Creamy Green Pesto with Peas & Spinach - Dairy-free & Vegan

Name: Creamy Green Pesto with Peas & Spinach - Dairy-free & Vegan
Prep time: 5 min
Total time: 5 min
Yield: 6
Cuisine: Italian, Gluten-free, Dairy-free, Vegan
Ingredients: 3 tablespoons olive oil (and 2 tablespoons water to help thin it); ½ cup frozen peas (just use a coffee cup if you don't have a cup measure, the recipe is forgiving); 50g (1 3⁄4 oz) fresh spinach; 30 fresh basil leaves, roughly; ¼ cup unsalted cashews (again, you can measure with a coffee cup), or salted cashews if the recipe isn't for toddlers; 1 clove of garlic (more if you like); 4 tablespoons silken tofu; a grind of black pepper

in easy kids recipes, pasta, pasta sauce, silken tofu, toddler recipes, tofu - 24 comments

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A creamy pesto made with basil, peas & spinach. Low fat, high in protein and very tasty. Super easy to make with simple ingredients too.

creamy green pasta made with silken tofu tossed through baby shell pasta.

Creamy Green Pesto with Peas and Spinach - Dairy-free & Vegan

This gloriously velvety green sauce, is a twist on a classic green pesto.

Instead of basil being the star of the show, peas and spinach are added too for that extra burst of green goodness.

I use cashews instead of pine nuts and add silken tofu for extra protein and a really thick creamy finish.

Silken Tofu

I try to add some tofu into my wee one's diet when I can and I find an easy way is to use silken tofu.

Silken tofu is creamy and can be used in desserts, dips or sauces, like this chocolate mousse my son loves or one of his dad's favourite's this Moroccan pate.

You could also try creamy roast pepper pasta sauce, which is another family favourite.

To be honest, tofu is a great addition to any diet as it is high in protein, low in fat and is a good product to use if trying to reduce cholesterol.

It's also said to reduce risk of heart disease and it's gluten-free.

There isn't a downside at all. Read more about the health benefits of tofu in the article 10 Benefits of Tofu on the BBC Good Food website.

Weaning babies and tofu

It's advised not to give tofu to your baby when weaning them.

It is best to wait until they are 6-9 months, as there is a risk of allergies, as there is with nuts.

The NHS include tofu in their guide what to feed at around 6 months.

I have also read reports that say soy products are not good for babies, hence the debate about soy-based formulas.

So it is best to wait.

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What you need to make this green pesto

Here are the simple ingredients you need to make this gloriously green pesto.

Olive oil
Peas - frozen peas are fine
Fresh spinach - again, you can use frozen spinach, but wilt it first
Basil leaves
Unsalted cashews - if you are making this for adults you can use salted cashews, salt is not advised for babies and toddlers
Garlic - you can add extra if you like
Silken tofu - make sure it is siken tofu and not firm or extra firm tofu
Black pepper - to season

How to serve this pesto

I love serving this pesto with pasta, but it would be also be great on a panini and topped with slices of tomato, a few basil leaves and a drizzle of balsamic glaze.

Or why not spread it across ready rolled puff pastry (leave a border with not topping) before adding slices of tomato or maybe rows of asparagus and baking until golden and serving with baby potatoes and salad.

You could also spread it thickly on a wrap with roast vegetables or salad.

Add more olive oil (or some water) to thin the pesto and it makes a delicious salad dressing.

creamy green pesto, pea pesto, spinach pesto, dairy-free pesto, pesto for toddlers., gluten-free pesto, tofu pesto, vegan pesto, high protein pesto

Dip, Snack

Italian, Gluten-free, Dairy-free, Vegan

Yield: 4-6

Author: Jacqueline Meldrum