Basil Parsley Pesto Recipe

 

basil-parsley pesto | pamela salzman

I am willing to bet that I have eaten more pesto in my life than all of you.  Let me give you a little background.  My father has an expert green thumb and has maintained amazing gardens throughout my life.  Every year, he plants one large plot with a wide variety of beautiful vegetables, including tomatoes, eggplant, zucchini, green beans, cucumbers, arugula, kale, and so on.  And he also plants one plot of basil.  Just basil.  And every year he has so many basil plants that he has to give them away.  Same story this year.  “Pamela.  I have enough basil plants for all of New York.”  I know what you’re thinking.  Why does your father overplant basil every year?  Trust me, don’t ask.

Well, it’s a good thing we all liked basil growing up!  Because as you might imagine, we were putting it on everything, from our morning eggs to tomato salads to sauteed green beans to macerated strawberries.  But using a few handfuls of green leaves everyday was not putting a dent into our basil farm.  My father would rant and rave (in Italian).  “Do we not eat basil in this house?  I planted so much beautiful basil and no one eats it.  Mah!”  I can still picture the kitchen sink most summer mornings with freshly cut bushes of basil.  “Pamela, if we don’t pick it now, it will turn to seed and then the plant will die.”  Really?  Well I heard you can die from a basil overdose.

My mother had no choice but to turn to pesto.  What better way to use an overabundance of the herb?  Mom pulled out the blender and ground up pine nuts and fresh garlic.  She packed down as much basil as would fit, sprinkled it with salt and with the motor running, slowly poured in the olive oil.  That distinctive aroma would fill the house and still today reminds me of the summers of my youth.  Next came the grated parmesan cheese and we had glorious pesto.  I say glorious, because my sisters and I loved it.  I think my mother probably would have started drinking hard liquor if we didn’t.

Lucky for me that I married someone who loves pesto and gave birth to kids who do, too.  We put it on lots of things — pasta, sandwiches, grilled vegetables, ho-hum chicken or fish, minestrone soup, scrambled eggs, boiled potatoes, pizza and so on.  But I make it my own way with a combination of pine nuts and walnuts; pecorino-romano, which is made from sheep’s milk cheese and a little easier for some to digest than cow’s milk; and dare I say, with half basil and half parsley.  I am obsessed with parsley, which I consider a superfood.  It is loaded with chloropyhll and incredibly rich in nutrients from iron to calcium to Vitamin C.  But parsley also contains some interesting volatile oil compounds that are considered to be “chemoprotective,” which means they can help neutralize certain carcinogens.  The flavor of a basil-parsley pesto is still dominated by basil, but somehow a little lighter.  I actually prefer it to an all-basil pesto.  Of course, the real reason I even started to do half and half is because I always manage to plant way too much parsley.

basil-parsley pesto | pamela salzman

Basil-Parsley Pesto

Pamela
5 from 1 vote

Ingredients
  

  • makes 2 cups
  • ¼ cup raw walnuts
  • ¼ cup raw pine nuts
  • 1 ½ - 2 Tablespoons chopped garlic
  • 2 ½ cups basil leaves lightly packed
  • 2 ½ cups flat-leaf parsley leaves lightly packed
  • ¾ teaspoon sea salt
  • couple of grinds of black pepper
  • 1 cup unrefined cold-pressed extra virgin olive oil
  • ½ cup grated pecorino-romano or parmesan cheese**

Instructions
 

  • Place the walnuts, pine nuts, and garlic in the bowl of a food processor fitted with a steel blade. Process until finely chopped.
  • Add the basil and parsley leaves, salt and pepper. Start the food processor and slowly pour the olive oil into the bowl through the feed tube and process until the pesto is finely pureed. Add the parmesan cheese and puree until well blended. Pesto freezes beautifully.

