A massage client just brought me a bag of fresh basil out of her garden! It looks and smells AMAZING, and I have no idea what to do with it.
Okay, my trusted league of foodies: I can’t eat beans, nuts, or dairy products, so what should I do with a bag of basil?
GO!
:)
Dude, you people are not basiling fast enough!
I’ve had a delicious blueberry pie that was flavored with lemon and chopped basil.
Something like pad thai minus the peanuts?
What can you substitute for nuts for a pesto? All nuts are out? Or just tree nuts? Or just peanut type things? I use nutritional yeast when I’m not using a sprinkly cheese. That, and olive oil and garlic and basil and…(some nut substitute?)
Also, just make fresh sauce. Chopped up tomatoes, garlic, basil, and if you want, onion, sauteed in olive oil. Or a bruchetta type thing. Or in couscous. Or with fish. Or with zucchini (sauteed).
strawberry basil fruit leather!
When I had some basil that was on its last leg I made this and it was pretty awesome!
http://sweetbeetandgreenbean.net/2009/06/08/sweet-basil-and-mint-iced-tea/
I used real cane sugar instead of maple syrup. Or maybe try it without? It was pretty tasty all around.
Marinated tomatoes! This would usually be a tomato-mozzarella salad, but from what I understand the fake cheeses aren’t worth eating, so forget the moz and just do tomatoes with basil.
Also spaghetti sauce… it’s good on lots of things besides pasta.
Holly – Whoa, blueberry and basil? Was that weird? I do have a lot of blueberries…..
http://hopefarmjournal.blogspot.com/2009/01/backyard-basil-tomato-pizza-gluten-free.html
(tee hee!)
I was thinking some sort of gluten-free pizza base, topped with basil, chicken, garlic, tomatoes….
Ann – Hey! :) I just don’t like pine nuts, they make my mouth peel and feel weird. Might be an allergy? I dunno. I DO have some tomatoes that need to be used…..
Sonja: EWWWW. No way, dude.
Jen – Wow, that sounds wild! I LOVE mint tea, I might just try that.
Janine – Yeah, I think I’ll have to try a tomato sauce. It just sounds too good.
Hey, I’m just trying to think outside the box, using items you already have. ;)
We love roasting tomatoes with sea salt, olive oil, and thyme and then chopping them up, mixing them with tons of sliced basil, and then eating it all mixed in with pasta and black olives. And feta cheese, but you can omit that! So good! In fact, that’s what we’re having tonight!
How about snagging a few gallons of olive oil from Costco, and making basil olive oil for Christmas presents? (http://www.astray.com/recipes/?show=Basil%20olive%20oil)
Maybe throw in a few garlic chunks, too…
Here’s more: http://www.seasonalchef.com/recipe7.htm
Let us know what you wind up doing! xoxo, K
Meg – You lost me at olives. You almost had me back at pasta.
Dahhhling! – Basil olive oil? WOOOOO, now that’s some schnazzy kitchen Christmas crafting if I do alliterate so myself. And garlic! What could be better than adding GARLIC!