Are you 'cheap', Dearies?
Well, I have to admit that I have heard this adjective to describe all that is Stella Witch quite a few times in the last ten years, which is about as long as I've been an adult. This may have something to do with the fact that I've worked in restaurants since I was 14 years old, and pretty much paid my way through life from a very young age. It could also be due to my loathing of the concept of debt, as I don't want to have that weight over my head of owing someone or some company money. Though I do like to have a credit card on hold for emergencies and such, but that's another topic...
Being that I am 'cheap' and admittedly so, I must say that I still do want quality in the items I must purchase whether it be a new sofa or simply the fish I'm looking at through the glass of my local fishmonger. So when it comes to things I love like basil pesto, you all might have already guessed that pine nuts and walnuts are not a topic about which I'm too enthused, at least in reference to their price per pound. Even conventional pine nuts cost an arm and a leg, and I don't even want to think about the prices on organic pine and walnuts.
So my answer to this is sunflower seeds. Sunflower seeds have a similar nutty and delicious flavor when toasted much like pine nuts. And at least in my part of the world, cost about $2 pound. They are also super rich in linoleic acid (an essential fatty acid), vitamin E, B vitamins, minerals, and even cholesterol lowering phytosterols! Yes, they are healthful, delicious, and CHEAP. And guess what? They work great in pesto!
Ooh, and if you're really cheap like me, grow your own basil. It grows out of control in sunny regions!
Sunflower Basil Pesto
2 Cups Fresh Basil
2/3 Cups Toasted, Unsalted Sunflower Seeds
2-3 Cloves Garlic
1/2 Cup Olive Oil
1/3 Cup Parmesan Cheese
Salt & Black Pepper to Taste
In a food processor, place the basil, sunflower seeds, garlic cloves, and cheese. Pulse a few times or till you get a very course meal. Then, slowly pour the olive oil in while pulsing till you get your desired texture. I leave mine a bit course, but feel free to break it down as you like.
Serve immediately over pasta, grilled meats, bread, etc. For pasta, this is enough pesto for 4 servings...
Enjoy, my Lovelies!
.jpg)
Thank You Stella! Finally someone who understands the pains of buying pine nuts at $9.99/lb!
ReplyDeleteDelish looking! I am fixing some pesto next week so will definitely be channeling you through & through!
Ciao, Devaki @ weavethousandflavors
Stella, pesto! Great minds think alike! I love this idea. I normally use walnuts in my basil pesto, because it like the flavor, and they're a lot cheaper. I think I'm on a pesto kick. I have some other ideas for pestos to try in the next few days. We need to have a pesto coven.
ReplyDeleteWhat a wonderful idea. I'm going to try it for sure.
ReplyDeleteLots of yummy love,
Alex aka Ma, What's For Dinner
www.mawhats4dinner.com
I love pine nuts... and I cry a little when I look at the price for a tiny container of them. This is a fantastic solution for making pesto on a cheap budget
ReplyDeleteHonestly, I hate missing your new posts becasue every time I stop by - there is a great recipe idea. Sunflower seed pesto!!!! YUM. I bought some pumpkin seed oil in Vienna 2 summers ago, and it added a deadly touch to salads. This pesto sounds yummy.
ReplyDeleteAny luck finding the subscribe by e-mail plug in so I can get your new posts by mail?
:)
Valerie
Hey Valerie, it's on the side bar there, no? I see it. Maybe it's not coming up on your computer...Hmm? Your bolognese sauce looked wicked delicious by the way. I might have to make some this week...
ReplyDeleteValerie from A Canadian Foodie, I luv seeing her here because you two are my 2 biggest inspirations for starting to bake more. You both bake baking look so easy. She was my answer to rosewater ;-) I think the two of you will become very good friends. Aah, the power of the Internet.
