Pesto is one of those foods that people talk about like wine/coffee/anything fancy. "Oooh, I made this fabulous pesto over the weekend. It was sooooo good." I was never able to get into it myself, and these passionate exclamations of its amazingness went over my head. Maybe it was the idea of a green, healthy-looking sauce being chock-full of oil and cheese, which of course was a no-no since I became vegan.
My pesto perspective changed radically, though, one day when I was browsing one of my favorite cooking blogs, Love and Lemons. She was featuring a cheeseless and green-ful hemp pesto recipe, and my interest was piqued. I found no better way to use a healthy bunch of basil, protein-packed hemp, and a healthful amount of fats. When I had enough to freeze almost half the recipe, I kept thinking of the different ways one could serve this sauce: from the traditional pasta dressing to a dip in and of itself.
Since the weather started to turn here in NYC, I've been wanting to fill my plate with foods that are fresh and refreshing. Pesto obviously fits the bill perfectly, and combining it with chewy, resilient barely and lightly cooked spinach seemed like a home run.
I hope you'll agree it was, Dumplings, and add this brilliant veganized version of a cooking staple to your wheelhouse.
YIELDS
4 servings
PREP TIME
COOK TIME
TOTAL TIME
- 1 cup pearl barley, dry
- 3 cups water
- pinch salt
- 1/2 lemon, juice (reserved) and sliced wedges
- 16 oz. fresh spinach
- 1 garlic clove, sliced
- For the Pesto:
- 1/2 cup hemp seeds
- 2 cups chopped kale leaves
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice
- 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
- sea salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
Directions
1. Combine barley, water, and salt in a medium pot. Bring to a boil. Cover and simmer for 20 minutes, then remove from heat and let sit for 5 minutes before fluffing with a fork. The barley will be very soft and chewy.
2. Meanwhile, prepare the pesto. Pulse the hemp seeds and garlic in a food processor. Add kale, and pulse until finely chopped. Add lemon juice, salt, and pepper, and pulse once more. Drizzle in olive oil with blades running, and processes until you reach desired consistency. Set aside.
3. In a large sautee pan, combine the garlic, lemon wedges, and 1 tbsp. olive oil over medium heat. Cook until the garlic begins to brown, about 2-3 minutes.
4. Add the spinach, and cook until wilted.
5. Combine barley and 3 tablespoons of pesto in the same pot; stir to coat evenly.
6. Divide spinach and barley evenly between plates. Add more pesto to top as desired.
Enjoy!
Also by Jennifer: Classic Vegan Carrot Cake
Related: Three Mushroom Pesto Linguine
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Photos: Jennifer Kurdyla
