Ingredients Makes 2 cups 1 small bunch collard greens, stems removed. small bunch Tuscan kale, stems removed. garlic cloves, chopped. ounces grated Parmesan about ½ cup.

cup olive oil. cup unsalted, roasted peanuts. tablespoon finely grated lemon zest. tablespoon fresh lemon juice. Freshly ground black pepper. Preparation Step 1 Cook collard greens and kale in a large pot of boiling salted water until bright green and tender, about 45 seconds.

Step 2 Coarsely chop greens and place in a food processor. Step 3 Do Ahead: Pesto can be made 1 day ahead. I freeze small batches of pesto in glass jars or you can use Souper Cubes which I absolutely love for freezing stock and soups! Pesto can act as a sauce or a flavorful garnish.

Spread pesto on turkey sandwiches, homemade pizza, grilled flatbread or caprese paninis , or add a tablespoon to your salad dressing and shake it up! For a pound of pasta: Before draining your pasta cooking liquid, reserve a little of the starchy water.

Add the warm cooked pasta DO NOT rinse it with water! Toss to coat. Adding the pasta water will help the pesto adhere to the pasta and create a silky and saucy consistency, rather than dry and sticky glob of pasta.

Taste and adjust salt and pepper if necessary. Walnuts, almonds, pecans, pine nuts, pistachios, sunflower seeds, pumpkin seeds, peanuts — basically almost any nut or seed you like the. Try Grana Padano, Pecorino or even Manchego. There are Italian grannies currently rolling in their graves….

Store pesto in glass jars or airtight containers in the refrigerator for about a week or in the freezer for about 6 months. Be sure to label and date!

Arugula, Basil, and Avocado Pesto Whole30 Chermoula Traditional Argentinian Chimichurri Romesco. Your email address will not be published. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. Order the Smart in the Kitchen Cookbook, Dinner is Done , OUT NOW!

Click here to order your copy today! Skip to primary navigation Skip to main content Skip to primary sidebar Smart Recipes Meal Plans About Cooking Classes Kitchen School SEARCH. JUMP TO RECIPE Any Greens Pesto Yes, you can make fresh pesto in January!

My Rooted Garden! What is pesto used for?

The flavor will vary based on which ingredients you choose, but rest assured that the final outcome will capture the essence of classic pesto and be every bit as versatile. Sweet pea greens have been a recent favorite, while peppery arugula brings a little extra zip to the table.

Beet, carrot, and radish greens, kale, Swiss chard, spinach, and spring mixes will all yield slightly different flavor profiles without straying too far from the classic pesto flavor that can be enjoyed in so many ways. Additionally, I stray from an overly liberal use of olive oil that is customary in most pestos, opting for a thicker spread that I find more flavorful and versatile — plus it offers all the health benefits of olive oil without as much fat.

It can be thinned with more olive oil if you prefer, although when pairing with pasta, I find several spoonfuls of the salted pasta cooking water works especially well. Yes, five－and one was a double batch!

They also happen to be a research farm that specializes in growing heirloom and exotic vegetables and a few other odds and ends. Extras like dried lemon verbena lovely in mint tea or lemonade , edible flowers for garnish or table decoration , smoked scallion salt, and game bird eggs like chukar and quail have also filled the boxes.

And pesto, of course! The preparation tends to be simple, as the fresh-from-the-field ingredients need very little to make them shine. This is not a paid advertisement by the way, but for those who live in the Lancaster area and may be interested in the farm boxes, you can message Alex through his Instagram page or email him directly at thefieldsedge gmail.

Conveniently, the boxes may be ordered week by week, and one need not commit to a box every week. When you find yourself with an abundance of leafy greens, make pesto!

Happily, beyond the flexibility with the base ingredient, this wholesome recipe can be modified in countless other ways. For my last batch, I used a combination of cashews and sunflower seeds.

Although you may toast the raw nuts first, I usually skip this step and do not find the flavor to be lacking. I prefer the consistency of a spread perfect for pesto bread, pizza, or spreading on salmon or chicken , which can easily be thinned with pasta cooking water, broth, white wine, or even water when a thinner condiment is desired.

In this case, transfer the pesto cubes to an airtight freezer bag or storage container once frozen. Small containers of pesto thaw rather quickly, and the process can be expedited by soaking the container in a bowl of cool water. Extras: As noted, cheese is purely optional in this recipe.

I have used it, but more times than not, I skip it. If you choose to use it, you could go with classic Parmesan or branch out with another hard cheese like asiago. The lettuces, leafy greens and herbs are growing like crazy!

Time to snip some leaves and make pesto. The fact that all three of my kids would eat this with a spoon makes me extra happy. I freeze small batches of pesto in glass jars or you can use Souper Cubes which I absolutely love for freezing stock and soups!

Pesto can act as a sauce or a flavorful garnish. Spread pesto on turkey sandwiches, homemade pizza, grilled flatbread or caprese paninis , or add a tablespoon to your salad dressing and shake it up! For a pound of pasta: Before draining your pasta cooking liquid, reserve a little of the starchy water.

Add the warm cooked pasta DO NOT rinse it with water! Toss to coat. Adding the pasta water will help the pesto adhere to the pasta and create a silky and saucy consistency, rather than dry and sticky glob of pasta. Taste and adjust salt and pepper if necessary.

Walnuts, almonds, pecans, pine nuts, pistachios, sunflower seeds, pumpkin seeds, peanuts — basically almost any nut or seed you like the. Try Grana Padano, Pecorino or even Manchego.

There are Italian grannies currently rolling in their graves…. They add a creaminess and almost decadent flavor to your sauce. You can add a dash of red pepper flakes to your pesto sauce to give it a kick of capsaicin, a compound in peppers that has been shown to relieve pain and boost your metabolism.

When we think of leafy greens, spinach and kale immediately come to mind, but we often forget about Swiss chard. This green powerhouse is an excellent source of magnesium , iron, potassium, and calcium , and just a cup of it nearly has three times the recommended daily allowance of vitamin K.

In a pesto, I think the bitterness of Swiss chard pairs best with almonds because they have a subtly sweet and nutty flavor. You can also add lemon zest in addition to lemon juice to enhance the aroma of the pesto.

Collard greens belong to the cruciferous family of vegetables, along with kale, cauliflower, and radishes. Cruciferous vegetables rich in sulfur-containing compounds called glucosinolates , which have been shown to help prevent and fight cancer.

You might be most familiar with Southern-style collard greens, but this leafy green has so much more potential for a wonderful pesto sauce! The popular green supplies vitamins A and K and folate , as well as beta-carotene, lutein, and zeaxanthin. Arugula also belongs to the cruciferous family of vegetables, so it has cancer-fighting properties.

Because of its spicy flavor, you can opt to use arugula in place of basil in your pesto. And if you dare to turn up the heat, adding a dash of cayenne pepper or red pepper flakes will make sure the sauce is lit.

Pesto is such a great way to utilize heartier greens and basil of course, by making large batches, freezing into baggies or cubes, and reheating them year-round for delicious pastas, Foundational Five Nourish Meals, dressings, condiments, and more.

How do you like to incorporate dark, leafy greens into your pesto? What is our favorite green to cook with and why? Share your recipe ideas with the NS community below and be sure to post your dishes on Instagram with nutritionstripped.

McKel is a mindfulness-based Dietitian, mentor, and author, named "Top 20 Role Models" by Arianna Huffington. In her work, she teaches you how to create balanced eating habits easily using her Mindful Nutrition Method to cultivate a positive relationship with food and joyfully nourish yourself.

Featured in Oprah. com, Women's Health, Today's Dietitian, Healthline, and more.