Roasted Tomato and Parsley Pesto

I had an idea the other day for a roasted tomato pesto using hemp sees instead of nuts. This was very exciting to me because as I've mentioned I've definitely been in a bit of a rut lately. I actually wrote down what and how much I used and I'm so glad I did because I definitely want to make this again! It's really easy to make and also inexpensive. And once you've roasted the tomatoes it's very quick and simple to make.

                                                       Roasted Tomato and Parsley Pesto

• 2 Lbs. Roma Tomatoes
• 2 T. Extra Virgin Olive Oil
• 1/4 Tsp. salt
• 1/4 Tsp. Pepper
• 4 Cloves Garlic, Minced

Preheat oven to 375 Fahrenheit. Cut the tomatoes in half lengthwise and scoop out the seeds. Place the tomato halves cut side up on a baking sheet with parchment paper. Drizzle the olive oil over the tomato halves and sprinkle the minced garlic over all the halves. Add salt and pepper and roast for 45 minutes to one hour. You want them to be soft and slightly brown on the bottom.

• 3 1/2 T. Hemp Seeds
• 2 Small Cloves Garlic
• 3/4 C. Parsley
• 3 T. Nooch
• 1 T.Lemon Juice
• 2 T. EVOO
• 4 T. Water
• 1/4 Tsp. Salt
• 1/4 Tsp. Pepper
• Pinch of Crushed Red Pepper (optional)

Add the roasted tomatoes and all other ingredients to your food processor. Whiz until it's a kind of smooth but not all the way smooth texture. The water is just to cut back on the oil, feel free to use more oil if you prefer.
The tomatoes an garlic get nice and sweet from roasting, and then the parsley, lemon juice and fresh garlic brighten and compliment those roast-y flavors.

I stirred some with some gluten free pasta, cannellini beans, and little pieces of Miyoko's mozz ball. This tasted like a fancy restaurant meal but it was made by me!! This was my first time using hemp seeds as the nut in a pesto and they really work! They have a great nutty flavor and it's a great way to get a little extra omegas in!
I have some of the sauce leftover and I'm going to make a pizza dough before I leave and then have a delicious pizza with the sauce and Miyoko's mozz tonight!