Tonic Youth Pesto

Spring brings a bounty of tonifying and cleansing herbs, and dandelion and nettle are two of the greats. Up your intake of these powerhouse greens by blending them into a simple pesto. Serve over raw or blanched zucchini noodles for a familiar and much-loved dish with hidden health benefits to boot. Tone up your day. Recipe courtesy of CAP Beauty. 

• Ready In: 5 mins
• Serves: 4

Ingredients

• 3  cups basil leaves
• 1  cup  dandelion greens
• 2⁄3 cup  pumpkin seeds, toasted
• 1⁄3 cup  hemp seeds
• 1  small garlic clove, chopped
• 2  tablespoons tamari
• 1⁄4 teaspoon salt
• 3  tablespoons olive oil
• 1  tablespoon fresh lemon juice
• 1  teaspoon fresh lemon juice

Directions

1. In a food processor, combine the basil, dandelion and/ or nettle, pumpkin seeds, hemp seeds, garlic, tamari, and salt. Process until well-combined. While the machine is running, slowly pour in the oil. When ready to serve, stir in the lemon juice to keep the sauce green and vibrant.
2. Tamari:
3. As you convert your kitchen to a place free from gluten and rich in nuanced and balanced flavors, you’ll swap your standard soy sauce for this High Vibrational Japanese version. Unlike common soy sauce, tamari is made without wheat. (Double check the package, as some tamaris do contain small amounts of wheat.) And, while both are made from fermented soy beans, tamari is a more-balanced, rich and delicate ingredient. Look for organic and non-GMO. Then, get right at it with a homemade batch of Tamari almonds. On a sheet pan, simply oven-roast the almonds for 20 minutes at 300°F. Remove and toss with a few spoonfuls of tamari. Then, return to the oven for 5 minutes more. We love these added to salads or dragon bowls.