Arugula Pesto
Who doesn’t love pesto? Herbs and nuts and garlic all blended together, what’s not to love? This pesto is a bit different though, as I’m sure you gathered by the title. We did not use any herbs here. Instead, we used what we had in the fridge; arugula. Oh my, what a treat. This pesto recipe really competes with it’s more common basil alternative because it is not as strong of a flavor. Sometimes basil can be too much, too fragrant. Arugula is a bit spicy, but not too much, and pairs perfectly with the roasted walnuts and cashews. Add a bit of raw garlic, a touch of lemon juice, drizzled olive oil and sea salt to taste and you have a well-rounded flavor enhancer. Notice I did not use cheese. Yes, that is on purpose. You will find out why soon enough. Eat it for breakfast spread over some eggs and avocado and it will soon become your new favorite egg combination. Cut up some veggies and use as a dip. Spread over some grilled chicken. Eat it with, let’s face it, just about anything and you will be happy with the result. Enough already, I’m babbling. Let’s get started.
Enjoy!
What You’ll Need
- 1 bag of fresh arugula (7 oz or 4 loosely packed cups)
- 4 small garlic cloves, or 2 large
- 1/2 cup roasted nuts (1/4 c. walnuts, 1/4 c. cashews)
- 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
- squeeze of fresh lemon juice
- sea salt to taste
What to Do:
- Begin by roasting your nuts in a preheated 350° oven for about 10 minutes or until golden and fragrant. Let cool.
- In a food processor, blend arugula. Add roasted nuts, garlic cloves, sea salt and lemon juice and pulse until well blended.
- While the food processor is running, drizzle in your olive oil until it forms an oily paste. Use immediately, refrigerate and use within a week or freeze in a zip lock bag.
Makes about 1 1/2 cups
