Lotsa Basil... What to do!!!

[sdodge83]

A coworker gave me an amazing, HUUUUGGGGE, bouquet of fresh grown basil the other day. I used some to make my boyfreinds favorite red sauce, but now I have this abundance of basil. Has anyone ever used it in a green smoothie? Any other ideas? I am keeping it in fresh water so the roots stay live because I would hate to lose it, but I also want to use it!!! Help Please!

[trinity082482]

WOW!! Your so lucky! I would sprinkle it on everything from Raw spaghetti to pizza.. Mmmm riffic! Or make lots of pesto and stuff some mushrooms :D

[nuttie]

you can dry some out too and use it for the coming season (depending on how much you don't use right away)

[fairygirl]

Oooh lucky you!!!!!

why dont u make a double batch of Alissa's pesto and freeze it? thats what i do. From it you can make stuffed mushrooms, pizza, lasagna, in lettuce wraps... ummmm what else?

I made Carmella's red pepper curry soup the other day and it has a 1/2 cup of fresh basil. i think she has the recipe at rawfreedomcommunity.com

also, a pasta primavera i whipped up the other day has fresh basil

http://www.rawfreedomcommunity.info/forum/showthread.php?t=1029&highlight=basil

and like trinity said, whats spaghetti sauce without fresh basil?!

[RawCutter]

http://www.rawfoodtalk.com/showthread.php?t=31265

[Lavendula]

I've been making this citrus pesto: zest and juice
1 lemon, 1 orange,
garlic cloves to taste
3 C basil, mostly leaves,
1/2 C pinenuts all in fp, slowly add
1/2 C Evoo
til emulsified, and thick, freezes well
I would use it on anything. If you use any dairy, U can add Parm, or a substitute, not before freezing though. But it doesn't really need it, I could just eat it with a spoon.

[Bobbie]

pesto mushrooms
pure food and wine lasagna
spaghetti sauce

[juliebove]

Good with slices of tomato and onion and perhaps a bit of nut cheese.

[rawsurfer]

whats evoo?

[cbowden]

whats evoo?


Extra Virgin Olive Oil

Isn't that every other word (letters?) that comes out of Rachel Ray? :)

evoo, evoo, evoo......

[being]

i LOVE basil in smoothies, green or otherwise :p

it is divine with peaches and banana, or with berries and cherries... or pineapple, mango... any fruit really. i like it chunky not smooth, or just chiffonade the basil and toss with fruit (and ground cashews for a real treat)

all the other ideas are great too - i definitely second pesto stuffed mushrooms from alissa's book or any variation thereof. plus, those freeze nicely if you have enough to make a huge batch.

you are so lucky to have all that fresh basil. :D

[faith4u]

Raw pesto over zucchini noodles is amazing!!

[Lavendula]

Extra Virgin Olive Oil

Isn't that every other word (letters?) that comes out of Rachel Ray? :)

evoo, evoo, evoo......

It took me awhile to get it what it was, reading evoo as a word. Did it originate with her? RR? I saw reference to evco here. I barely even use lol, but thought, evoo was as widely recognized as lol. The raw food and health sites are th only place I go online, and have only recently joined any groups so it's all new to me anyway.

[kmik]

How about bruschetta? My neighbor gave me a ton too, and tomatoes, so I mixed it up with some garlic, hemp oil, sea salt, and put it on flax crackers.

Pesto's next on the schedule for me! Alissa's pesto stuffed mushrooms!!! those RAWK!