Fennel Frond Pesto

This is not my invention, but I definitely am willing to partake in as well as share this yumminess.

Fennel frond pesto! Who would have thought! I have a patch of fennel that continuously comes back in my perennial garden bed. It easily reseeds itself, and the sweet smell of fennel is welcome any day. I have an abundance of fronds, and had saved this “recipe” for an idea on what to do with these heavenly leaves.

I chose to do a variation which I often do when making pesto. Instead of parmesan and pine nuts, I use nutritional yeast and walnuts. I typically have nutritional yeast on hand, it can be found in the bulk section, and I like the flavor. Walnuts are easier to come by than pine nuts as well, and I have those more often than pine nuts.

How to make fennel frond pesto:

• 2.5 loose cups of fennel fronds
• 2 – 4 garlic cloves
• 1 teaspoon sea salt
• 1/4 cup toasted walnuts
• 1 Tablespoon nutritional yeast
• 1/4 cup olive oil

Add ingredients in that order to a blender / food processor / chopper. Whir away, scraping down sides if needed.

Transfer to a refrigerator dish.

I enjoyed this on some crackers, and it was extra special.

I think this is a wonderful alternative pesto for when basil is not in season. My fennel pops up early in spring so this is a more practical solution for when I want to make pesto.

This will definitely be part of my regular rotation.

It’s so beautiful and green!

This would be excellent on a spring inspired pizza, regular pasta, as a veggie dip, and toast.

Peace and love,

Kristan

Advertisement

Green Shakshuka

 

 

 

Thoroughly enjoyed with homemade sourdough and backyard eggs.

Recipe here.

All ingredients easily found in bulk and or produce aisles.

P.S. I’ve stopped feeling guilty about those damn twist ties that accompany all bunches of spinach, cilantro, and parsley; I feel fortunate to find them not wrapped in plastic, and am thankful to eat healthy food.

Peace and love,

Kristan

 

Greek Salad

The first places I visited outside of the US were Greece and Italy. I sold my beloved 1971 Volkswagen Bus (green and white 😍) and bought my plane tickets with the money.

This Athens vignette is still dreamy to me.

I had the time of my life traveling and staying in hostels. My original plan was to work at a hostel on an island and chill for five weeks. We ended up staying for a couple weeks at Corfu, but then traveled on to southern Italy and eventually made our way back to Corfu.

While working at the hostel, I learned how to wash an outrageous amount of dishes very quickly, pluck a rooster, make Greek pancakes, serve wine, and make a killer Greek salad.

Some 35mm photos I took with my beloved Canon AE-1 Program.

There were olives aplenty in Greece, and we used black olives for the salads, whole, not chopped, and it’s still the way I prefer my salads.

The hostel matriarch, Madalena, made her own feta cheese, and this time, I did as well. I cannot find feta unpackaged anywhere!

• 1 head of Romaine lettuce (I like the red)
• 1 can of olives (nope, not in bulk, but still recyclable)
• 1 cucumber
• 2 Roma tomatoes
• 1/3 – 1/2 red onion
• feta

 

I own a mandoline slicer, and this is one of the few recipes I feel require a type of tool like this, unless you have mad chopping skills.

Tear or chop the lettuce and place into a large bowl.

Slice the red onion very thinly, then cut into half moons.

Slice the cucumber slightly thicker than the onion, cut into half moons if you wish. I do sometimes.

Slice the tomatoes into thin slices. I use a vintage tomato slicer that makes the perfect size slices, and cut into half moons.

Place all the vegetables into the bowl.

Top with olives, feta, and then I always pour some olive brine over the top of the salad, and then it doesn’t need any sort of dressing.

Enjoy!

Peace and love,

Kristan