Have a look at our post on why we love dips so much and why dips are great for kids. Basil Pesto is a classic dip that combines the beautiful flavour of fresh basil with nuts and cheese. The dip can be enjoyed alone, or with raw vegetable sticks, crackers, or used as a pizza base, sandwich spread or stirred through pasta. Pesto is really versatile and a great one to have in small batches in the freezer for those ’emergency’ meals.

Nutrition Note: Extra virgin olive oil undergoes the least amount of processing, compared with other olive oils, ensuring the health benefits, flavour and freshness of the olives is maximised.

Ingredients

• 1 large bunch fresh basil, washed, leaved removed
• 1/4 cup pine nuts
• 1/4 cup cashews
• 1/2 cup finely grated parmesan (optional)
• 40 ml extra virgin olive oil
• 1 clove roasted garlic (or crushed raw garlic)

Method

Step 1

Place all ingredients in a food processor and process until you have a fine consistency or smooth paste. Be sure to check for any whole nuts which can post a choking risk to children. -