Paleo Pesto Sauce

Is it possible to make pesto without cheese? The answer is YES: The trick is to use nutritional yeast flakes, which lend a bit of “umami” flavor. You can find it in most grocery stores as well as natural food stores.

This recipe can be customized to your taste: try using cashews, pistachios or pine nuts. We chose walnuts because of their high omega 3 content.

This is great stirred into veggies or as a condiment over your favorite protein.

1 cup raw walnuts, shelled (not roasted)
3 cups fresh basil leaves
2 cups baby spinach leaves
4 cloves garlic
Zest and juice from 1 large lemon
2/3 cup olive oil (you also could use a light nut oil like walnut or macadamia)
3/4 tsp sea salt
2 tbsp nutritional yeast

Place all ingredients in a food processor or high speed blender and blend until well combined.

Store in an airtight glass jar in the refrigerator.