Before you read any further, just guess how many cups of leafy green things are in this bowl? This is like that game with the jelly beans… if they were pureed.

Got your number?

2? higher.

4? higher.

7? higher.

10? You got it, 10. There are 10 cups of leafy green vegetables crammed in there! It’s jam-packed and oozing with the essence of spring: greens, greens and more greens.  You’d have to eat one massive salad… Or you could put a tablespoon or two of this stuff on top of something satisfying and delicious, like pasta. Mmmmm.

The bright green color is so vibrant it glows. And for the body, it has the same effect. The more green leafy things you eat, the more oxygen gets into the body, feeding O2 to your cells and improving blood flow. You’ll also take in more materials (vitamins, minerals, etc.) that your body needs to make new, healthy skin cells. Every day your body is working to replace the million (yep, million) you shed in a day. And every day, or every meal for that matter, is an opportunity to improve the way you look and feel. Give your body what it needs and it will do what you ask of it in return. And when it comes as compact and tasty as this pesto sauce, how could you not??

This arugula pesto is a bit of a different take on the traditional. It skips the cheese and instead relies on peppery arugula, sweet basil, garlic and spices for flavor. The combination is so fresh and delicious, you might wonder why pesto ever needed cheese in the first place… The pine nuts turn into a rich, creamy base and along with the olive oil they provide healthy, satisfying fat that helps you absorb all the nutrients from the raw greens.

Everything in here is 100% raw too, which means none of the ingredients have been cooked, leaving the nutrition and enzymes in the foods themselves intact. Enzymes help break down foods in the body so they’re easier to digest and the process takes up less energy on our part. The energy saved from digestion can then be put to use in other areas, like cell growth and repair.

A squeeze of lemon at the end brightens it up and brings all the flavors together…

Arugula Pesto

Ingredients:

1 garlic clove
1 cup walnuts
1 tsp salt
½ tsp black pepper
½ tsp oregano
2 cups basil
8 cups arugula
½ cup extra virgin olive oil
1 lemon, juiced
water as needed

Directions:

In a food processor or high speed blender, pulse garlic cloves until finely minced. Add arugula, walnuts, lemon, olive oil, salt, pepper, oregano and pulse or blend until nearly smooth. Add basil and pulse until you have a smooth green pesto.

Just look at that glorious glowing green goop…

From here you can use it a number of ways. Serve it as a veggie dip alongside a crudité platter. Spread it on a sandwich. Add a little more olive oil for a salad dressing (green to the n^th power!). Or drizzle over some pasta and spring veggies, like this: