11 Mar RECIPE OF THE MONTH BY REBECCA KEANE
We have partnered with our experienced Nutritional Therapist Rebecca Keane to bring you a monthly blog with food tips and recipes that anyone could use to boost their immune system and stay healthy. This month’s post it’s all about wild garlic!
MARCH
As we enter Spring, we now have the opportunity to spend more time outside. The weather is improving, and the days are getting longer. There is plenty of research that proves being in nature has huge benefits to our long and short term mental and physical well being.
If you’re into gardening and growing your own produce, then Spring has a lovely variety of seasonal foods like; artichoke, beetroot, bell peppers, carrots, chicory, cucumbers, leeks, parsnips, purple sprouting broccoli, radishes, rhubarb, salsify, spring onions, swede, sweet potato and watercress.
Wild garlic comes into season late March to April and what’s great is you can go foraging for it too. It’s part of the allium family that includes garlic, onions, shallots and leeks.
Throughout history garlic’s main use was for medicinal purposes. Health benefits include anti-fungal, antiviral, anti-inflammatory antimicrobial properties. These are caused by the sulphur compounds when the garlic is crushed, chopped, or chewed.
It works amazingly with fish, stews, and pasta. I enjoy making homemade pesto with a green leafy vegetable. For this one I used kale, but you can also use cavolo nero or spinach.
WILD GARLIC AND KALE PESTO
INGREDIENTS:
200 g of wild garlic
200 g of kale
x1.5 juice of lemon
Pinch of Himalayan salt and pepper
Pinch of chili flakes
5 tbsp of extra virgin olive oil (extra virgin cold pressed)
50g sunflower and pumpkin seeds
A splash of pasta water (the starch content gives it a thicker texture)
1 tbsp nutritional yeast to give it a creamier texture (optional)
METHOD:
Rinse and chop the wild garlic leaves
Bring a saucepan of water to the boil and cook the pasta according to the instructions
While the pasta is cooking, remove the leaves from the stem of the kale.
Bring a saucepan of water to the boil and steam the kale for around 5 minutes (don’t overcook and let it go too limp, you still want a bite to it)
Add the wild garlic, lemon juice, nuts, salt, pepper, chlili flakes, nutritional yeast, lemon juice and a splash of pasta water) to a blender, gradually adding the olive oil as you blitz until it’s a nice creamy and chunky consistency.
Drain the pasta, then add the pesto to the pan and stir
Serve in bowls and enjoy!
You can also transfer the pesto to jars and keep in the fridge for up to a week
NUTRITIONAL THERAPY WITH REBECCA KEANE
Rebecca Keane offers Nutritional Therapy at Yogahome to support your health, performance and care.
Nutritional therapy is recognised as a complementary medicine and is relevant for individuals with chronic conditions, as well as those looking for support to enhance their health and wellbeing.
Contact us to schedule a FREE telephone consultation with Rebecca and to book your appointment.