“You’re a what?”
I hadn’t heard the word vegan until my son Jacob, then in college, announced he had become one 8 years ago. Being vegan then was hard; he had to lobby to convince his college dining service to offer soy milk.
He introduced me to quinoa, the now ubiquitous protein as popular as brown rice. I learned about other grains and how to cook vegetables in ways I never had. Tofu became a staple.
A family favorite, basil pesto on pasta seemed in jeopardy. What about the cheese? Unable to accept soy-cheese substitutes, I began making pesto cheese-less. Those that want, add it at the table.
There’s no recipe; I toss everything into the food processor: olive oil, fresh washed basil leaves, a handful of pine nuts, a few cloves of garlic, salt and pepper. Sometimes I add a hot pepper to kick it up, or leftover spinach. Adjust seasoning and consistency to taste.
The garden’s basil beckons. I make enough to freeze in small containers or ice cube trays. Nothing like a little July in mid-January.
Yum, Pesto is one of my favorites. Never been adventurous;always added the same ingredients to the food processor. No cheese=less calories..I’m gonna try it!
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Thanks for responding! No one seems to miss the cheese at all. Most store bought sauces are too heavy.
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I love your photos! Sadly, I cannot go without cheese. Probably my favorite food group. I’ve actually gotten used to eating less meat. But dairy I cannot abandon.
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I eat less meat and try to eat lots of fish. We love cheese– this was a concession- no one seems to miss it in the pesto and we add it on top and mix it in. And I haven’t even gotten into yet what happened when they became kosher, how one daughter in law eats gluten-free, one can’t eat eggs, and how the other son and daughter in law hold by a higher kosher dairy standard! Got to have a sense of humor!
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Beautiful! I love the photos. I, too, had a codependent relationship with cheese until I recently became vegan. I’ve been wanting to try pesto, but just cannot seem to grow a basil plant for the life of me. One day!
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My husband has the “green thumb.” We go through a lot of basil; he plants extra because I use it up quickly.
You can buy it in the grocery– almost as good! Good luck with the vegan diet.
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Love the photos. Love, love, love basil. I like the idea of freezing the pesto for some summer tastes in winter. I need to do that. Thanks for sharing.
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We saw Erin tonight. I’ll send a pix. all good, Thanks for reading and commenting!
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Ther herbs look fantastic, and the recipe sounds delicious, even without the cheese.
Your son has a great mother, you know that? 🙂
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Thanks! We’ve all gotten used to it without cheese and find it less heavy. Just add the cheese at the table.
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I swear I can smell it 🙂
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Thanks! It is a divine aroma!
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I love all this culinary activity, especially as I’m so lazy in the kitchen myself.
How can anyone live without cheese?
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Thankfully, he’s not longer a vegan, but still says he prefers plants. But I still make the pesto without cheese!
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Beautiful Garden my friend i love the colorful florwers around ,Thanks for sharing 🙂
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Thanks! Come for dinner! Thanks for your great prompts. Very fun.
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I love to be close-up with basil and parsley…amazing fragrances!!!! Great photos, Lisa! 🙂
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Thanks! Come for dinner!
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I doubt I could ever be vegan…cheese is too great a love but the pesto sounds interesting
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