Basil Pistou

Found in the Pesto section of the Sauces, Relishes, and Condiments chapter, "Basil Pistou" (page 565) is a basic pesto, minus the pine nuts. Made from just four ingredients - garlic, salt, basil, and olive oil (or broth, if you choose to omit the oil, as I did) - it blends together quickly in a food processor to be used right away on cooked pasta, vegetable soups, or even on pizza, as called for in the Vegan Margherita Pizza (stay tuned for a review on this next). Without the pine nuts or parmesan cheese, this version of pesto is a little lighter and thinner than most, but the flavor is still fantastic. Skipping the oil and using a lightly flavored vegetable broth instead keeps this tasty version of pesto completely guilt free.

Keeping it "McDougall Friendly" checklist:

• Instead of olive oil, use an equal amount of lightly flavored vegetable broth. Start with ¼ cup and increase as necessary to reach desired consistency.