Easy Summer Greens Pesto

With gardens in full bloom now in the summer and an abundant number of farmers markets with fresh and local produce now is a great time to make pesto.

The Italian word pesto means to pound or crush. Traditional Pesto was made with a pestle and mortar and contained fresh basil, fresh garlic, salt, extra-virgin olive oil, pine nuts and Parmesan cheese. Today we are seeing Pesto being made from just about any greens from your garden and a variety of nuts and seeds. Pesto is often associated with being used in pasta but it can be used at lunch, dinner or a tasty breakfast! You cannot go wrong with delicious pesto sauce.

Photo by Thiea Alhoz

Using fresh herbs or greens from your garden or local farmers market to make pesto is a great way to incorporate lots of greens into your regular diet.

There are so many ways pesto can be used to add flavour to your meals and snacks. You can make a dip by adding it to yogurt or sour cream, serve it over brie on a charcuterie board, add to breakfast with your eggs or add to waffles instead of sugar to make them savory, on pizza, bake into bread, add to a sandwich, salad dressing, roasted vegetables or potatoes and toss in pesto. Pesto is also delicious on steak and salmon. I do not think you can go wrong, just get creative with both kinds of pesto as well as uses and enjoy the pop of flavour that this fresh sauce will bring to your meals.

Get creative and try a wide variety of pesto depending on what you have on hand and freeze in ice cube trays and store for the winter so you can dig out the fresh taste of summer anytime you want.

Some variations you could try would be:

~ Beet greens, walnut, garlic, olive oil, lemon juice and zest with parmesan cheese

~ Cilantro, pumpkin seeds, garlic, olive oil, lime juice and nutritional yeast (recipe below)

~ Spinach, sundried tomatoes, pine nuts, garlic, olive oil, lemon juice and parmesan

The fresher the greens - the more prana, or life force your pesto will have! The best sources are your own (or a friends!) garden if you have one, or local farmers market. Consuming local produce (herbs, fruits, and vegetables) means the produce can be picked when it is ripe, and consumed sooner after being picked, rather than having to be picked far in advance and ripen on the truck during transportation. By buying local you are supporting your community and creating jobs and supporting local farmers. It also supports the environment because your food does not have to travel from as far away. Buying from local farms is also a fun way to explore the foods that grow naturally around you, and how to incorporate these into your diet.

Here is a recipe for an Easy Summer Greens Pesto that we love! You can make this using Parmesan cheese, or substitute Nutritional Yeast to make it vegan. It's a yummy crowd pleaser either way!

If you are seeking more help with preparing simple, delicious and nourishing - contact me for a Free Connection Call to discuss how I can support you!