Garlic Scape Pesto

This strange yet versatile vegetable looks more like Medusssa's hair than a pesto ingredient at first glance! Don't be fooled though- Garlic Scapes, which need to be clipped off of the Garlic plant before they flower and take energy away from the developing bulb- are a fantastic veggie to cook like a green bean. To maintain their strong, garlic flavour, this recipe makes use of them raw.

1 cup fresh Garlic Scapes (remove round flowery part, and cut into 1/4" slices)
1/3 cup walnuts and/or pine nuts
1/2 to 3/4 cup Olive Oil
1/4 to 1/2 cup parmigiano - grated
1/2 tsp sea salt
black papper to taste
Juice of 1 organic lemon

Process ingredients in a food processor, adding oil as needed until Pesto reaches desired texture. It will keep in a covered glass container in the fridge for about 1 week.

Enjoy it on crackers, with Brie, on Eggs or anywhere else you want to add the intensity and health of Garlic!

Warming Coconut Kale-Chickpeas

2 cups cooked Chickpeas
1 bunch Kale (any variety), chopped
1 cup coconut milk
1 cup Tomato sauce, or 1 large diced tomato
1 red pepper, diced
1 large onion, or a few shallots, or 1 leek
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tbs fresh ginger root, peeled and minced
oil or butter
sea salt
spices (cumin, cayenne, chili peppers, cinnamon)

In butter or oil, simmer the onions or leeks, and ginger until tender and transparent (about 5 mins). Add coconut milk, salt, and spices to taste. Bring to a boil. Add chickpeas and tomatoes. When comes to a boil again, add kale, garlic and red pepper. Reduce heat, and simmer covered until kale shrinks and is at desired tenderness.

Serve on its own, over grain or on a large Collard leaf.
Drizzle remaining coconut milk over each portion.

Enjoy!

Beet-celeriac bake

3-4 large beets
1 large celeriac
1/2 cup orange juice
1/2 cup stock

Thinly slice beets and celeriac. Alternate layers of beet and celeriac (celeriac on bottom, then beet, then celeriac, then beet again). Pour over orange juice and stock. Cover and put in preheated 350 degree oven for 20 minutes. Uncover and increase heat to 425 degrees, bake another 10 minutes.