Writing a food blog can be overwhelming. The amount of work that it takes to create a post (and to do them on a consistent basis) — to write, shoot, edit, and then promote each entry — well, it can be a daunting task. But I love the payoff, the stories and recipes that I not only get to share with all of you, but the experiences you all share with me. That’s what continues to inspire me.
And inspiration is key in the food blogging world. Without it, one can feel lost.
From time to time, I even feel blocked. It can be the words, or the photographs, or the recipe… but something just isn’t right. I’ll sit in front of my computer for hours, trying to make it work. And when this happens, the only remedy is to go to my favorite food blogs and relish in their brilliance.
Now, I have a lot of sites that I read (most of which, but not all, are listed in my “Blog Love” section). I enjoy them all for very different reasons. I go to certain blogs for their photography, others for their marvelous writing and outstanding recipes.
These blogs all have a very special place in my heart. But today I wanted to share with you one of my all time favorite sites: Green Kitchen Stories. I’ve been gushing about their blog, which is written and photographed by David and Luise, for a while now. But if you take one look at their work, you’ll fall in love just as I have.
Beyond their stunning photography and thoughtful prose are some of the most creative and delicious recipes I have come across on any food blog. What stands out is their use of natural (and unique) ingredients to create primarily vegan dishes. When I’m in a rut and think that I’ve tried just about everything, I can always rely on Green Kitchen Stories to provide me with the inspiration I need.
In their most recent post, David and Luise included a recipe for Broccoli Pesto, and, being such a huge fan of the basil variety, I knew I had to give it a try. And, let me tell you, I was quite pleased with the results. So whip up a batch of this for lunch, open up your laptops (though, I assume that because you are reading this, they’re open) and head on over to their site for some wonderful stories and pictures.
Broccoli Pesto
(from Green Kitchen Stories)
2 cups of pesto
Green Kitchen Stories note: We left out cheese to keep it vegan. If you are not a vegan, a few slices of pecorino works great here.
1 large broccoli (around 2 cups)
A couple of stems fresh basil or sage
1/2 lemon, juice
1/2 cup hazelnuts (roasted chickpeas if you’re allergic)
2 cloves garlic
1/2 cup olive oil
2 tbsp water
salt & pepper
Throw all the ingredients in a blender or food processor. Pulse for about a minute. Taste it. Add more olive oil or water if it feels too dry, and salt & pepper according to taste.
Serve with pasta, in a salad, on a sandwich or in a wrap.
Green Kitchen Stories really is a beautiful blog. I’m so glad you’ve introduced me to it.
The photos of the pesto are gorgeous – I love the bright green color.
This sounds like such a fabulous pesto! I can only begin to imagine all of the things it would be great with. Great photographs to go along with a great post!
I can completely relate to all of your words. I could go weeks in a rut then suddenly feel like I’m going to explode with ideas!
I recently bought a huge bag of broccoli at Costco & it’s starting to stress me out
I also bought same huge bag of spinach & made pesto…I guess broccoli pesto is next 
This looks delicious. I can think of so many ways to eat this and the colors are vibrant and so healthy looking. I agree, my blog has turned into something that takes so much more work than I ever imagined. It amazes me how much I am so passionate about it!
I think that we all have writer’s block from time to time, but I also find great inspiration in other blogs! Wonderful looking recipe.
Completely agree. Keeping a food blog afloat can be so anxiety-producing. (Not to mention, deadly to maintaining a figure if you get into a dessert-touting kick.)
That said, it’s worth it. The source of inspiration from fellow bloggers is endless and the feedback is priceless. I love pesto as well, thanks for posting this fresh new twist!
This looks wonderful. I’ve never had broccoli pesto before, but the recipes sounds delightful and definitely like something I would love. I may have to give it a try. Thanks so much for sharing. Your photos are gorgeous! Well done.
Oh yes! I planned to make some brocolli pesto, too! You have inspired me further!
I think I might have to make this just for the beautiful color! Great pictures and such a unique sounding recipe! Thanks!
Yes, it is definitely a daunting task to keep up with a blog. Inspiration many times for me comes from some time away from the computer, but I do agree that Green Kitchen Stories is a lovely blog, so I am glad that it has inspired you.
I love the vibrant colors of this pesto. I’m planning on making some parsley pesto for lunch this afternoon!
I also love varieties of pesto but have never attempted one with broccoli before. This is vibrant and colourful and, I’m sure, delicious! These photos are beautiful too!
What a unique and awesome way to use broccoli. Over the years, I’ve learned you can make pesto with just about anything! But the green ones…those are always the prettiest!