Notes

**To make a dairy-free/vegan version, eliminate the salt and cheese and substitute ¼ cup brown rice miso or other hearty miso. Taste for salt.
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Asparagus salad with feta, walnuts and mint vinaigrette recipe

 

A great salad is part perfectly fresh and delicious ingredients and part winner dressing.  And the simpler the better.  But salad monogamy is not something I believe in.  There shouldn’t be exclusivity with salad combinations and dressings.  A good vinaigrette should be able to play the field.  And let me tell you, the mint vinaigrette in this recipe sees a lot of action in my kitchen.  

Does it look familiar to you?  If you took my class last July, you had it with a Farro, Golden Beet and Cucumber Salad.  If you saw the feature in ELLE Magazine of my class at Jenni Kayne’s and looked up the recipes, you saw it there, too.  But what you don’t know is that I have been using this dressing for years on lots of things and you will too!

Why do I love this dressing?  Mint is one of my favorite herbs in both savory and sweet dishes.  Combined with rice vinegar and red onion, it is fresh and tangy and I could drink this dressing with a straw, I love it so much.  It is just perfect with asparagus, peas, cucumber, beets, carrots, potatoes and green beans.  Here I’ve shown you this asparagus salad prepared two ways – either sliced and mixed with butter lettuce or whole spears drizzled with dressing.  Easter is just around the corner and I think this would make a lovely light salad for brunch or a perfect complement to roast lamb for dinner.

Don’t forget about how nutritious asparagus is.  Asparagus is loaded with potassium, Vitamin C and folic acid, which is critical for proper cellular division (especially if you’re pregnant.)  It also contains inulin which we don’t digest, but the good bacteria in our gut do.  We want to promote the growth and activity of friendly bacteria so that they make it more difficult for unfriendly bacteria to take over our intestinal tract.  Asparagus is also rich in vitamin K, calcium and magnesium, all helpful in building bone strength.  I guess you could call this salad a win-win!

 

Asparagus Salad with Feta, Walnuts and Mint Vinaigrette

Pamela
4 from 1 vote
Servings 6

Ingredients
  

  • 1 ½ pounds asparagus medium thickness, tough ends trimmed
  • 6 ounces butter lettuce torn into bite size pieces (optional)
  • ½ cup fresh mint leaves about half of a 3/4 ounce package
  • 1 clove minced garlic or 1 teaspoon, chopped
  • ¼ cup diced red onion
  • 3 Tablespoons unseasoned rice vinegar
  • 1 teaspoon raw honey
  • 1/2 teaspoon sea salt or more if you don't use the feta
  • a few grinds of freshly ground black pepper
  • ½ cup unrefined cold-pressed extra-virgin olive oil
  • ½ cup raw walnuts chopped
  • 3-4 ounces feta preferably goat, crumbled

Instructions
 

  • Prepare a large bowl of ice water. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and blanch the asparagus spears for 3 minutes for medium thick spears (less for thinner). Remove asparagus with tongs and immediately submerge in the ice water. Once cool, remove asparagus to dry.
  • To prepare the dressing: place the mint leaves, garlic, rice vinegar, honey, diced onions, salt and pepper in a blender or food processor. Begin to blend and with the motor running, add the olive oil in a slow stream. Season to taste with sea salt and pepper.
  • Place lettuce on a platter and toss with enough dressing just to coat. Dry asparagus well and cut on the diagonal into fourths. Toss with a little dressing and add to lettuce. Scatter feta and walnuts all over salad and add more dressing if necessary.

Notes

The second photo shows how I store asparagus. When you bring it home from the market, trim the ends of the asparagus and store in a container with an inch of water at the base. Keep refrigerated. The asparagus will stay fresher for longer. When trimming asparagus to cook, bend the asparagus back close to the bottom and find the natural break in the stalk. Prepare as desired.
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

 

 

Vegan Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies

vegan oatmeal chocolate chip cookies on a plate with milk

A delicious cookie that’s both vegan and packed with wholesome ingredients? Yep! These vegan oatmeal chocolate chip cookies combine the heartiness of oats with rich, melty chocolate for the perfect guilt-free treat. Whether you’re vegan or just love a good cookie, this recipe become a favorite in no time!

vegan oatmeal chocolate chip cookies on a plate with milk

Why You'll Love This Vegan Oatmeal Cookies

I love being able to share recipes that are delicious, easy, and just so happen to be good for you recipes. Take these vegan oatmeal chocolate chip cookies, for example. Using a base of walnuts, maple syrup, and a touch of coconut oil in place of butter and regular eggs, these are just darn tasty and not-so-shabby, nutritionally speaking.

