My first pesto

For so long I had been intimidate by pesto. I always thought it would be a little difficult to make and lets not talk about the cost of pine nuts. Ouch! That all changed today. No. Not the cost of pine nuts but the intimidation factor. I have read fellow bloggers post about non-traditional pestos and have also witnessed some of the celebrity chefs make them as well. I figured...what the hay? I can do it too! I actually was wondering around a Sprouts Grocery Store and inspiration struck. Today is girls day and I figured why not make a sandwich wrap for each of us but instead of mayo or mustard, how about a pesto sauce?

I walked over to the herb section and guess what? No basil. Wa wa! Then I started thinking if I was not using pine nuts why does it have to be basil. Something leafy and green could take its place. I  then noticed spinach was on sale. Hmm. This could work. I grabbed a bunch and wandered to the nut bins. Sunflower seeds were on sale and they were about the same size as pine nuts. It also didn't hurt that they are delicious. I bought some and decided to use them in my pesto.

It was genius. It was definitely an aha moment. It is delicious!
I will never be intimidated by pesto again and I am now going to experiment with different combinations of greens and nuts. The possibilities are endless. This pesto also tasted awesome on my wraps. If you are also intimidated by pesto..don't be. It's easy, tasty and will make you feel like a fantabulous cook:)

Here is the recipe for this wonderful pesto. I hope you enjoy it!

Spinach Pesto

Ingredients
 4 c of  baby spinach
1/2 c of grated Parmesan
1/2 c of sunflower seeds
2 cloves of garlic
1/2  c olive oil
juice of 1/2 a lemon
salt and pepper to taste

Directions
add spinach, Parmesan, sunflower seeds, garlic, and lemon juice to food processor. Pulse. While the processor is running, stream in olive oil. Add salt and pepper to taste. Add it to your favorite wrap or pasta.

I hope you have a great day.