Our editor Jen shared her top tips for using up the abundance of fresh herbs most of us have growing in our gardens and pots right now — and here’s the recipe for the Nut-Free Basil Pesto that she made (and @annemariemediwake loved!). 
To make this quick and easy pesto (it takes about 5 minutes), you will need:
2 cups of basil, washed, dried and packed
2 cloves of garlic
¼ 
½ cup of freshly grated Parmesan cheese
Salt and pepper to taste
The key to success with this recipe is using fresh, quality ingredients — harvesting your homegrown basil will give the best results. Choose the lush green leaves and it’s okay to add some of the softer stems of the plant, too (avoid the stems that are “woody”). When it comes to the Parmesan, grating the cheese fresh will give you the best flavours.
METHOD:
Place all of the ingredients in a food processor and pulse until you have reached the desired consistency, adding a little more olive oil if needed.
Related posts:
Jennifer Reynolds, our previous Editor-in-Chief, is a long-time authority in gardening, do-it-yourself projects, urban sustainability, parenting, placemaking and community matters. Her features and columns have been published in Canadian Living, Canadian Family, Gardening Life, House & Home, Globe & Mail, National Post, Toronto Star & more. Plus, her designs and expertise have been featured on dozens of HGTV, W Network and CTV shows.
