Arugula Pesto

photo from here

Using what's left.

This is one of those mildly hippie mantras that I want to live by, I really should live by, but invariably week after week, fail to live by.

I found this poster on Pinterest and find it very intriguing. Much more intriguing than, say, a "Keep Calm and Carry On" poster/mug/t-shirt/tattoo. But maybe that's just me.

More than anything, I'm really bad about using what I have. Grocery shopping - now that I'm really good at. And engage in almost daily (completely unnecessary as I live alone, but what can be done? I have a problem). But regularly throwing away what was once perfectly good produce, cheese, or bread because I neglected it in the back of my refrigerator makes me feel guilty/wasteful/decidedly NOT Oregon, so I'm making small, discrete changes to rectify this. Heavy use of the freezer is involved. As is realistic planning. Progress report to come. Wish me luck.

This pesto was inspired based on what I had in the fridge and pantry, and in the spirit of using the perishable before it perishes.



Arugula Pesto
1 clove garlic, roughly chopped
1/4 c. parmesan cheese, grated
1 big handful arugula, stems removed
a few tablespoons of sunflower seeds
1/4 c. + extra virgin olive oil

Combine all of the ingredients, save the olive oil, in a food processor. Moisten the dry ingredients with a dash of olive oil and pulse until broken down. While pulsing, slowly drizzle in olive oil  until you reach desired consistency.


I served mine as an afternoon stack with warm naan. And, in honor of using what I have (I had leftovers), I served eggs the next morning with a drizzle of the pesto.

I'd consider that a solid check mark in the "Alexis" column.