Bagged Salad Pesto
Consumers throw away over 40% of bagged salad each year. That’s the equivalent of 37,000 tonnes or 178 million bags!
If you do buy bagged salad and not using straight away, take them from the bag and pop in an airtight container lined with kitchen paper. This will absorb excess moisture. Do not pack too tightly as that will just invite spoilage. If you see any slimy/extra limp leaves, remove them.
Alternatively, why not try this very simple pesto. Pesto does not have to be made from basil; anything that is pounded in a mortar and pestle (or blended) can be called a pesto. For this recipe, I used rocket for its peppery flavour, but you can also use watercress, spinach or a mixed bag, though it doesn’t really work with iceberg lettuce (it doesn’t have much flavour). I have foregone the traditional pine nuts for something a lot less expensive; sunflower seeds and swapped the parmesan for nutritional yeast to make this vegan friendly. Feel free to use parmesan if wished, or as I have done in the past, very finely grated extra mature cheddar (again, a lot less expensive!)
Pesto can be used as a dip, as I have shown here, mixed into pasta, potatoes (try mixing with potatoes before roasting – delicious!), smeared over chicken or fish before baking or as a spread on toast then topped with a poached egg. It also livens up salads.
BAGGED SALAD PESTO
Equipment
- Food blender or use a pestle and mortar
- Scales
- Measuring Spoons
Ingredients
- 80n-100 g green salad leaves e.g. rocket, watercress, spinach, mixed bag or use soft herbs
- 60 ml unrefined rapeseed or olive oil
- 1 lemon, juiced about 30ml or 2 tbsp
- 2-3 garlic cloves or use 2-3 tsp garlic paste
- 3 tbsp nutritional yeast or finely grated parmesan or extra mature cheddar
- 2 tbsp sunflower seeds or you can use pine nuts
- 1/4 tsp salt
Instructions
- Pop all of the ingredients in a food blender and blend away, as simple as that! Alternatively, you can pound this down in a pestle and mortar.
- If you want a thinner sauce type pesto, add an extra 20ml or oil or water.
- This pesto will keep in an airtight container for a few days in the refrigerator. Pour an extra layer of oil over the top to make it last a bit longer.
Notes
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Nutritional Benefits:
Watercress is a powerhouse of nutrients providing good amounts of vitamin A, C (immunity and wound healing) and K (good bone and blood health), potassium and calcium. It also is a rich source of plant chemicals that may reduce or minimise the risk of certain cancers.
Rocket leaves are rich in antioxidant carotenes and lutein which helps to protect eye health. It is also a source of calcium, essential for healthy bones.
Both watercress and rocket belongs to the brassica vegetable family, which may help to prevent chronic diseases, including cardiovascular diseases, type 2 diabetes, neurodegenerative disorders and various forms of cancers. The antioxidants have the ability to reduce what is called oxidative stress and the presence of free radicals in our body. These have the potential to cause inflammation, neurodegenerative disorders such as Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s disease, increase the signs of ageing and cell changes which can lead to cancer.
Sunflower seeds are rich in the antioxidant vitamin E and may help to protect us from inflammatory conditions such as asthma and rheumatoid arthritis
The sulphur compounds in garlic offer many health benefits from helping to minimise the risk of heart disease, certain cancers (colon, stomach and prostrate), can help to prevent stomach ulcers, and is a natural antibiotic, antiviral and antifungal food.