Microgreen Pesto

Microgreen Pesto

Microgreens pack a huge punch of nutrients when added to any dish, but I especially like using them in a fresh pesto. Instead of using microgreens as a garnish or topping, this recipe calls for a few big handfuls of any variety. Use a mix of them, or add additional greens like pea tendrils or spinach. I purposefully left cheese out of this recipe so that it can be frozen and used at a later time. If you're making this to eat right away, feel free to add some grated parmesan or even nutritional yeast if you're dairy-free. 

What are microgreens? You guessed it….tiny greens, they're just one or two week old sprouts! They’re tiny, tender, and contain concentrated amounts of the antioxidants that would be found in the adult plants. And lots of plants can be harvested as microgreens like radish, basil, kale, arugula, and sunflower. ​

Ingredients
1 ½ -2 cups of microgreens (sub half for spinach or kale if you’re like)
​1 bunch of fresh basil
¼ cup toasted nuts or seeds (pine nuts, walnuts or pumpkin seeds all work well)
3 cloves of garlic, chopped
¼-½ cup olive oil 
1 small lemon, zested & juiced
Salt + pepper to taste

Method of Preparation

1. Wash and dry all of your produce. Add your greens to a blender or food processor along with the basil, toasted nuts, garlic, lemon zest and half of the lemon juice.
2. Pulse a few times to get things chopped, then run the food processor as you drizzle in your olive oil. Start with a small amount and adjust to the consistency you like.
3. Adjust for taste- add salt & pepper, more lemon juice or even some parmesan cheese. 
4. Use this pesto in dips, as a quick pasta sauce, drizzled on cooked potatoes, or however