ReplyDeleteThis is such a smart recipe Stella! Substituting sunflowerseeds for walnuts is such a money saver. I've never bought pinenuts so I don't know how much they cost but by the sounds of it they're much more than sunflower seeds. Guess I lucked out today coming across two wonderful, healthy sauces for pasta. Thank you for sharing this recipe. I love the simplicity in this yet it sounds so flavorful.
Stella...don't call yourself cheap...FRUGAL is a much more appropriate term for those who have survived somewhat harder times!
ReplyDeleteI love the recipe. I started eating pumpkin seeds in order to increase my intake of ZINC.
So, I'll certainly have to add this Pesto recipe to my repertoire.
BTW...only if your interested...I posted a very tasty frugal Parsley and sun-dried Tomato Pesto on my blog. It's in the recipe gallery.
Great exchanging recipes with you and flavourful wishes, Claudia
Oops...sorry Stella...me again...what a dork I am for mis-taking sunflower seeds for pumpkin. Oh well...just maybe, this could be another recipe ;o)
ReplyDeleteThanks for understanding my slight distraction.
Claudia
Hey LeQuan, yeah, didn't Valerie's sauce look good? Ooh, and I like being your inspiration!
ReplyDeleteHey Claudia, that's okay! I'm easily distracted too... Frugal, huh? But I kind like calling myself 'cheap'. It makes me laugh (smile)!
I love sunflower seeds. Developed an addiction to the during my baseball career. However, they must be raw. I don't like them roasted or salted. I get them actually by my house for $1/ lbs.
ReplyDeleteBeautiful pesto. Thank you for teaching me something new. Making mental note.
Cheers!
I remember buying pine nuts for this pesto I was making and thinking omgoodness, that much for 200g?! I was a bit peeved. Sunflower seeds seem like a great substitute!, will def keep this in mind next time I make pesto pasta!
ReplyDeleteWhat a great idea...using the sunflower seeds! I am going to have to try this :)!
ReplyDeleteI love trying new pesto variations! So far I've done pine nuts, walnuts, macadamian nuts, and pistachios. Guess what is next on my list :P
ReplyDeleteStella, this is genius! Pine nuts are pricey but pesto is so yummy. I have to try this. I have other pesto variations but they are not appropriate to share.
ReplyDeleteI love sunflower seeds and what a great idea to use them in pesto instead of pine nuts! I will definitely try this as well.
ReplyDeleteStella, using sunflower seeds in place of pine nuts is a great idea! I wonder why it's not done more often. I'll have to try this recipe.
ReplyDeleteGreat idea for a delicious pesto, now that the basil is in the garden and available for use! I like sunflower seeds and I think your pesto would be great on a baked sweet potato which I happen to have on hand, thanks for sharing another wonderful recipe Stella.
ReplyDeleteWhat a fantastic idea Stella! Yes, I love pesto so much but find pine nuts to be way too expensive. Using sunflower seeds is such a good idea, and I bet very nutritious too! Love it!
ReplyDeletecheap never..more like smart, what a great idea..we love sunflowers and I hardly ever buy pine nuts...my girls would love this..and last year we grew basil..wow it was everywhere, oh my..what a wonderful bounty
ReplyDeletesweetlife
I've always preferred making pesto with walnuts instead pinenuts. The sunflower seeds is a great idea. Just before reading your blog, I was thinking of inexpensive ways to make a pesto with another type of green (perhaps leafy or not) vegetable.
ReplyDeleteBrilliant! This is going on my must-try list. Pine nuts are painfully expensive and I'd just as soon use the sunflower seeds instead and spend my money on something that really matters to me, like cheese!
ReplyDeleteThis looks really healthy and delicious. I would love to try. I can already see myself adding to everything :D
ReplyDeleteLove pasta with pesto! Great to have sunflower seed instead of pinenuts!
ReplyDeletePine nuts cost even more over here Stella so to say I'm so happy you posted this is such an understatement! I've bookmarked this. Sunflower seeds here are practically a giveaway and you're right, they're absolutely delicious!