 

Like many cookie recipes, you can make the dough several days in advance and keep it covered in the refrigerator. Take it out when you’re ready to bake and scoop it onto your cookie sheets. 

 

They are full of fiber and contain no refined sugar. No animal products either, if that’s important to you. You can even make them gluten-free by using gluten-free oats. Serve them with a glass of your favorite non-dairy milk and enjoy every last bite!

Ingredient Notes

These really are the best vegan oatmeal chocolate chip cookies. With simple ingredients and 15 minutes of baking time, these vegan cookies have the perfect texture and are full of ooey gooey goodness. 


  • oat flour: You can easily make your own oat flour. See step 2 in the recipe card.
  • baking soda
  • fine grain sea salt
  • ground cinnamon
  • raw walnuts or walnut meal: You can also use raw cashews/cashew meal or raw pecans/pecan meal. 
  • melted coconut oil or olive oil or avocado oil
  • 100% pure maple syrup
  • vanilla extract
  • rolled oats: To make this recipe gluten-free, make sure to use gluten-free rolled oats. For best results, use old-fashioned rolled oats, though quick oats will work in a pinch. 
  • vegan chocolate chips

 

See the recipe card below for exact ingredient amounts.

Step-by-Step Instructions

Step 1: Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper.

 

Step 2: *If you need to make oat flour, place 1 ¾ cups rolled oats in a food processor and process until powdery.

 

Step 3: Place the dry ingredients: oat flour, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon in a large mixing bowl and whisk together.

recipe ingredients in a food processor

Step 4: Place walnuts in a food processor and blend into a fine meal. Add oil, maple syrup, and vanilla and process until the mixture has the consistency of natural nut butter (this serves as our egg replacer!)

 

cookie dough in a mixing bowl

Step 5: Stir walnut mixture into flour mixture. Fold in 2 cups of rolled oats and chocolate chips.

 

Step 6: Use a 1 ¾ -inch ice cream scooper (or cookie scoop) to form dough into balls, and place the cookie dough balls on the parchment lined baking sheet. You can fit 12 on a sheet. Flatten cookies slightly with a damp hand. Bake for 13-15 minutes or until cookies begin to turn golden brown and the tops look dry.

 

Step 7: Cool for a few minutes and then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

vegan oatmeal chocolate chip cookies on a baking sheet

Recipe Tips & Substitutions

  • Mix-ins: Feel free to add other mix-ins such as shredded coconut, chopped nuts, or additional chocolate chunks or chips. 
  • Oil: I prefer oil in this recipe, but you can use vegan butter if that’s what you have on hand.
  • Make your own Oat Flour: If you need to make oat flour, place 1 ¾ cups of rolled oats in a food processor and process until powdery.

Storage Tips

Store baked leftover cookies in an airtight container for up to a week at room temperature. For longer storage, let the cookies cool completely on the cooling rack. Then, store the cooled and baked cookies in a freezer-safe container or freezer bag for up to 3 months. 

 

 

If you have leftover dough, store it in the refrigerator, covered, for up to 3-4 days. 

 

To freeze the cookies unbaked: Arrange them in a single layer on the baking sheet and place the pan in the freezer. Once the cookies are frozen solid, transfer them to an airtight container and keep them frozen until you’re ready to bake. Then just place them on a prepared baking sheet directly from the freezer and add another minute or two to the baking time.

a stack of cookies next to a white mug

More Vegan Cookie Recipes

If you give this applesauce coffee cake recipe a try, snap a pic and tag @pamelasalzman so I can see your beautiful creations. I also really appreciate readers taking the time to leave a star rating and review! I have started a weekly Monday newsletter with tips, musings, new recipes not published here, fun new finds, and more. Subscribe for free here.

