Makes 1 ½ c pesto.

INGREDIENTS

4 garlic cloves
1/2 cup nuts-pine, macadamia nut, soy nut, walnut, pecans
2-3 cups chopped fresh herbs
2/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil or oil of your choice
1 tsp lemon zest/or lime/orange
Juice of one lemon/or lime/orange
Salt/pepper

PREPARATION

Mix all ingredients with a hand held mixer or food processor until smooth.  Add optional ingredients/cheese.

Herbal pestos are simple easy ways to utilize herbs in cooking for sauces, vegetables, spreads and more.  Be creative.  Here are a few of our favorites  Classic basil pesto/add ¼ cup grated parmesan to above recipe using lemon options and pine nuts or soy nuts are also a healthy option.  Cilantro macadamia nut pesto, follow recipe above using macadamia nuts and limes and almond oil chili’s are optional, excellent pesto for grilled halibut and other white fish.  Lemon Thyme pesto follow recipe above using lemon thyme and lemon options and for the cheese use grated Asiago.  Other idea are red basil pesto, mint pesto and our favorite at ger-nis mixed herb pesto, includes rosemary, thyme, chives, basil, and a tiny bit of sage with lemons and parmesan, used on potatoes or vegetables!