Thanks for the heads up, I’m heading over to their blog now…
I can totally see why Green Kitchen Stories is a favorite of yours. I’m not alergic to nuts but would love to try this with chickpeas. Your Blog Love list has terrific inspiration on it. And I always find inspiration from your posts and photos.
I loveeeee pesto. This is a fab idea brian. Must surely give it a try soon.
What have you done to me? Now I want to add all those blogs to my already crammed reader
this pesto looks fantastic, so green and nutritious. Curious about the taste with both hazelnuts and roasted garbanzos… Happy Wednesday, Brian 
xoxo
Sounds like a great place to go for inspiration, I’ll have to check them out. Thanks for sharing this broccoli pesto recipe. I’ve made different pestos but haven’t tried broccoli. Very nice!
Like you, I’m a huge basil pesto fan, so I’d love to try this broccoli variation!
Your blog is undoubtedly an inspiration to me. The photos, the recipes, everything. This recipe is no exception. Thanks!
This looks very good.Simple and tasty I guess you could do it with fresh garden peas or such.
Mmnnnn. . . I LOVES me some Broccoli, especially when it’s been pestinized.
Cuando algo que hemos optado por hacer se convierte en una carga, tal vez sea el momento de elegir hacer otra cosa.
Thank you Sir for the introduction to Green Kitchen Stories…a fabulous website much like yours. I also appreciate your candor regarding the (at times) overwhelming aspects of putting together a blog post. Sometimes the thought behind it is just as important as the food.
I’m not even a full-time blogger, actually quite the slacker lately since we’re in the middle of moving cross-country, but I agree with you whole-heartedly about its propensity to overwhelm. You do fairly well to keep it together over there, though! And always gorgeous photos, delicious recipes — this post no different. I can see how broccoli, lemon and hazelnuts would work wonderfully together, and though I’m not allergic, the swap of chickpeas for hazelnuts is intriguing. When we’re settled I must give this a whirl in the food processor.
Cheers,
*Heather*
LOVE!
Beautiful & Brilliant! You’re one of my favorite bloggers! I’m so glad I stumbled upon you… I have learned so much with trying new ingredients, unique and incredibly yummy recipes, breathtaking photography and the chance to meet new friends.
THAT is fantastic!! Really…it is so genius I wish I would have thought of it myself haha. I will definitely be trying it in the near future though. So beautiful!
Oh my gosh! I totally did the same thing during a December cooking demonstration, using Australian native nut, Macadamia nuts which have a naturally creamy texture.
http://foodiecure.wordpress.com/2010/12/19/cooking-demo-soba-noodle-cups-broccoli-and-roasted-macadamia-pesto-christmas-cherry-crumble-with-lemon-myrtle-cream/
Definitely a winner and packed full of cruciferous goodness!
Honestly, I would have NEVER thought to use broccoli as the base for pesto, but it sounds delicious!
I came across their blog this week and fell in love with it. I love how they tell stories with their pictures. I tried broccoli pesto for the first time a few weeks ago and I loved it too. I used one from Supernatural Everyday. It has lots of possibilities! Gotta try this one next.
We all get blocked. But when this pesto does the unblocking you know you have done something right! GREG
Is it bad that I immediately imagined putting this in a grilled cheese sandwich?
I understand all too well the amount of work that goes into a blog and then how disappointing it is when you loose inspiration to do something with it. I am always looking for new places to get inspiration from, so thank you for sharing a site you frequent so I too can become enamored with them!
Oh and broccoli pesto? Brilliant
This month I am trying out a Vegan diet for the first time. I really appreciate you sharing this recipe because I need all the inspiration I can get
Happy Wednesday!
how long can i keep this pesto?
Oh my gosh, this is brilliant!! I can’t wait to try this! Thanks for sharing the Green Kitchen blog, it’s great!
I came over here as a study break and now you’ve given me even more material for distraction! Love it. Food blogging can definitely feel…suffocating…at times, always having to come up with new food, words, and photos…but it’s for this kind of inspiration that I keep coming back! Gorgeous pesto!
Sounds wonderful; I love the idea of using hazelnuts. Now that pinenuts have become so ridiculously expensive and I’ve found a source for purchasing hazelnuts in bulk…they are more likely to be in my pantry.
Never thought of putting broccoli in a mixer to transform in a pesto, but it sounds really good!
This sounds fantastic… I make a lot of pesto during the summer, but never thought to use broccoli!
I have never had a broccoli pesto – it sounds fantastic! Copy/paste onto my grocery list!
I wonder if this would be a way to get my family to eat broccoli! I love how it is such a bright green – wonderful pictures!
love the sounds of this
and since i haven’t been eating broccoli in awhile it’s especially enticing!!
This sounds FANTASTIC! I’ve made spinach pesto before with cashews… so this would be right up my alley!
