Wild Garlic Mustard Pesto -Best Ever !

A walk in the woods led me to make this delicious pesto from wild medicinal garlic mustard greens. This Springtime herb is in abundance and perfect for picking in April and May in the North East states. I never imaged it would be the most delicious pesto I ever tasted! Be sure to pick before the weather gets hot or it will be come too bitter.

Many wild food experts call this herb the most nutritious green on the planet. Garlic mustard greens (Alliaria petiolata) are very nutritious as they have substantial amounts of vitamins A, C, E and some of the B vitamins. In addition this wild weed contains potassium, calcium, magnesium, selenium, copper, iron and manganese as well as omega-3 fatty acids.

This pesto packs a protein punch with walnuts and nooch. The cheesy tasting nutritional yeast a.k.a. nooch adds tons of protein and B vitamins. If you are on a purely plant based diet, be sure to pick a brand like Red Star, Braggs, or Trader Joe's which also have loads of vital B12.

Recipe:

Prep your leaves by first rinsing thoroughly and soaking them in a jar of water in the refrigerator for 1 -2 days. Squeeze the liquid out and lay on tea towels to dry off most of the moisture before adding to the oil. Add nuts to your blender and pulse to break up the nuts to your desired texture. Transfer nuts to mixing bowl. To your blender add oil, leaves, salt and pepper. Pulse till you get the desired consistency ( I prefer coarse). Lastly add the nutritional yeast and pulse til blended then stir into nut mixture.

You can freeze for several months and it will taste just as delicious. I store them in 4 ounce jeweled mason jars. I like to have an abundant supply ready for entertaining as well as gifts.

Ingredients:

1/2 cup firmly packed garlic mustard leaves

1/2 cup Kalamata olive oil

1 cup walnuts

1/2 cup nutritional yeast

salt and pepper to taste

Watch how I made this on You Tube. Be sure to subscribe for free, hit he like button and share !