Cilantro Walnut Pesto

Ingredients:

• 1/3 cup walnuts
• 1 large bunch cilantro, leaves and stems enact
• 1 garlic clove, peeled
• 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
• 3 tbsp. reduced-fat sour cream
• 2 tsp lemon juice
• 1/4 tsp salt

Makes 8 (2 1/2 tbsp.) Servings

1. Heat oven or toaster oven to 275 F. Spread walnuts on a baking tray and bake until fragrant and lightly browned, about 10 minutes. Cool slightly, about 3 minutes.
2. Chop Cilantro, garlic and walnuts in a food processor, about 25 seconds. With machine running, add oil in a steady stream. Add sour cream, lemon juice and salt. Pulse a few times to combine. Serve or refrigerate until needed

WW POINTS VALUE: 3 pts

Note: This recipe appears in the South Beach Diet Quick & Easy Cookbook. I needed a condiment for my Firecracker Cheddar Burgers and the recipe and photo of this recipe looked too good to pass up. Pesto is originally an Italian sauce used for dipping and as a condiment. Pesto always included olive oil, pine nuts and Parmesan Cheese. This particular pesto has a zesty Latin flair to it. it can be used for dip for crudités or chips at a party, on grilled chicken, fish or pork and even tossed in salad.  it can also be used on Latin burgers, burritos or on a topping of chilly. It can stay in the refrigerator for up to 5 days and freezes for up to a month.