Recipe: Arugula Pesto

I love pesto sauce and I love greens, and this twist on an old classic is full of flavor and super healthy. It’s a great way to use greens from a local farmers’ market or picked from your own garden. Arugula is loaded with calcium and full of the antioxidant vitamins A, C and K. It is also a great source of iron, which is great news for vegans and vegetarians out there. You can serve this sauce over any pasta/ grain dish, shake it up a bit and use as a salad dressing, or even serve over a chicken dish.

Arugula Pesto
Serves 8

Ingredients
2 bunches arugula, stems removed, rinsed, minced
1 bunch chives, rinsed, minced
1/2 cup pinenuts
1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1 clove garlic, minced (if desired)
Sea salt and pepper, to taste

Bring a large pot of water to a boil and quickly blanch the arugula for about 30 seconds, until water returns to a boil. (Save this water to cook pasta or rice.) Combine arugula and chives in a food processor and pulse to puree. Add hazelnuts, olive oil and garlic, and puree until a smooth pesto forms. Use this sauce as desired with pasta or rice (or any grain) or drizzle over chicken breast topped with fresh parmesan.

Per serving: 175.2 calories, 19.1 g. fat, 2.4. g. sat. fat, 1.7 g. carbs, 1 g. fiber, .5 g. sugar, 1.4 g. protein