I hate when we fall into those ruts. Thank goodness for all the other beautiful sites to help motivate us! I’ve been on a huge pesto kick lately, and the idea of a broccoli based one has my eye brows raised. Can’t wait to try
I typically don’t like pesto but do love broccoli and this sounds like a good replacement for dishes that would normally need pesto! I love all of your great photos!
this is really great Brian – love it, love it, love it!!!
You are so right about the extremes of food blogging – the wonderful highs of creating new recipes, taking photos and putting the post together and the times when you draw a blank and feel as though you need a break. Whatever you do, please don’t ever stop. You have a wonderful blog and this broccoli pesto recipe from one of your favorites looks fantastic.
I started blogging in Jan this year and never knew that this will become such an important part of my life . It sure does take such a lot of time and effort and when the post is published and people share their thoughts.. all those long hours with the camera and in front of the laptop pays off
I love steam broccoli and that’s the way we mostly enjoy .. and hubby likes it only that way. But I like pesto sauce and make it with lots of greens .. so am gonna try this sometime for sure !
it s really creative. i m sure taste s great.. i saw on tv in a food programme that one guy made pesto with nettle and everybody loved it..
This looks and sounds wonderful. I’m not a fan of raw broccoli on its own but I think I would love it blended like this. Also, big fan of GKS. Except, sometimes I kind of don’t believe their life is real. Who spends several months traveling the world with a baby?! And cooking gorgeous food and blogging about it all the while?! Can you tell I’m jealous?
Oh I love their site as well, it’s a beautiful place to find inspiration. I’ve made broccoli pesto before but never with hazelnuts like this version.
Hi sweet Bri-Your post expressed what I think we all feel from time to time. What I feel recently. This is stunning…stunning broccoli! Only you:)My MIL makes a pesto w/broccoli. She also makes a wonderful sauce w/cauliflower (no basil), and it is wonderful w/pasta. Simple and delizioso! I have to check out that cool blog-thanks for talking abou them!
What a lovely pesto, and thanks for recommending another blog for me to read/follow too!:)
I liked what you mentioned about the blogging part, and how we enjoy the blogging part (and also meeting different people virtually, yet forging a strong and lasting friendship for the rest of our lives:)/
I do have a long list of blogs I follow, and some of them have become personal friends, and like you, I try to go through them each day, and sometimes it is for various reasons and also the mood I am in that I go to certain blogs (not being biased at all, of course). There are just times when you enjoy just the photography and sometimes, I just want to read and enjoy the photos at the same time:)
Ahhhhh…the life of being a blogger, I just find it fascinating and fulfilling at the same time, and I hope I can be a writer one day too:D
This seems like the perfect recipe for foodblog writer’s block…. so creative!
Oh yum! I just posted an arugula and walnut pesto on my blog. I’ll have to try your broccoli pesto next! I can’t wait to make traditional basil pesto later this summer… My favorite!
I just discovered your wonderful blog! I love this idea of broccoli pesto. I’m not a fan of broccoli usually but when it’s mixed with the right things I’m happy to eat it. Can’t wait to try this out.
Gosh, you’re the sweetest. I totally know what you mean about sometimes feeling stuck or needing inspiration. Lately, I’ve been turning to cookbooks more for that (Plenty, btw! You would love it!) but blogs have this in spades! I saw their post on this broccoli pesto but this is the one that’s convinced me that I must try it.
Love broccoli pesto. I like to toss a few spoonfuls with cooked farro. Add tender broccoli florets, toasted almonds, sliced avocado and chile oil to make one tasty entree. My version uses almonds, but I think I might try hazelnuts next time! Thanks
I agree, writing a blog can be overwhelming. One thing I appreciate about it, though, is that it’s made me appreciate the visual of food so much more. I’m more careful to arrange food artfully, or cut cake carefully now
I cannot wait to try this recipe – I love broccoli anything.
Wow Brian, thank you SO MUCH for your incredibly kind words!
We are glad that we inspire you, but quite honestly we get just as much inspiration from you.
The world of blogging truly is amazing. It sure takes A LOT of effort creating each post, but it always gives so much back when you read the comments or see your recipe on another blog.
Thank you!
LOVE this recipe and great a post. I agree, blogging isn’t for the faint of heart. It’s alot work and often times like you I am inspired by my fellow bloggers – you being one of them.
Thank you for sharing David&Luise’s blog-they’ve been added to my Google Reader.
how sweet. Their blog is great and I love how they let you in to their lives, feels so personal. Wonderful photos, too, Brian!
Food Blogging can be daunting indeed but your blog provides a constant source of inspiration for me. Love you Brian!
What a grand idea! I love pesto but have never thought to make it with broccoli! Thanks!
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