Arugula Pesto Summer Salad

In Ayurveda, the Science of Life, eating for the season is a natural, nourishing choice. With summer heating up now, it’s time to cool and refresh, purify and energize with the best of Mother Nature’s summer foods. This sumptuous Arugula Pesto salad offers the sweet, astringent and bitter tastes that balance the heat of the season. It’s a feast of nutrients, protein and fiber to nourish and delight you.

Arugula Pesto Summer Salad

2 cups arugula
1 cup basil
1 clove garlic
1 lime
2 handfuls raw pistachios
2-3 tablespoons olive oil
1 pinch salt
1 med sized zucchini, julienned

Your Choice: Penne Pasta cooked, Sprouted tofu sliced, paneer or burrata torn

Optional: Nyon Olives (those wrinkly black ones from Provence)

Make the Arugula Pesto Dressing: In an electric blender, mix 1 cup arugula with the basil, garlic, and half the pistachios until everything is well and finely chopped. Zest the lime, then juice it and add to the pesto. Add salt and 1 tablespoon olive oil and pulse one second once just to lightly blend. Set aside.

In a medium sized bowl, toss the zucchini with the rest of the arugula and pistachios. Add your choice of pasta, tofu, paneer or burrata. Toss in the the olives if using (it addds a nice salty, meaty taste). Drizzle with olive oail. Stir in the Pesto and serve, or chill in the fridge for up to one day.