We love all things pesto for its vibrant green hues and the freshness it adds to our favorite summer dishes– grilled veggies, big salads, and even wood-fired pizzas! In this easy and satisfying recipe from nutritionist Carly Leusner, she has swapped the basil you find in most pesto sauce with wild summer greens to up the vitamin and mineral content and your energy!
This recipe will quickly become a summer staple that serves as a delicious source of nutrients and a simple way to whip up a meal during the hot days ahead!
Ingredients:
- 2-3 cups wild greens- ramps, garlic mustard, violet, nettles, chickweed (*whatever you have growing near you and know how to identify)
- 1-2 cloves of garlic (optional, depending on how garlicky the greens are already)
- 1/2 cup or so of extra virgin olive oil- add more to get a smoother pesto
- Juice of one lemon
- ½ cup of nuts or seeds- walnuts, almonds, pine nuts, pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds, are all fine options
- ½ cup nutritional yeast
Directions:
Throw the garlic and nuts into the food processor and pulse till roughly chopped. Add in the greens, nutritional yeast, lemon juice, and olive oil. Pulse again until smooth but not liquefied. Add salt to taste. Make in big batches and freeze in small jars for a blast of green nutrition in the wintertime.
*Ramps and garlic mustard are quite strong and pair well with milder greens like spinach, violet, or chickweed. No additional garlic is necessary for a ramp-based pesto unless you’re into breathing fire!
