Parsley Arugula Pesto (over anything)

Who doesn't love pesto? Everyone loves pesto. It's so fun to say, even. A Seinfeld episode even began touting the wonders of just saying "pesto.....pesto.....pesto". Exquisite in every way, it can be used as a dip, a spread, a smear on a piece of bread, in a sandwich, over noodles....I wanted to kick it up a notch and use the bounty from our garden.

While most of you will think pesto is a summer food, it’s ALSO one of the best fall foods. Specifically because (1) you must harvest the basil in one big lump sum if the weather turns chili and (2) arugula is healthier than ever this year, since it loves the cooler weather. The parsley is also vibrant green and strongest it’s been since I seeded it. So we get to work! Using mostly whole fats such as pine nuts, not as much olive oil, but loaded with lemon and garlic, this pesto is sure to please everyone. No need for cheese of any kind, since it's loaded with flavor! 

I don’t need to tell you, you can easily serve this over regular pasta, but if you happen to get a mid-october heat spell and want something lighter, go for the spiraled zucchini.

2 big handfuls of parsley

one big handful of arugula

1/2 cup basil

juice from 1/2 lemon

2 cloves garlic, crushed

1/3 cup raw pine nuts

a few pinches of sea salt

Several turns of fresh ground black pepper

olive oil, to thin

In a food processor, process the herbs and lemon juice until everything is roughly chopped. Add in the pine nuts, salt & pepper, and garlic and pulse briefly (garlic turns bitter if processed too much).  Drizzle a little olive oil, just enough to thin, and process again briefly. Taste for seasonings. Dress your favorite noodles (mine are raw zucchini noodles, spiralized, using this or this tool). Enjoy! 

Low-Glycemic Garlic Noodle Love Bowl

Noodle bowls are incredible; can I get an AMEN? Stir fry's are fun, warming, filling and nurturing, especially when you're cramped for time, hungry, and it's a cold, rainy night. I've found that I can't tolerate regular noodles in general, however, as they make me sleepy ~ probably from a carbohydrate coma. High in gluten, high in flour and carbs that spike your blood sugar, they can seriously impact your health if you have them often. They also impede digestion, as they're made of flour, and can often constipate sensitive digestive systems. 

Recently I've found a brand of noodles made from Konjac Flour named "Miracle Noodles": they're low glycemic, low in calories, gluten free, soy free, and made in the USA! Best part is that they're super delicious, easy to use, require minimal cooking time, are low glycemic and won't make you sleepy after you eat them. Since they're low calorie and high in fiber, many people use products made from Konjac to help with weight loss, and are also sometimes used as a vegan gelatin substitute. That said, you just need to stock up on these packages, which come in rice size, angel hair, and fettuccine. You can find them here in a bulk pack of 6. 

The noodles do have a funny smell at first, I won't lie. You need to rinse them well, place them in bowl and soak in boiling water for 2 minutes (I go to 5 just to make sure), drain, rinse again and by this point, the smell will be completely gone.

You really can use any veggies you'd like ~ make it fun, and use whatever is in your fridge and whatever is your favorite. 

Ingredients:

1 tsp coconut oil

2 pinches of sea salt

1 clove garlic, sliced thin

1/2 cup sliced shitake mushrooms

1 cup sliced broccoli

1 small bunch thin asparagus, woody ends cut off, and sliced into 1 inch pieces

3 scallions, sliced in 1 inch pieces

2/3 cup of 1 package Miracle Noodles, Angel hair, rinsed well, soaked in boiling water for 2-3 minutes, and drained

2/3 cup Coconut Aminos Garlic Sauce

1 tsp white sesame seeds

a drizzle of your favorite hot sauce (I love Ninja Squirrel)

Heat a skillet over medium-high heat. Add in the coconut oil and melt. Add in the garlic & the sea salt, and sauté for one minute to release the flavors. Add in the mushrooms, broccoli, asparagus, and scallions and sauté another 3 minutes or so, stirring often to prevent sticking, until the veggies turn bright green. Add in the sauce and noodles, cover and turn down to medium heat just until heated through, about 5 more minutes. Place in two bowls, sprinkle with the sesame seeds, and a drizzle of your favorite hot sauce. Makes two servings.

NOTE: One time when I didn't have the garlic sauce on hand, I actually used a little bit of vegan Worcestershire sauce and some vegan hoisin Sauce and it came out really tangy, dark, rich and delicious. Feel free to experiment.