For more delicious recipes and to learn how to be a better cook, check out my monthly online cooking classes. I have been teaching people for 15 years how to cook healthy food that their families love!  Join me!

Vegan Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies

Pamela
A delicious cookie that's both vegan and packed with wholesome ingredients? Yep! These vegan oatmeal chocolate chip cookies combine the heartiness of oats with rich, melty chocolate for the perfect guilt-free treat. Whether you're vegan or just love a good cookie, this recipe become a favorite in no time!
4.82 from 16 votes
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 15 minutes
Total Time 25 minutes

Ingredients
  

  • 1 ½ cups oat flour
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1 teaspoon fine grain sea salt
  • ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 2 cups raw walnuts or walnut meal or cashews/cashew meal or pecan/pecan meal
  • 3 Tablespoons melted coconut oil or olive oil or avocado oil
  • 1 cup 100% pure maple syrup
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
  • 2 cups rolled oats
  • 12 ounces or 1 ½ cups chocolate chips

Instructions
 

  • Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper.
  • *If you need to make oat flour, place 1 ¾ cups rolled oats in a food processor and process until powdery.
  • Place oat flour, baking soda, salt and cinnamon in a mixing bowl and whisk together.
  • Place walnuts in a food processor and blend into a fine meal. Add oil, maple syrup and vanilla and process until mixture has the consistency of natural nut butter.
  • Stir walnut mixture into flour mixture. Fold in 2 cups rolled oats and chocolate chips.
  • Use a 1 ¾ -inch ice cream scooper to form dough into balls, and place on baking sheets. You can fit 12 on a sheet. Flatten cookies slightly with a damp hand. Bake 13-15 minutes or until cookies begin to brown and tops look dry.
  • Cool a few minutes and then transfer to wire rack to cool completely.

Notes

  • Store baked leftover cookies in an airtight container for up to a week at room temperature. For longer storage, let the cookies cool completely on the cooling rack. Then, store the cooled and baked cookies in a freezer-safe container or freezer bag for up to 3 months.
  • If you have leftover dough, store it in the refrigerator, covered, for up to 3-4 days.
  • To freeze the cookies unbaked: Arrange them in a single layer on the baking sheet and place the pan in the freezer. Once the cookies are frozen solid, transfer them to an airtight container and keep them frozen until you're ready to bake. Then just place them on a prepared baking sheet directly from the freezer and add another minute or two to the baking time.
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

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Muhammara recipe (turkish red bell pepper and walnut dip)

 

muhumara|pamela salzman

I know those holiday parties are coming up and I thought another hors d’oeuvre post would be helpful.  My good friend Cheryl gave me this recipe.  She is an outstanding cook and everything she makes is a home run.  I love the fact that this dip is mostly roasted red bell peppers and walnuts and it is easy-peasy to put together.  A bonus is that it tastes better if you make it ahead and we all know how much I like to prep in advance.   You can certainly use jarred roasted peppers or the ones that you can find in some deli cases, but I find (no surprise, I’m sure) that the ones you make at home taste so much better.  Maybe it’s all that love that goes into them!

muhummara|pamela salzman

muhummara|pamela salzman

 

 

A note about the pomegranate molasses:  I try not to use ingredient that are expensive, hard-to-find or that have a short shelf-life.  I found pomegranate molasses easily at my local Whole Foods and it cost only about $4.  Also, it lasts for a long time, so I didn’t hesitate to keep it on the ingredient list.  However, if you can’t find any and you don’t live close enough to me to borrow it, you can add a drop of raw honey and some extra lemon juice to mimic the tart-sweetness that pomegranate molasses brings to the dish.

muhummara|pamela salzman

 

Here I am serving it with endive leaves and gluten-free sweet potato chips, but feel free to go with the traditional pita or other raw vegetables.

