Pesto makes a quick and easy pasta dish and it’s so beautiful, fresh, and green.

Unless you don’t like basil.

Make classic pesto with spinach instead!  I used pepitas- roasted pumpkin seeds- in place of the pine nuts called for in classic basil pesto.  Add plenty of garlic and a handful of parmesan cheese and toss with hot pasta. So good!

You can make this recipe ahead or freeze it.  The pumpkin seeds make it a nut-free pesto and if you are dairy free simply leave the parmesan out.

You’ll need spinach (a best buy at Costco), olive oil (Trader’s Joes has best prices), garlic, pepper, pumpkin seeds (shelled; mine come from the bulk bins), and parmesan cheese (I add the parmesan at the table since two of my daughters have dairy issues.)

A note about spinach.  Raw spinach is very high in oxalic acid, which interferes with some nutrient absorption and gives my baby a wicked diaper rash.  Cooking the spinach slightly will help neutralize the oxalates and also brings out the flavor of the spinach.

Just give it a quick wilt and you’ll be fine.

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You’re on Part 8 of 31 Days of Pumpkins!