Broccoli Pesto

I don't know about you, but I love pesto. Despite my love of pesto, I rarely make it. I don't use a lot of basil, pine nuts are often expensive and as I am lactose intolerant, I can't really use the parmesan cheese. In searching for a pesto alternative, I have developed this recipe. This easy pesto was built off of Heidi Swanson Double Broccoli Quinoa recipe over at 101 Cookbooks. It's got a strong garlic and lemon kick and is creamy and rich despite the lack of cheese. It is excellent on corn, over pasta, as a pizza sauce and especially over my Broccoli and Green Bean adaptation of the original recipe.

• Ready In: 20 mins
• Yields: 2-3 cups

Ingredients

• 2  cups broccoli, chopped small
• 1⁄4 cup olive oil
• 3  tablespoons lemon juice
• 4  large garlic cloves, peeled and diced
• 2  tablespoons  almonds, in small pieces
• 1 1⁄2 tablespoons mayonnaise
•  garlic salt
•  pepper
•  dill

Directions

1. Break down your broccoli into small florets. Peel and chop the stems. If you are making the Broccoli and Green Bean Quinoa, start with 5 cups of Broccoli and use the stems and less attractive florets for the pesto.
2. Boil the broccoli until cooked through. Drain.
3. Using an immersion blender or a food processor, puree the broccoli with the oil, lemon juice, garlic cloves, almond pieces and mayonnaise. Add garlic salt, pepper and dill to taste. I use my immersion blender in a large mason jar and it works perfectly.
4. Chill and serve with pasta, vegetables, bread, etc.