Cilantro Pesto – SOOOO GOOD!

So, since I can get cilantro SO cheap around here, I end up getting 4 for $1.  Thus I can sometimes go CRAZY trying to get that all used before it goes bad on me.

But what I realized is that Cilantro Pesto is basically the BEST THING EVER!!

Tonite I put it with sauteed red bell peppers, zuchinni, scallions, shrimp, red quinoa, brown rice, and couscous – it tasted SO DANG GOOD.

And since its not QUITE time to plant basil, and fresh basil is $$$  I thought I would share the recipe:

1 bunch fresh cilantro, rinsed and dried (approx. 3 cups loosley packed)
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1/2 cup roasted pine nuts, walnuts or macadamia nuts (I used NON roasted walnuts to retain the nutritional benefit)
2 cloves garlic (I discovered, it HAS to be from an actual clove, not the minced from a jar to make it WAY better)
1 TBS lime juice
1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
1/2 tsp sea salt or to taste
Dash pepper

Put all of the above in a food processor or blender until processed to a uniform consistency.

For those of you that grow Lemon Balm in your garden, you can also make LEMON BALM pesto.  I know, who knew?!?!

Just repeat the same thing as above using 2 cups lemon balm and 1 TBS fresh chives, 1/2 cup olive oil, 1 TBS lemon juice and 3 cloves garlic. That is all my recipe says, but  I think I also add in walnuts and parm cheese in similar proportions above. However if you are vegan or allergic to tree nuts – perfect for you AS IS!

You can also do OREGANO pesto using the same ratios as the 1st recipe, but used 1/2 cup fresh oregano, 1/2 cup fresh basil, and 2 TBS parsley, and bump up the lemon juice to 3 TBS and add more cloves of garlic if you like more zing. Everything else – olive oil, parm cheese, nuts, sea salt – the same quantities as the 1st recipe.

Any other great pesto ideas out there?