Pumpkin Seed Pesto and Zucchini Pasta

Pesto is one of those dishes that heralds the start of warmer days and the short march into summer. It's a traditional pairing with tomatoes - the quintessential summer produce - and I used to make gallons of it when I grew basil in my old garden.

I've updated the traditional recipe by replacing the main ingredients with watercress and pumpkin seeds. Watercress is one of the most nutrient-dense greens available. It can, however end up tasting a little grassy. If you can, get the young leaves (pictured below) as opposed to the thick overgrown stems. Either way, I counter the grassiness by adding in some of the traditional basil.

I don't put garlic in my pesto (I know, the horror). Raw garlic gives my husband headaches and frankly, it does something horrible to my breath - way beyond the normal garlic breath one would expect. This is a new development for me and one that's very disappointing as I love garlic. Feel free to add it in if you must have it, but I don't think it's necessary here. 

I serve this pesto with zucchini noodles. If you don't have a spiralizer, you can also try this julienne peeler. It won't give you the same noodles, but it will give you zucchini threads and for a lot less money. 

Pumpkin Seed Pesto

1 bunch watercress, stems removed

1 cup loosely packed basil leaves

1/2 cup raw pumpkin seeds (shelled; also known as kernels)

1/4 cup walnut oil

1/2 tsp kosher salt

Squeeze of lemon juice

Place all the ingredients aside from the walnut oil in a cuisinart and pulse until combined, scraping down the bowl as necessary. With the machine running, slowly drizzle in the oil and process until combined.

Serve with zucchini pasta, as a dip for crudités or any other way you would use regular pesto. 

Coconut Butter

Coconut butter served in Michael Aram Honey Pot

Coconut manna (aka butter) can be a hard ingredient to track down. I find it is often sold out at health food stores and it has yet to make its way to general grocers.

If you're making the Spirulina Protein Bites from last week, or just want to try a new ingredient, fear not, it's super easy to whip up at home.

Grab a bag (at least 7 to 8 oz worth) of dehydrated coconut shavings and dump the entire thing into your high-powered blender. Process until it turns into a paste, scraping down the bowl as necessary. I have tried making this in a food processor and it just does not work as well. Food Processor = 10 minutes of pulsing and scraping. High-powered blender = 30 seconds.

Scrape the butter into a small bowl, and a pinch of Kosher salt if desired (you should desire) and chill until solid.

Once set, I keep the butter at room temperature so it stays spreadable. Use it on toast, in smoothies and in any way you might use another nut butter.

Beet Purée

I used to be known to friends as the condiment queen. Open my fridge on any given day and you would find a Costco-sized container of mayonnaise. I used it for everything from sandwiches to cheese (gross, I know). If it was more than just mayonnaise I was after, I would drown whatever I could in my mother's special sauce - a mixture of ketchup and mayonnaise.

Not that much has changed. I still enjoy an abundance of sauces and spreads, but these days I try to keep things a bit healthier. I first branched out from mayo by mashing avocado with lemon juice and a little salt. Then I began to experiment - what other fruits and vegetables could I turn into a delicious purée?

This beet purée is a great example of how you can add richness, not to mention vibrant color without giving up your healthy intentions. Plus, I like to use beets as often as possible so my husband can say his favorite joke - "Hey babe, are those beets? But are they fresh beets??"

In the picture above, I used the beet purée on a salad in place of salad dressing. The mayonnaise-loving side of me couldn't resist topping it with a runny egg yolk, but I promise, this would have been equally satisfying without the egg.

Beet Purée

4 beets, trimmed of root and stem

2 carrots, peeles

2 teaspoons coconut butter (manna)

salt to taste

Preheat your oven to 425. Wrap the cleaned beets together in tin foil, place on a baking tray and roast for 1 1/4 hours until the beets are tender. During the last 30 minutes of cooking, remove the vegetables from the oven and allow to cool. Peel the beets by gently rubbing the skin until it comes off.

Place the beets, carrots, coconut butter and salt in a Cuisinart and process until smooth. Use on sandwiches, salads and crackers.