sprouts and arugula pesto

 I really appreciated how encouraging and interested you all were in my latest project: the spring cleanse. Returning to a macrobiotic diet has been exciting. The limitations have rejuvenated my creativity in the kitchen. I'm trying all kinds of new things and remembering old favorites. For instance, I haven't sprouted garbanzo beans since the good ol' days when I managed the (now gone) vegan Garden of Eatin' Cafe (Marin, Ca.). We had a constant tub of red lentils and garbanzo beans soaking/sprouting for a signature salad we offered. There are so many resources online that I didn't have access to in those days. Here's a bunch of sprouting ideas I'd like to try out: Quick and Easy sprouted bean recipes. If you'd like to do some of your own sprouting, check out this post. I still really love all of  the info at Sprout People, and they give great instructions for sprouting everything, including assorted beans. Sprout bonus: kitchen science with children!


 Increasing the amount of raw foods I consume, feels like an obvious next step. Local farmer's markets are getting in gear and foraging in the backyard yields plenty of raw edibles. I also had to do something with those gorgeous greens/arugula my neighbors gave us. Pesto!

 Arugula Pesto

Toss into the food processor:

• a bunch of greens
• a few glugs of  cold-pressed olive oil (maybe 1/4 cup)
• small clove of garlic
• little handful of raw walnuts
• squeeze of lemon juice
• umeboshi plum paste or sea salt to taste.

Blend until it's smooth and creamy.
I served it on carrot "planks". My kids are pesto lovers, and I wasn't sure if they'd feel this stacked up to their favorite original version. They ate them all with gusto!  I'm happy to have an alternative until our basil crop grows. Exposing children to new and varied foods keeps their taste buds open to eating adventures and minimizes the "picky" ruts that so many fall into. I always find finger foods to be more enticing when introducing something new... no matter what the age group.