ReplyDeleteLove all these comments above... I will make this pesto tomorrow! thanks, Witchy Stella....
ReplyDeleteI don't recall ever buying pine nuts. And yes, I am cheap! I've actually made pesto without nuts of any kind, and it still tastes great to me! I'm growing my own basil so I will try your sunflower seed version this year. Sounds delicious!
ReplyDeleteFrom subbing sunflowers to hating debt - you and I must be twins separated at birth! Happy to have found your site :-)
ReplyDeleteStella, I admire your self-control. I tend be a spontaneous buyer of things I don't need and can't really afford. I'm a huge pine nut lover though so maybe I can begin to change my spending ways by starting out small and replacing them with sunflower seeds. :D
ReplyDeleteThanks for the recipe!
My dad is OBSESSED with sunflower seeds. He buys the salted unshelled kind and chews on the shells until he gets to the seed and then spits out the shell. It may be why I don't like sunflower seeds that much hahaha.
ReplyDeleteAnyway, I like pepitas for pesto, as you know. I wonder how the price varies between pepitas and sunflower seeds? Surely not as much as the price difference between either of them and pine nuts, though. :P
Anyway, this looks fantastic and I can't wait to start growing my own basil so I can be super cheap like you. :)
Thanks Mo! We can all be cheap together. Yeah! Being cheap is fun...(smile).
ReplyDeleteHow clever! I'm cheap by necessity (I'm poor) and I also happen to have a 1lb bag of sunflower seeds and some basil growing in the greenhouse. I will give this a try. Mmmmm, I can totally taste it.
ReplyDeleteHi again :)
ReplyDeleteIn response to your potato ice cream question, I don't see why not! I use to eat sweet potato smothered in condensed milk and it tasted fine. So I suppose a sweet potato ice cream wouldn't taste bad! Boil and mash then chuck it into the mixture :)
This is the smartest pesto I have heard of, love it, I am cheap, I mean frugal too! I started pumping gas in the 4th grade and doing the books (I was good at math, and mom checked after me) at my dad's convenience store, then odd jobs her and there, waited tables all through highschool and college. Then I worked for super cheap "med school drop out" dentists, well all but one who actually wanted to be a dentist. Anyway, I still pinch pennies.
ReplyDeleteWith this economy nothing wrong with checking out prices before buying. It is scary to end up broke in the US! Lovely pesto recipe, love sunflower seeds!
ReplyDeleteWhen it comes to pine nuts, I am definitely frugal. I tend to sub w/ walnuts, but only because I've never thought of trying pesto with sunflower seeds. Thanks for a great idea! And thanks for visiting my blog too! : )
ReplyDeleteI like you started paying my way at an early age...babysitting for clothes money and treats etc. Moved out early (age 16), spent time in the Navy & paid my way through college. So I do understand being "frugal" and I am so glad that it is now in vogue...lol! It's nice that other people have started to "get it." It's really all about priorities, and what certain things are worth to us.
ReplyDeleteI love sunflower seeds...this is a great idea!! I use a TBSP of sunflower seeds on my salad for a crunch instead of croutons. I love basil as well but have never made my own pesto. I'll have to give this recipe a try!
i once had a boyfriend who used to cook with sunfkower seeds; hE MADE GREEN Pancakes!
ReplyDeleteThis look so gooD
Mmmm! I LOVE fresh pesto--yours looks lovely!
ReplyDeleteYou made me want to grow my own basil! The pasta dish with homemade pesto looks terrific!
ReplyDeleteI am getting ready to take my basil out of tehground (already getting to hot) to prepare pesto. I never thought to use sunflower seeds....beautiful. What a great idea.
ReplyDeleteStella, I think you and Kate at Serendipity are on the same wave length. Both talking pesto at the same time.
ReplyDeleteThis is a terrific idea, one I can embrace. The pics are lovely!
Well done Witchy one!