Bowl of Muhammara dip served with chips and celery

Muhammara Recipe (Turkish Red Bell Pepper and Walnut Dip)

Pamela Salzman
An easy dip that is mostly roasted red bell peppers and walnuts and it is easy-peasy to put together - which makes it the perfect make ahead dip for the Holidays!
Prep Time 15 minutes
Total Time 15 minutes
Course Appetizer, Snack
Cuisine Mediterranean
Servings 2 cups

Ingredients
  

  • 1 ½ cups raw walnuts
  • ½ cup fresh bread crumbs
  • 3 red bell peppers roasted, peeled, seeded and chopped, about 1 ½ cups or 1 12-ounce jar
  • ¼ cup unrefined cold-pressed extra-virgin olive oil plus more to taste
  • 2 Tablespoons pomegranate molasses plus more to taste
  • 1 Tablespoon fresh lemon juice
  • A few shots of hot sauce or ¼ teaspoon ground red chiles or to taste
  • 1 teaspoon sea salt
  • 1 teaspoon ground cumin
  • Toasted pita your favorite chips or endive leaves

Instructions
 

  • In the bowl of a food processor fitted with the metal blade, add the walnuts and bread crumbs. Process until finely chopped.
  • Add the roasted peppers and olive oil. Process until smooth. Add the remaining ingredients (except the pita) and blend.
  • Taste and adjust with more oil, molasses and/or salt.
  • Refrigerate, covered until ready to serve. The flavors will come together as the dip sits. Serve with pita, chips or endive leaves.
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

 

Whole wheat pumpkin muffins recipe

 

whole wheat pumpkin muffins|pamela salzman

I prefer not to encourage too many desserts and sweets on this site.  There are so many reasons that sugar and refined sweeteners are bad for your health that I will devote an entire post to the subject in the future.  That said, we do have a need to satisfy sweetness, although not as often as we think we need to.   Whenever I make a dessert or sweet recipe, I aim to use far less sugar that is typically called for, or to substitute a less refined sweetener.

whole wheat pumpkin muffins|pamela salzman

 

These muffins are nothing you need to feel guilty about.  Full of nutrient-dense pumpkin, and made with whole grain flour and pure maple syrup, you’ll be making these for breakfast, lunch boxes, and soccer snacks.  They freeze well and can go from freezer to lunchbox.  By the time lunch rolls around, the muffin is ready to eat.

whole wheat pumpkin muffins|pamela salzman

People ask me all the time about making substitutions, especially making recipes gluten-free.  I have made these muffins successfully with several different gluten-free mixes, including Bob’s Red Mill and King Arthur.  I used Pamela’s (not me) once, but didn’t add Xanthan gum which I should have.  Also, feel free to sub out something else for the currants.  I did use mini-chocolate chips once for my son’s soccer team and not a one was left!

whole wheat pumpkin muffins|pamela salzman

 

whole wheat pumpkin muffins in a basket

Whole Wheat Pumpkin Muffins Recipe

Pamela
The perfect muffin recipe for fall! Enjoy with a cup of coffee or tea in the morning, enjoy as a mid-day snack, or eat as a dessert.
Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 25 minutes
Course Breakfast, Dessert
Cuisine American
Servings 12 muffins

Ingredients
  

  • 1 ½ cups whole wheat pastry or white whole wheat flour
  • ½ teaspoon sea salt
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • ¾ teaspoon aluminum-free baking powder
  • ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
  • ¼ teaspoon ground ginger
  • ¼ teaspoon ground cloves
  • ¾ cup pure maple syrup
  • 1 cup pumpkin puree NOT pumpkin pie filling or half a 15-ounce can
  • 1/3 cup melted butter or coconut oil
  • 2 large eggs
  • ¼ cup milk or water or almond milk
  • 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
  • ½ cup chopped walnuts pecans or currants

Instructions
 

  • Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
  • Line a muffin pan with liners.
  • Whisk all dry ingredients except nuts in a mixing bowl.
  • Blend all wet ingredients in a blender.
  • Add wet to dry and mix until just combined. Do not overmix. Stir in nuts or currants.
  • Using an ice cream scooper, scoop batter into muffin pan.
  • Bake for 25-30 minutes or until a tester comes out clean.
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!