Continuing on the theme of
recipes to help eat your greens, this simple non-basil-based pesto makes a great healthy dip for crackers and chips, or sandwich spread. It's an easy way to use up or incorporate greens into your diet. Depending on the greens you choose, the dip may be almost sweet in flavor, or more sharp. I use some combination of kale, chard, beet greens, broccoli greens, spinach, arugula - whatever's growing. If I do have some basil, I add it, but it's far from necessary. A little mint adds a nice flavor if you like that kind of thing.
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| The finished product - simple, delicious, healthy. |
This recipe comes from a lactose-intolerant friend, who makes it without the Parmesan cheese. If you add Parmesan, go easy on the salt at first before tasting.
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Broccoli greens are good here, but they can
be a little more on the bitter side. |
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Chard is my favorite of the healthy greens
we grow. Never throw out the stems. |
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| A "bunch"of greens. |
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| Ingredients in the food processor. |
Ingredients
1 bunch greens, your choice (see above)
1 sprig basil
1 spring mint
Juice of 1/2 lemon
1/2 cup walnuts
1-2 cloves garlic
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 cup olive oil
1/4 cup Parmesan cheese (optional)
Boil the greens for 1 minute. Drain. When cool enough to handle, squeeze out the water and chop coarsely. Toss them in the food processor with all the other ingredients and process. Taste and adjust salt accordingly.
Keeps for a week or two when stored in the fridge. |