A Tale of the Misunderstood Greens

Arugula...

Maybe you know it.  Maybe you're suspicious of it.  Maybe you're scared of it because you can't pronounce it.

Whatever the case, you should really get to know more about this healthy, nutritious green.

OK, so some people say it's spicy, and arugula does have a kick to it, but mixed in with a salad, or added to your favorite sandwich, you get a good dose of nutrient rich greens and a little tangy flavor to your meal!

The Many Health Benefits of Arugula

Arugula contains many of the same benefits as broccoli, kale, and Brussels sprouts.  Leafy greens and cruciferous greens contain high levels of cancer fighting antioxidants, fiber, and phytochemicals.

Arugula:

• can help reduce the risk of cancer
• contains calcium and vitamin K which can help prevent osteoporosis
• can help reduce the risk of developing type 2 diabetes
• can help protect the heart from heart disease

You can eat it raw in a salad, sandwich, or wrap.  Chop arugula up and put it in an omelet or scrambled eggs.  Add it to stir fry.  Or, our new favorite....

Make Pesto!

This spring, we had a ton of arugula.  We could only sell so much, and eat so much, and I'm gonna be honest....  it doesn't taste that great in a smoothie.  So freezing it wasn't exactly an option!

I had heard about substituting arugula for basil in pesto and I thought, "what the heck, we'll give it a try."

And I was pleasantly surprised.  It truly tastes great.  One of my daughters that doesn't like arugula at all, loves the pesto.

So, without further ado, here's our favorite pesto recipe, made with arugula greens!

And just so you know, my 13 year old is our pesto maker.  So, yeah, it's super easy!

Arugula Pesto

Ingredients:

Blend seeds or nuts in blender until finely ground.
Add garlic, and with the blender running, add arugula leaves a few at a time, alternating with the olive oil.
Keep blending until your pesto resembles a thick paste.
Stir in salt and parmesan cheese by hand until well incorporated.
Store in the refrigerator.
(Adapted from the West Ladies Westo Pesto)

You can eat pesto with crackers, pita chips, veggies, or on sandwiches and wraps.