04 May {Recipe} Garden Basil Pesto

 Garden Basil Pesto

There’s nothing quite like fresh garden basil pesto.

When my five year old and I were invited to the Pesto Manifesto, a kids cooking class associated with the Saint James Healthy Food Initiative & Children’s Edible Garden, we jumped at the chance. Many thanks to event organizer Jennifer Reynolds for inviting us!     Saint James offers Montessori gardening lessons, where children learn concepts from working with materials, rather than by direct instruction. The children learn about soil, ecology, botany, and the importance of responsibility. The children come to the Children’s Garden each Friday for a lesson and to choose their work with Loree Birkenback, the head of the school. Loree also hosts Montessori Mondays that are open to the public.  And now, back to the pesto class… 

Chef Christina Zambrano of Kitchen LTO was our generous instructor 

 Each child chose their own basil plant  

 This little girl had the time of her life–and learned how to use a blender!

 The finished product

Chef Christina’s recipe and our pesto to-go 

The outdoor learning lab-Children’s Garden-at Saint James School

Disclaimer: I received two free tickets to attend the Pesto Manifesto. All thoughts and opinions are my own.