Recipe: Veggie Pesto
Here at Alaya Holistic Health and in the Rebel Vegan Kitchen, we’re all about simplicity. I am not a recipe person - but I do like to get creative by veganising old classics AND making them nutritious, while sometimes coming up with new ideas! Just because I make it vegan doesn’t mean you have to. My goal is to help you eat MORE whole plants, not to point fingers or cast judgment. Wherever you are on the plant-based spectrum, I hope these recipes inspire you to increase your plant-diversity and improve your overall dietary pattern. Your body and mind, as well as the planet and the animals will love you for it!
Ingredients:
280 g mixed baby spinach & kale
1 sachet dried basil/2 bunches fresh basil
2-3 cloves raw garlic
1/2 C nutritional yeast (cheesy, nutritious & delicious!)
1/2 C raw walnuts
1/4 C unsweetened plant milk (e.g. soy)
Optional: 2-4 TBS extra virgin olive oil
Method:
Roughly chop kale & spinach - let sit for 20 minutes (Hack: Produces sulfuraphane before cooking, a potent phytochemical!)
Steam greens in microwave for approx 3-4 minutes or cook over low heat on stove until slightly wilted (Hack: Save any green water as this contain nutrients!)
Add all ingredients to food processor/high speed blender & blend on low until combined but still textured (i.e. not a smoothie!)
Serve with your choice of veggies, beans, or pasta (Hack: If using pasta, precook and allow to cool to form resistant starch - fewer carbohydrate for you, more fibre for your friendly microbes!)
The science tells us that consuming over 30 types of unique whole plants in the week - that’s fruits, vegetables (including fresh herbs), wholegrains, legumes, nuts and seeds - provides us with a healthy gut. And with a healthy gut we have a healthy body and mind. Plant-diversity is key to health. Can you do the ALAYA+30 CHALLENGE? Start keeping track of your plants!
