I love this recipe for SWISS CHARD & PECAN PESTO…it’s a great way to incorporate some leafy greens into your diet and take advantage of all the great chard, beet greens, and basil available in the summer months. I make a ton and freeze it so I have fresh pesto through the winter. The recipe is also really flexible — you can use any type of chard or beet greens and any type of nut you like!
INGREDIENTS
- 1/2 cup olive oil, divided
- 10 leaves Swiss chard, chopped
- 4 cloves garlic, chopped
- 1 cup basil leaves
- 1 cup pecans
- 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 1 (3 ounce) package grated Parmesan chesse
- Salt and ground black pepper to tast
DIRECTIONS:
- Heat 2 teaspoons of the olive oil in a skillet over medium heat; cook and stir the Swiss chard and garlic in the hot oil until the chard leaves have wilted, 3 to 5 minutes. Remove from heat and allow to cool.
- Process the basil, pecans, sea salt, Parmesan cheese, and remaining olive oil in a food processor until all the ingredients are well integrated. Add the Swiss chard mixture and the lemon juice to the food processor; continue chopping until the mixture is pureed. Season with salt and pepper.
This yummy pesto can be used as pasta sauce, as a spread on sandwiches, or a marinade for chicken/tofu.
Makes 10 servings. Calories: ~230 per serving. Protein: 5.4 grams per serving. Enjoy!
Bonus: Leftover pesto freezes well!
I like this method of freezing individual servings in a cupcake pan, then transferring frozen pods into a freezer bag or airtight storage container.