I love pesto, and you can make pesto with a variety of greens, it doesn’t always have to be basil. I’ve made it with carrot tops as well and that recipe is available on my blog in another post if you’re interested in trying that out.
In this recipe, I’m using an usual ingredient, but one that is packed with nutrition; radish greens. I picked radishes from my garden this afternoon and decided to make a batch of pesto for myself. Radish greens have a peppery, earthy taste and contain vitamin C, vitamin B6, vitamin A, magnesium, phosphorus, iron, folate, calcium and potassium. They also include an important antioxidant: sulforaphane making it great to detox xenoestrogens from the body. So next time you find yourself with radish greens, don’t toss them, instead make this pesto.
To make this delicious recipe you’ll need:
Servings: For 1 person (multiply the ingredients by the number of people)
Bunches of greens from 4 radishes (see pic below)
15 basil leaves
1 clove of garlic
**1/4 cup walnuts (*pre-soaked for better digestion)
1 tbsp extra olive oil
1/2 tsp apple cider vinegar
1 tbsp of water if necessary to help mix it bettersalt and pepper to taste
Salt and pepper to taste
** You can use pine nuts, cashews, almonds, pecans, etc., basically your favourite nut or whatever you have on hand if you don’t like walnuts.
Place the radish leaves and all other ingredients in the food processor and pulse to desired consistency. Add the 1 tbsp of water if you need help to blend it in the processor. You will have to stop and scrape down the sides.
**I gave some measurements as a guideline but feel free to play with the quantities and make it your own!
**If you can, it is best to pre-soak all nuts for 24 hours in salted water. After which, you rinse and use in the recipe. This process removes phytic acid which hinders digestion and prevents valuable nutrient loss. Your digestive tract will thank you for this simple extra step!
Enjoy on pasta, with meats, on crackers, etc. Best eaten right away or within a few days. Refrigerate in an airtight container if you have leftovers.
