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Raw Cashew & Kale Pesto

27/9/2013

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Basil is my herb of the month right now. Pesto usually consists of parmesan cheese which i can't eat so I thought I'd try it out with cashews instead. I made this pesto for the mushroom basil pizza I had the other night, it's not the typical pesto with pinenuts and basil, I thought I'd get creative with more greens and go for a more creamier texture with the cashews. Turned out to be great, I had a large amount leftover so I used it for a nori wrap as well. 

Basil, the 'sweet herb', commonly used in Italian foods is the main ingredient in pesto and also highly popular in Eastern cuisine. Thai and Vietnamese foods contain fresh basil leaves giving dishes a rich and fragrant flavour. Basil has high anti-inflammatory and anti-bacterial properties, the oil is often used to for medicinal purposes and treating skin problems. It is rich in beta-carotene and antioxidants protecting cells from free radical damage and cholesterol, promoting heart health, boosting the immune system and promoting a healthy GI tract. Fresh basil tea can help ease tension, detoxify the liver and replenish iron lost during menstruation.

Kale in the last few years has gained popularity as a superfood, being one of the healthiest vegetables available. It's high in fiber, iron, Vitamin K, A & C, low in calories and has zero fat. Per calorie it has more iron than beef and more calcium than milk. It's a good source of potassium, manganese, phosphorus and copper. Have it with salads, lemon juice and apple cider helps take away the bitterness or blend it up in a green smoothie for breakfast!

Cashews have a wonderful delicate creamy flavour, they have a lower fat content than most other nuts. About 3/4 of their fat is unsaturated fatty acids, which is a healthy fat, helping to lower bad cholesterol and promote heart health and cardiovascular health. It contains high levels of copper, which in turn helps regulate thyroid functions, helps the body to utilize iron, maintaining bone and connective tissue health as well as helps produce melanin. I love cashews because I can use it for such a variety of foods, from cashew milk, to salads, to being the base for cheesecakes, it's definitely a must have in my pantry!



Raw Cashew & Kale Pesto


2 cups kale leaves (I used curly leaf kale)
1 1/2 cup basil leaves tightly packed
  2 cups olive oil
  2 cups cashews (soaked for 6hrs)
  2/3 cup lemon juice
  2 tsp garlic
few leaves of parsley
pinch of celtic sea salt


1. Blend all ingredients together except for the oil until smooth

2. Slowly add in olive oil and blend until creamy consistency

3. Refrigerate and chill (tastes better if left overnight)


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    "I am not what happened to me,
    I am what I choose to become"
    Carl Gustave Jung

    I'm Binny, a full time Bikram Yoga teacher and studio owner that lives in Perth, Australia.

    I started this blog to share the things I love the best in the world: being healthy and happy, food (especially raw), yoga, traveling and most importantly, learning how to love and be true to myself.

    I suffered from severe digestive problems when I was younger, being gluten and lactose intolerant, and developed compartment syndrome and fibromyalgia in my teens. I have lived with constant pain for over 16 years now.

    Over the past 10 years, I've shifted to a mainly plant based diet and realised that being well and healthy is a way of life. I have been teaching Bikram yoga since 2011, in the US and Australia. Due to my health issues I've also had a lot of bodywork done as well as explored alternative therapies.

    I've become much more aware of myself as a result of all this - physically, mentally, spiritually and emotionally. Right now I love my life. In my career I love what I do and I do what I love. I have traveled to some amazing places around the world and made lifelong friends. In between working and traveling, I cook up a storm in the kitchen, especially raw  desserts, spend time with the people I love the best, which now includes a yoga husband, a mini yogini Estell, and our dog! I try to listen to my body the best I can.

    I truly believe that we all have the power and the capabilities to heal our own bodies, to nourish the spirit and seek our own happiness and life's purpose. This my journey...

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