Going PLANT STRONG means going green–literally with greens. This food family is so power packed with nutrition, it’s pretty savvy to eat them in some way every day. I know kale is often looked at as the giant among greens, but all greens are anti-oxidant rich. So it’s okay to use other greens as well.
One way to enjoy your greens is with a pesto. Basil pesto is superb but I like to branch out sometimes with a greens pesto. And that means using spinach or kale. This is one that we enjoy for a salad dressing, a burger topping, spread on toast in the morning. It’s quick to whip up in the blender. It makes a heart-friendly condiment you’ll want to turn to again and again.
To make the pesto, add 2 cups of fresh spinach that is lightly packed in your measuring cup to your food processor. Add 2 cloves garlic or 2 teaspoons of garlic powder, 3/4 cups walnuts (or 1/2 cup ground and roasted sunflower seeds), 1/4 teaspoon salt or to taste, 1 teaspoon lemon juice, and 2-4 tablespoons of low-sodium vegetable broth.
Pulse all ingredients except the broth in your food processor while adding a steady stream of the broth to the mixture. Scrape the sides and pulse until well blended. Taste and adjust your seasonings as needed. Depending on the brand of vegetable broth you use, you may not need to add the salt.
Use immediately or store covered in the fridge for up to 24 hours. This recipe makes about 1 cup.
CHEF’S NOTE: Many people who are allergic to wheat or walnuts can often tolerate sunflower seeds, so I have added sunflower seeds as an option. You don’t need pine nuts to make a delicious pesto. You can use many other nuts or seeds in their place. Experiment and have fun cooking!
FOCUS ON SPINACH: This wonderful green is loaded with 3 essential nutrients that act as an arsenal in lowering blood pressure naturally. Spinach is an excellent source of potassium, folate and magnesium. Potassium enables your body to lessen the effects of sodium in the diet. It also relaxes the walls of blood vessels which leads to lower blood pressure. Magnesium does the same. Then there’s folate which reduce homocysteine levels, toxic to blood vessels in the brain and heart. High levels are definitely a threat to anyone with high blood pressure. All 3 of these wonderful nutrients are found in every mouthful of spinach. Eating greens every day is an easy way to prevent high blood pressure and stay heart-healthy.
