Hi friends!
I can’t believe March is almost over…Is it just me or does it feel like we just went straight from December to March? I guess time flies when you are a busy bee! I’ve started my nutritional training and I’m LOVING it so far! Obviously working full time and going back to school is not fun per se but learning about topics that are aligned with my passion, makes a huge difference. It makes the grind a bit more worth it, don’t you agree? How many of you are balancing work, life, school? I know I probably sound like a dork but I actually enjoy learning so it seems like I am never out of school for too long. There are just so many things that interest me and I get bored easily. If life isn’t about constantly learning then I just don’t know anything in my 20 something years of experience.
I’m so excited to share this recipe with you! I’ve been making it for years for my family and I originally developed it from an idea I saw about a marinade using cilantro. I know cilantro is not everyone’s favourite herb but I grew up with it so it’s not even remotely unnatural for me to consume it. I came up with this recipe because I went dairy free and couldn’t consume the traditional pesto found in most grocery stores, which contains Parmesan. I thought about making my own pesto and just skipping the Parmesan but the traditional pine nuts used in a pesto are quite expensive right now so I came up with a more affordable option with ingredients I regularly have in my fridge or pantry. If you really dislike cilantro, I’d suggest you try making this with the traditional basil or parsley but I haven’t tested this recipe with these herbs so let me know if you try it!
I am absolutely obsessed with my Paderno Spiralizer. I bought it last summer and used it all summer long. I didn’t really pull it out at all during the winter since I prefer comfort/warm food during that time but now that it’s Spring, I have pulled it out again! It was relatively inexpensive and works great. It’s quite the arm workout if you eat as many zucchinis as my family and I do in one sitting 🙂 .
The zucchini spiralizes so well and you get really long strands just like regular pasta! I would even go as far as saying I prefer zoodles over noodles. I have even spiralized sweet potato and baked it crispy in the oven – so good! Anyways, I digress, if you don’t have a spiralizer, I suggest you buy one but in the meantime, you can try this recipe with regular spaghetti too. To purchase the Paderno Spiral Vegetable Slicer click here.
I’d love for you to try my recipe. Please tag me on Instagram and Facebook @balancingandie so I can see your lovely creations and leave a review in the comments!
Click here to pin this recipe for future reference or subscribe to my blog to never miss a post!
Notes
*Make sure to adjust spices based on your individual needs. I like it spicier and with some more lemon but this is a starting base for you.
*Stores well in the fridge for up to 2-3 days.
*You can also use a food processor but it might not be as smooth as using a blender.
*If wanting a nut-free recipe, omit the almonds and use sunflower seeds or otherwise decrease the amount of water.
Ingredients
Pesto Sauce:
- 1 bunch cilantro (approximately 2 cups roughly chopped cilantro - stems included)
- 1/2 cup raw almonds
- 1 ripe avocado
- 1 garlic clove (more to taste)
- 1-inch piece jalapeno, seeds removed (more to taste)
- 2 tbsp fresh lemon juice
- 1/2 cup to 3/4 cup water
- 1/2 tsp salt (more to taste)
- 1/2 tsp black pepper (more to taste)
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
- 1/4 cup olive oil (or other mild oil)
Serve on top of:
- zucchini noodles
- spaghetti
- egg noodles etc.
Optional toppings:
- 1/4 cup sun dried tomatoes
- 6 artichoke halves
- 1/2 cup baby spinach
Instructions
- Combine first 9 pesto sauce ingredients in a high powered blender on high for 1 minute or until well blended. Note: add the water based on the consistency you want. Less will be thinner, more will be thicker. If your blender is not spinning, add more water (little by little).
- Add olive oil through spout at the top of the blender while it is running on low. Blend for 1 more minute on high and taste. Adjust spices at this time.
- Serve with zucchini noodles, spaghetti noodles or egg noodles and toppings of your choice. If using zucchini noodles, heat the noodles first, then add the sauce as the zucchini releases some water but you can also eat the noodles cold.
- Enjoy ♥
(This post contains affiliate links, which means I receive a small referral fee if you make a purchase using this link at no additional cost to you)
