PCOS Friendly Basil & Olive Pesto
This vibrant, dairy-free pesto swaps traditional pine nuts and parmesan for briny green olives, making it a smart choice for anyone managing hormone-related inflammation through food. Extra-virgin olive oil is the star here ā a fat source celebrated for supporting insulin sensitivity, which is a key concern for many people navigating PCOS. Fresh basil and garlic bring serious antioxidant power to the table, and the bright hit of lemon juice and zest keeps every spoonful tasting clean and alive. The whole thing comes together in a food processor in just a few pulses, so there's no cooking required and barely any cleanup. Spread it on grain bowls, toss it with zucchini noodles, stir it into roasted vegetables, or use it as a dip ā the versatility is genuinely impressive. Optional parsley adds an extra layer of fresh, herby depth if you want to push the flavor even further. Keep a jar in the fridge and you'll find yourself reaching for it all week long.
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Learn more āIngredients
6 servings
- 2 cups fresh basil leaves, packed
- ā cup pitted green olives
- 2 cloves garlic, peeled
- 1 tbsp fresh lemon juice
- Ā½ tsp lemon zest
- Ā½ tsp fine sea salt, plus more to taste
- Ā½ cup extra-virgin olive oil
- 1ā2 tbsp fresh parsley leaves (optional)
Instructions
- 1
Combine the basil leaves, green olives, garlic, lemon juice, lemon zest, and salt in the bowl of a food processor. Pulse 8ā10 times until the mixture is coarsely chopped and the garlic is broken down.
- 2
With the processor running, pour the olive oil in a slow, steady stream through the feed tube, processing until the pesto is smooth with a few flecks of texture remaining ā about 20ā30 seconds. Stop and scrape down the sides with a rubber spatula, then pulse once or twice more to incorporate.
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