Pumpkin Seed Pesto

This pumpkin seed pesto is super versatile and can be adjusted to be thick as a dip or spread or thinned with water into a salad dressing. Pumpkin seeds are a great source of zinc and essential fats to promote healthy testosterone levels and balanced estrogen in the body. When adding an acid to a mineral-rich food, such as lemon juice with vitamin C and other limonene antioxidants, it increases the absorption of minerals available in the dish. Basil serves as an aphrodisiac rich in vitamin A, magnesium, potassium and vitamin C with libido lifting history dating back to ancient Greece. The contrast of salty and bright with creamy sliced avocado is dreamy!

The recipe makes 2 1/2 cups of pumpkin seed pesto (10 servings).

Toast the pumpkin seeds, dry, in a medium sized skillet until fragrant and puffed, moving frequently so as not to burn. Allow to cool. Place the pumpkin seeds in a food processor and pulse until coarsely ground. Add the salt, lemon juice, garlic and herbs and pulse until roughly combined. With the food processor running, stream in the olive oil and pulse to desired consistency, adding water to thin, as needed, one tablespoon at a time. Plate with sliced avocados and/or tomatoes with 1 oz Burrata and ¼ cup pesto. Garnish with a leaf of basil or sprinkle of toasted pumpkin seeds.

2 cups pumpkin seeds
1/4 teaspoon sea salt
2 Tablespoons lemon juice, or to taste
3 cloves garlic
1 cup roughly chopped fresh basil
¼ cup roughly chopped mint
¼ cup olive oil
¼ cup filtered water, as needed

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About us: Ali Miller, RD, LD, CDE and Becki Yoo, MS, RD, LD are registered dietitians using functional approaches to health with a strong belief in food-as-medicine. Ali started her functional medicine clinic, Naturally Nourished in 2011 with the approach that everything you put in your body sends a signal leading to optimal health function or dysfunction and disease.