The Scoop
I am always looking for easy and delicious ways to get nutrient rich foods into my body on a regular basis. Because good nutrition is some of the most powerful medicine out there. One of my go-to’s is this recipe. It’s fast, packed with highly nutritious foods, versatile, filling, and a total crowd pleaser.
Here’s a glimpse into a few of the foods that make this recipe amazing for your health and so tasty too.
Leafy Greens:
The health benefits of leafy greens are no secret. Look at any nutrition blog or list of top 10 healthiest foods, and leafy greens will be all over the place. These leafy greens, such as kale, spinach, and arugula, are packed with important vitamins, minerals and phytonutrients. Phytonutrients are the antioxidant pigments in fruits and vegetables that give them their vibrant colors. And the green ones protect against cancer, decrease inflammation, and support brain, skin, hormone, heart and liver health. Pretty incredible, huh?
Nuts:
These little guys are one of the highest quality proteins out there for your health. They contain Omega-3’s, loads of fiber, vitamin E, plant sterols, and L-arginine. The combination of which can lower your LDL or “bad” cholesterol, improve the health of your arteries, decrease your risk of a heart attack, and improve and protect the health of your brain.
Garlic:
Garlic has been revered for it’s potent medicinal qualities for millennia. Now we have science to prove it. It’s full of powerful antioxidants that protect against cancer. It boosts your immune system. And it helps prevent heart disease, high cholesterol, and high blood pressure.
But this recipe is so much greater than the sum of it’s parts. The lemon juice increases your bodies ability to absorb all the important iron in the leafy greens. And the healthy fats in the nuts and olive oil help you feel full and curb cravings. You can serve it on eggs, salmon, or organic chicken. Use it as a dip with carrots or cucumbers. Add it to a lettuce wrap. Use it as a sauce on a delicious bowl or sautee veggies with it.
However you choose to enjoy it, you can give yourself a high five for doing one more awesome thing for your health today.
Ingredients
3 cups Leafy greens or green herbs (of your choice)
1 cup Raw Nuts (of your choice)
4 cloves Garlic
1/4 cup Fresh Squeezed Lemon Juice
1 tsp Sea Salt
1 cup Olive Oil
Directions
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- Pick your greens. My favorite options are Basil, Curly Leaf Kale, Spinach, and Arugula. But you can experiment with other greens too. You can also mix in herbs like cilantro, mint, or parsley for a different twist. Try different flavors or use whatever you have in your fridge. Basil has a sweeter, more classic pesto flavor. Spinach and Kale are milder. Arugula is spicier.
- Pick your protein. Since this is a vegan pesto, all the healthy protein and fats come from the nuts and the olive oil. Classic pesto uses Pine Nuts. But other options I love include Almonds, cashews, walnuts, hazlenuts, and raw hulled pumpkin seeds.
- Combine all the ingredients in a high-powered blender or food processor. Blend to your desired consistancy.
- Serve and savor! Have extra? It saves well in the fridge for about 5 days and fairly well in the freezer for 6 months.
With love,
Amber
Team Luminary
