At the farmer's market today, I was able to buy three huge bunches of basil for three dollars... total. Food prices may be going up, but at the farm market, in-season means easy on the pocket book. After digging through my pantry for a few other staples, I had all the necessary ingredients for pesto. Not only is pesto a favorite summer treat, it freezes well, which means healthy, local meals for winter. And because it's essentially a raw dish (you'll need to cook the pasta or bread that you put it on), it's perfect treat for when the kitchen is just too hot to cook.

Pesto's base ingredients are basil, olive oil, walnuts, and garlic, which means that it's loaded with antioxidants and heart-healthy omega-3s. (Pesto lovers learn early that a little goes a long way. Not only is pesto quite oily, it also has a very strong taste.) But creative cooks need not stop there -- pesto is very forgiving and does well with substitutions.

If you think pesto might have a place on your menu, now is the time to try it. Here are four great ways to enjoy pesto this summer:

Fresh basil pesto

Low-fat pesto

Non-basil pestos

Sun-dried tomato pesto