Vegan pesto recipe

Ingredients

• ½ cup (70 g) pine nuts
• 3 large garlic cloves, roughly chopped
• ¼ tsp sea salt, plus more to taste
• ½ tsp black pepper
• ¼ cup (1 tbsp) nutritional yeast
• 2 cups (50 g) roughly chopped basil leaves
• 50 g strong vegan cheese, grated (optional)
• ½ lemon juice
• 4 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

1. Bash the pine nuts using a large pestle and mortar to break them up, then grind to a dense paste.
2. Add the garlic, salt, pepper and nutritional yeast and grind into the nut paste.
3. Add the basil leaves (fine stems are ok but avoid large stalks) and begin to bash the leaves down until they become darker and moist, then blend them into the paste. Scatter in the vegan cheese now, if using, blending it into the pesto evenly.
4. Lastly, pour the lemon and oil into the pesto mix slowly, a little at a time, stirring it to your preferred consistency.
5. If you are looking for a quick alternative method, just add the ingredients to a blender and blend until smooth.
6. Store in a jar and use within a week.