Arugula Pesto Recipe

Arugula with its unique taste and scent is one of my favorite greens when it comes to sophisticated salad recipes. Related to mustard greens, kale and cabbage, arugula is rich in vitamins and minerals, especially the folic acid, vitamins A, C, and K, copper and iron. Like other greens from the Brassica family, arugula contains cancer fighting compounds such as indoles, thiocyanates, sulforaphane, and iso­thiocyanates. These compounds have been found to counter the effects of estrogen in the body and thus may help fight estrogen-dependent cancers (prostate, breast, cervical, ovarian cancers.)


To save money you can use almond pulp that is leftover from making almond milk. When making almond milk, allow the almond "mass" to be slightly coarse. It might yield a little less milk, but it will add an extra crunch when used in many recipes. 
 
Ingredients:
  • 3 cups arugula
  • 1 cup virgin olive oil
  • 1 garlic clove
  • 3 Tbsp leftover almond pulp (or 1/3 cup almonds, soaked in water overnight and chopped)
  • 2 Tbsp lemon juice
  • zest of 1 lemon
  • 1/2 tsp Celtic salt


Method:
  • In a food processor pulse blend arugula, olive oil and garlic until you receive an almost smooth paste. 
  • Transfer the pureed arugula to a bowl. Add almond pulp, lemon juice, lemon zest and salt. Mix well. Serve with raw cucumber or zucchini pasta, on sprouted raw bread or crackers, as a dip or a sauce for variety of raw or cooked dishes. Enjoy in good company!


Tip: This pesto is very bitter. You can add more lemon juice and salt to make it more palatable if you are not very fond of the bitter taste. A few basil leaves may help as well.

In Traditional Chinese Medicine the bitter taste is associated with the fire element that governs the heart and the small intestine. The Chinese traditional doctors believe that the bitter taste has a dry and cool energy, and descending, detoxifying and anti-inflammatory actions. Many potent antimicrobial herbs, such as dandelion, goldenseal, and wormwood are bitter. The bitter taste has long been known to stimulate the production of bile.

In radiant health, passionately raw - Dominique

Dominique Allmon©2014

P.S. All the ingredients used in this recipe were certified organic. This makes such a big difference! Not only does the organic produce taste better, it is good for your body since the liver is not confronted with an additional load of toxic chemicals from conventional farming.

  
Raw Cucumber Pasta With Arugula Pesto

*Information in this article is for educational purposes only. It is not meant to diagnose, heal, or cure a disease.