-)  

Tell me how you like to eat your pesto!!!

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