Sugar Snap Pesto

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Excerpt from my June 26, 2009 column in the Register Star and Daily Mail:
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Pesto means “to pound.” Traditionally it was made with a mortar and pestle. I will occasionally make regular pesto that way. For this recipe, a food processor makes quick work of “pounding” the pea pods. The result is a beautifully green, bright tasting pesto. Perfect for tossing in pasta or serving with grilled fish or chicken.
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The New Spinach?

The New York Times called beets the new spinach. According to the article beets are “nutritional powerhouses, high in folate, manganese and potassium.”

My friend Jan has always liked beets. I did not like them until she made them for me once years ago. I thought beets tasted like dirt, but Jan roasted them in orange juice and transformed them into a delicately sweet and only slightly earthy dish. It was a perfect compliment for the pork roast and the cold snowy night.

Recently, Jan further expanded my beet world by telling me that you don’t have to cook beets at all. Grated beets with salt, pepper and lemon juice make an easy, yummy and let’s not forget, uber-healthy salad.

Here’s a version with cabbage (another nutritional powerhouse):

1 large beet or several small ones
1 cup of chopped cabbage
1/4 cup of apple cider or rice vinegar
1 tablespoon of sugar
1 teaspoon of grated horseradish (fresh or prepared)
Salt and pepper to taste

Mix sugar, vinegar and horseradish.
Grate beets or chop them in food processor.
Toss all ingredients.

Eat up!