If you know me, you’ll know I’m all about the greens.
I could write a book about the benefits of leafy greens, but all I’ll say now is that if you start adding 1-2 pounds (500g to 1kg) of leafy greens to your diet every day, you’ll see your life change for the better.
Benefits include fast weight loss due to the abundance of thylakoids which suppress the appetite.
The high amounts of magnesium in the leafy greens will help you sleep well, calm your anxiety and reduce your stress.
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The plant based calcium will protect your bones, giving you stronger teeth and nails, and won’t strip your body of nutrients like dairy does.
This is just the tip of the iceberg (lettuce!) in terms of the benefits leafy greens can bring to your health.
So why aren’t we all including more leafy greens in our diets?
Most people would tell you that they just don’t like the taste of texture or munching through mounds of leafy greens every day.
So how do we get in more leafy greens in our diet without spending all day chewing?
- Make a Green Thickie for breakfast and lunch
- Take a green powder or green juice
- Make a pesto for your dinner and add it to a salad or zucchini/courgette noodles for even more veggie nutrient power.
You can find links to my Green Thickies and recommended green powder above, but in this post we’re focusing on pesto.
Here are 10 of my favourite raw vegan pesto recipes. Just add one of these recipes to your diet every day for a week and really notice the difference.
Enjoy!
10 Best Raw Vegan Pesto Recipes
1) Easy Vegan Pesto (5 Minutes!)
The easiest vegan pesto in 5 minutes! Cheesy and flavorful despite being dairy-free, plus an option for lower oil/fat. It’s the perfect plant-based spread for Italian dishes and more!
~Dana, MINIMALIST BAKER
2) Avocado Pesto Sauce (Nut-free, Vegan)
Free of nuts, dairy and oils, this pesto sauce can be enjoyed quite liberally over your favorite noodles and veggies. A ripe avocado lends its smooth and creamy texture to this rich sauce, and is complimented with fresh basil, garlic and lemon juice.
~Megan, DETOXINISTA
3) Vegan And Oil Free Pesto With Basil And Avocado
This simple recipe for oil free pesto is totally vegan and features basil, cashew nuts and avocado. It’s a super simple, staple dinner that’s whipped up in no time!
~Lauren, LAUREN CARIS COOKS
4) Vegan Avocado Pesto (Raw Glutenfree)
Easy creamy Vegan Avocado Pesto recipe. Enjoy it with Italian pasta, spread it on bread, veggies, burgers and make your simple vegan gluten free dinner!
~Fran, BEAUTY FOOD BLOG
5) Raw Vegan Pesto With Zucchini
Italian pesto is traditionally made with lots of parmesan cheese. This new pesto recipe tastes like the Italian version everyone loves, but it’s vegan and Paleo-friendly!
~Dawn, SMALL FOOTPRINT FAMILY
6) Creamy Avocado Basil Pesto
Avocados are the best for a creamy pasta sauce – nothing compares to it! Whip up this avocado basil pesto and toss your favorite noodles in.
~Amanda, RAWMANDA
7) Vegan Walnut Pesto
Using walnuts in place of pine nuts makes this pesto more accessible and slightly more affordable without losing any flavor. Walnuts are widely used in Italy and favored for their rich yet delicate flavors.
~Rika & Doni, VEGAN MIAM
8) Raw Vegan Pesto
This raw vegan pesto really is one of those dishes that not only tastes good, but is super good for you too.
~Nikkie, EATING VIBRANTLY
9) Everyday Vegan Pesto
All you need to make your pesto is a food processor. You simply add everything in, blend it up, then drizzle in your olive oil. It seriously couldn’t be easier.
~Alyssa, SIMPLY QUINOA
10) Easy Vegan Kale & Cashew Pesto
Classic pesto gets a delicious vegan makeover in this recipe and becomes even healthier with the addition of kale leaves. Spread it on sandwiches, add to soups and pastas – the choice is yours!
~Alina, VEGAN RUNNER EATS
After my 10 months on a raw food diet and throwing an epic raw food party for a big crowd, I released my own raw food recipe book for parties. You can get that at a discount by clicking here.
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Which of these pesto recipes appeals to you the most? Let me know in the comments down below…
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Elena says
Wow! So many delicious pesto recipes to try! Pesto is something I eat on a daily basis, so having such a great selection of pesto recipes is really nice :)