Abundance + necessity = Inspiration! A new vegan pesto recipe, dairy and nut free, is rich in iron and rockin’ in flavor.
Mild temperatures and abundant rain this season allowed the greens in the garden at Nourish Wellness to grow gangbusters this year! The turnip greens were particularly successful, inspiring me to develop new recipe ideas to make use of the abundance. I’ve been wishing to develop a nut-free and dairy-free alternative to pesto for those with food sensitivities and to accommodate vegan diets, and this happy exuberance of ingredients gave me just the opportunity to play with the concept. If turnip greens are out of season in your area, you can easily sub kale, chard, mustard greens or a mixture of dark green leafies.
This pesto is wonderful tossed with roasted veggies or green beans, as a dressing for sandwiches and omelettes, and as always a great sauce for pasta dishes. Check out this recipe for Cauliflower steaks with lentils that utilizes this pesto recipe too!
Pesto Fresco with Pepitas and Turnip Greens
Ingredients
- 2 bunches organic turnip greens enough to make 2 cups when rough chopped
- 1 tbsp olive oil extra virgin
- 1 tsp organic diced garlic
- 1/2 tsp sea salt coarse
- 1/2 cup pepitas (raw pumpkin seeds)
- 1/4 cup olive oil extra virgin
Instructions
- In a large clean bowl, soak and rinse fresh turnip greens twice to remove soil and sand. Shake out the greens and allow to drain on a kitchen towel for 20 minutes to remove excess water.
- Remove stem ends and roughly chop leaves ( you should have 2 cups chopped turnip greens).
- In a cast iron skillet, gently heat 1 tbsp olive oil. Add 1/2 cup pepitas (pumpkin seeds), 1/2 tsp coarse sea salt, and 1 tsp diced organic garlic. Saute until pepitas are lightly roasted.
- In a food processor, add your chopped turnip greens, the roasted pepitas, and 1/4 cup olive oil. Using the "chop" setting, process into a coarse pesto texture.
- Toss with your favorite vegetables or pasta to make a delicious and nutritionally powerful meal! Makes a wonderful bruschetta on crusty bread too!
Recipe developed by Ann C. Collins, MD, RYT
Photo credits: Ann C. Collins, MD, RYT
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