Gypsy
What a great idea!! I feel the same way when I buy pie nuts; like wow this nuts are expensive and they're gonna make me nut! My dad and I love sunflower seeds. He likes with shell on but I prefer shell off!
ReplyDeletewhat a great idea Stella.....no nuts, and less expensive too....I do grow basil, but in NJ we only get a few months of growing season, but I do love fresh basil...sigh..
ReplyDeleteI will have to try the sunflower seed in my pesto. sounds like a winner
All the Best!
Dennis
Stella, this is such a good idea. I usually buy pine nuts at Costco (gasp! I'm embarrassed to admit it! Is my face turning red?) because they're so expensive everywhere else. But I love, love, love the idea of trying sunflower seeds in pesto instead. My kids adore pesto; I wonder if they'd freak out if I used sunflower seeds. You offer some really interesting alternatives to conventional recipes, Stella. Perhaps someday we'll see a Witchy Kitchen cookbook . . . ?? :)
ReplyDeleteJane
Saving money is always a good idea but I also happen to love sunflower seeds. This doesn't sound like a compromise to me at all. When my little basil plant recovers from my last harvest (from making my tomato sauce), I will give this a try.
ReplyDeleteI love pesto and what a fabulous combo, I have like 25 recipes and none with sunflower seeds this is brillant and so tastey! wow!!!
ReplyDeleteIs this part of your bewitching powers or just a side effect of your beautiful pics? I don't know, but for some reason I feel compelled to make pesto for dinner. Must go buy sunflowers seeds...
ReplyDeletesunflower seeds sound so good in pesto...loving it!
ReplyDeleteThank's Stella! You will see that is delicious! I take advantage the strawberry season and I make this pie a lot. My mum and my husband love her.
ReplyDeleteI loooooooove pesto! I never did it with sunflower seed, but it might be very good. I eat toast sunflower seed pure and I like so much! :)
Never would have thought to substitute the pine nuts for sunflower seeds. GENIUS!!! And I agree, growing herbs at home are so nice. I killed my basil last year. R.I.P.
ReplyDeleteBulgaria is one of those countries that grown fields and fields of sunflowers, so you can say that not only are seeds abundant year round they are cheap and more importantly delicious. I will be sure to give this a whirl as soon as my summer basil is established.
ReplyDeleteSince I am a sort of pesto "addict", I will try this one.....I am intrigued by the flavor of sunflower seeds...
ReplyDeleteI am also developing a kind of "laziness" complex since every time I look at your blog, you have posted 5 recipes, and me...nothing! Oh dear, I must go to a shrink...ha ha!
Muchos besos...
This is lovely, might try out this version next time i make some pesto. I too wonder about what flavor the sunflower seeds will impart onto the pesto. I knew i skipped something from the one i made yesterday with cilantro, parsley, pine nuts, garlic and olive oil ..... parmesan.
ReplyDeleteTripe isn't bad as long as u get over the fact of where it came from :D :P
I love this... Sunflower and basil, yummy!
ReplyDeleteFABULOUS! I've never really worked with pine nuts for the same exact reason. Such a rip off! I do work with hazelnuts and walnuts. Only because I LOVE the taste. Pine nuts ehhh can do without :) So totally get you. I try to substitute cheap alternatives, not necessarily compromising in quality but hey, when you want to make so many gourmet dishes, you have to be wise with money. So here's to being 'cheap' :))
ReplyDeletethis is the sunflower seed pesto you were talking about. and why not, they look yummy :)
ReplyDeleteThis is so creative and looks delicious. We need to stretch ourselves to use ingredients in more imaginative ways.
ReplyDeleteWhen I bought my house through costa rica homes for sale
ReplyDeleteI expected to have a big stove in the kitchen with a huge space, now I am really happy because I can cook every kind of recipe in my huge stove. I really love it.
A delicious and healthy pesto! Those seeds are so versatile.
ReplyDeleteCheers,
Rosa