I am so happy to have family visiting this weekend! I love having my home overflowing with the ones I love the most. My sister and niece are visiting from out of town and their visit prompted a family get together including my brother, dad, and step-mom. As a family we made a delicious lunch including an awesome parsley pesto that my niece, and I made together. We added, stirred, and tasted until we all agreed that it was delicious. As I added more olive oil to the sauce, my sweet 3 year old niece told me, “Aunt Sarah, be sure to not mess up the flavors!” Too cute!
Parsley Pesto
1 large bunch or 2 cups parsley
4-5 green onions
4 garlic cloves
1 cup olive oil
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
½ teaspoon sea salt
1 teaspoon red chili flakes
1 teaspoon dried dill
Cracked black pepper to taste
Put all ingredients in a food processor or blender and process until totally smooth.
We served the pesto as a dip for:
Meat N’ a Pot
Not so much a recipe but a way to feed a crowd and fast!
I had several packages of gluten free chicken sausages from Trader Joe’s, Basil Pesto, Andouille, and Sun Dried Tomato. I cut all of the sausages up along with 4 left over chicken breasts. In a large pot I sauteed one bag of frozen pearl onions in 2 tablespoons of coconut oil until they started to brown, added the meat, and heated through.
I also made a veggie saute. Again, no rhyme or reason but it was so yummy! Dice and cook 8 strips of bacon and add to the cooked bacon 2 cups of Brussels Sprouts sliced thin, 1 lb of asparagus diced, 2 cups of sliced Crimini mushrooms and 3 diced steamed parsnips.
The veggies were also great with the parsley pesto.
Enjoy!
[nggallery id=145]
Sarah, your web site is really saving my bacon. I’m on doctors orders to follow a strict Paleo-esque diet: I can only have veggies (except nightshades and mushrooms), meat, some fruit, and coconut. Absolutely no seeds, nuts, grains, dairy, etc… I’m already gluten-free but this diet is a challenge. Anyway, long story short I am so loving your recipes and look forward to the new book. Your happy smiles and happy family photos on here help too, because right now I guess I feel a little deprived but seeing smiling faces on this diet are very encouraging!
Oh Jenny, thank you so much for your sweet comment, and please hang in there, you can do this and it’s so worth it and before you know it you will not feel deprived at all! It does get easier I promise!! Let me know how things go for you!!
Hiya Jenny. Eating this way is totally easy to do, once you get the hang of it. Yeah, I know it can be a big transition in the beginning and there’s a learning (and cravings) curve. But soon enough you will not have any cravings. I’ve been doing this for a while now and I don’t feel deprived at all. If anything, I feel soooo lucky to get to eat this way. So much yummy food, so little time!
That is such a great story! I ooh’ed and awe’ed over the pictures of those kids! I love how you really show everyone that it truly is possible to cook food that kids will eat while they learn how to be in the kitchen. I also am really thankful how you demonstrated an idea of what to do with leftovers. I feel like you’re not just blogging about your meals but you’re teaching the rest of us how to cook! Thank you! can’t wait for the book!
Thanks so much Angela! : )
Sounds so yummy!!!!!!! I will have to give it a go next time I have a crowd. I have been making amazing basil pesto from the farmers market lately!!! I could eat it from the spoon!!!! YUM! I love SPRING, and fresh foods! Here in SC we are just getting nice fresh SPRING foods…
I am so happy from some spring foods too, especially when I go this awesome parsley from my CSA but it does NOT feel like spring here, it’s cold and rainy and has been this way for 2 weeks, but I shouldn’t complain, I know we need the rain… : )
im hungry now! it seems easy to make
Super easy to make and super yummy!
Looks like fun! My large family gets together for birthdays. We have lots of diets we juggle-vegetarian, SAD, and paleo with variations. Do you make cakes for birthdays? Do you have a favorite recipe? I’m sure you have addressed this, but I’m sorry I haven’t seen your answer.
For birthdays I usually make a gluten free cake or cupcakes using a mix like Pamela’s or believe it or not even Betty Crocker now makes a gluten free cake mix. Not paleo but at lease gluten free and it is a birthday after all! Also, Elana’s Pantry has some amazing looking gluten free cakes on her site that I might try making for the next birthday that rolls around. For my birthday last year, my husband bought a flourless chocolate torte from a local bakery here in Chico. One bite was all I needed it was so rich but delicious it was almost over the top! LOL!! Here’s the link to Elana’s Pantry for you! http://www.elanaspantry.com/
Do you think that this would freeze well? I was thinking of making a large-ish batch of it, to use throughout that month (I’m doing a 30-day Paleo challenge).
Oh yes it will totally freeze well!
My 4-year old and I just made this for some salmon tonight. My boys love to help make recipes but they aren’t quite into tasting all of them…yet. Thanks for all the great recipes. I am anxious for your book:)
Just made parsley pesto and it’s delicious as always! Perfectly seasoned too. How do you do it? Thanks again!
Tried a variation on this pesto tonight and was delish! Used fresh parsley from the garden and some ginormous green onions from my neighbor’s garden. I only put two green onions in, but like I said, they’re mammoth, so I accidentally made it WAY too oniony. Ended up adding some walnuts and sundried tomatoes to tame the onion. A little different, but yummy. Thanks for the inspiration!!!
Oh yum!! I like the walnut and sun dried tomato addition! Sometimes my biggest uh-oh’s in the kitchen turn into the best dishes!