Please tell me that I'm not the only one who has an awesome idea only to find that you have nothing on hand to bring that idea to fruition. Some of my best ideas get lost this way. As I cut up fresh veggies to bring along for a picnic lunch last week, I had such a moment. Wanting to entice my little ones to eat veggies and wanting to ease my own boredom of the same-old, same-old chopped carrots and cucumbers, I had the thought to make pesto. Not difficult, and really, who doesn't have the ingredients on hand? Me, that's who. Not a single nut or seed to be found. Oh, and no basil either! Some foodie I am.

On further inspection of my refrigerator, I did locate about pound of spinach and two bunches of cilantro. Hmmm.... Who says pesto has to have nuts? Me, that's who. And this version of pesto has received rave reviews. My 3 year old ate about 1/4 cup with a spoon, and my sister texted me the day after I gave her a jar using only three letters...OMG!! Using my dehydrated cucumber chips as a shovel, this pesto was gone in a flash. And since it is dairy, nut, and nightshade free, it works for nearly every eating plan.

Ingredients

* 5 cups packed spinach

* 1/2 bunch cilantro

* 2 cloves garlic

* 1 tsp lemon juice

* 1/3 -1/2 cup oil (I used a combination of olive oil and flax oil)

* sea salt (to taste)

Directions

1. 2 cups at a time, process spinach in food processor.

2. Add cilantro, garlic, and lemon juice to processor and blend.

3. While processor is spinning, drizzle oil in until desired consistency is reached.

4. Add sea salt to taste.

5. Store in sealed container in the fridge.