=If you have been in our Studio Botanica community for a while, you know that I am a big fan of making herb pastes + herb pesto preparations. Although not an 'official' anti-inflammatory, black pepper (piper nigrum) and it's component 'piperine' have been shown to support the body with issues of osteo and rheumatoid arthritis. Black pepper offers an excellent supportive component to a healthy diet. I'm excited to share this recipe which has become a family favourite : Black Pepper Pesto.

Pesto is essentially, a combination of herbs, garlic, oil, nuts or seeds + optionally: cheese typically Parmesan cheese. Here's a pesto template called "PESTO 101, which I created years ago, to encourage you to experiment with an unlimited number of ingredients !!

Black pepper has a subtle heat and a bold flavor that makes it a tasty addition to almost any dish.
There are numerous health benefits as well. I promise to share my "pepper post" with you very soon.

You'll want to try this delicious, easy-to-make pesto -- it has a bold flavour + makes a tasty addition to many dishes!

Black Pepper Pesto is SO good!

Black Pepper Pesto

Ingredients

1 large clove garlic or more if you LOVE garlic!
½ cup toasted pine nuts or your favourite nut
½ cup Italian parsley leaves
½ cup curly parsley leaves
1 ½ teaspoon coarsely ground black pepper
¾ cup olive oil

Instructions

In a food processor, pulse the garlic + nuts until coarsely chopped.
Add the parsley + pulse herbs + the black pepper until chopped (about a minute)
Add the oil slowly. Allow the oil to mix with the contents of the food processor.
Stop and scrape down the sides of the bowl.
You may need to add more oil but I find that this amount usually works well.
Season with salt, if using.

Recipe Notes

** Note: I tend to use parsley as the herb, as it goes well with the black pepper. Experiment with your favourites!

Last week I made this aromatic + delicious lunch ~ it's simple..
Just use what you have on hand to make it really easy! Marinate the veggies for 30-45 minutes + either roast or grill for a simple flavourful veggie dish!

This warming pungent pesto plays a starring role in a delightful dish
"Asparagus with a surprise twist" (check out the recipe here)

We can use this wonderful black pepper pesto in many ways.. I like to prepare some veggies, perhaps on a sheet pan, or on the grill ~ and lightly toss cooked veggies with some of the pesto just before serving!

Black Pepper Pesto ~ Experiment + ENJOY!!

Just an aside.....here's a FUN FACT about Black Pepper:
It has become widely accepted that the wonderful anti-inflammatory properties and other amazing qualities in Turmeric, are made more available to our body when a small amount of black pepper is added to the preparation.
This post about Turmeric milk shares this info.

Are you a big fan of making PESTO at home? Here are some other articles I've written with some ideas for you!! Here and Here...

Here's hoping you make this recipe + love it as much as I do ~~~
In good health -- + with green wishes,
Carol xo