To prepare the pesto, place the sunflower seeds, hemp seeds, basil, garlic and lemon in a blender or food processor and pulse to combine until the mixture is coarsely ground.
With the motor running, add in the oil until you reach your desired consistency. You might need to scrape down the sides of the bowl or jug a few times. Season to taste with sea salt.
This basil pesto with hemp seeds and pasta combination is ideal for a simplified weeknight meal or prepped lunches for the week ahead. Some would argue pesto is not pesto without Parmesan, but this vegan version is very good. You swap the Parmesan for nutritional yeast — make sure what you are buying contains the essential B vitamins (including fortified B12), not all brands do. It is a must for any plant-based eater.
And as we may be reading this from different continents, with different climates and access, adapt as required. Here I have kale and basil, though if it were winter, I would instead replace the basil with kale entirely. This is also more cost-effective in general. Striking that balance between great flavour and nutrition without spending an entire paycheck is vital for inspiring others to get on board with what you are doing — I think that tends to be the main criticism of vegan diets.
Our recipes are heavily whole food-focused, and we hoped this would encourage others to return to basics, now perhaps it seems more relevant, experiencing multiple lockdowns.
While I'm usually picking up ingredients throughout the week from the grocery store, this was no longer possible during the lockdown. Acquiring groceries had become challenging. I had not considered the struggle many people felt that takeout was no longer an option until I saw the memes. There had not been a better time to organise one's self — even partially commit to meal prep.
And while two-minute noodles were absent from supermarket shelves, I would like to think that some people came to appreciate the time, love and effort that goes into preparing a meal. To me, a happy refrigerator is one bustling with batches of hummus, fresh juice, nut milk and jars of sauerkraut. And this pesto is one of those foods we prepare from scratch for making a meal in moments. That and it was a personal commitment to minimise my plastic use. Cooking is in many ways, my meditation and primarily my connection to myself and the earth.
If anything, I think while the COVID-19 epidemic reminded us of the fragility of humanity — it also brought to focus the underlying food security risks, and inequities within our global food systems. There is no doubt that the food system is challenging to navigate, especially when it comes to consuming responsibly, that said, eating in season supports local growers. And if you can, eating organic, food produced without pesticides/herbicides/fungicides is positive for the earth and those who cultivate these foods. Either way, both are wonderful opportunities to put our dollars in the right direction. We prepared this pesto with basil from our yard (Amandine's partner Benoit is cultivating it by the Masses. If you make this pesto, we would love to see. Tag us on Instagram, @thisislagom.
Everything we create is an effort to participate in a culture shift. All products featured are independently selected and curated by the authors, and we only feature items we use or would use ourselves that align with our values. As part of our business model, we do work with affiliates such as Amazon. As an Amazon Associate, we earn from qualifying purchases if you decide to purchase through our links. The price would be the same to you either way, but if you find value in our work, then these affiliate links are a way to support it. We only recommend brands, makers and products we use — that we support. Transparency is important to us, so if you have any questions, please reach out to us.
