Not only are radish greens edible, but they are also rich in powerful flavor and unique nutrients. Many people discard radish greens and miss out on their pepperiness. They are low in calories and offer lots of protein, magnesium, vitamin C, vitamin K, potassium, iron, and powerful antioxidant compounds. While eating this radish top pesto isn’t going to cure any disease, it is a way to incorporate these underutilized greens into your diet.
According to some research, some of the active compounds in radish tops exhibit impressive health properties. Antioxidant extracts from radish greens showed potential in test-tube research. In fact, these compounds helped protect lung tissues from oxidative stress as a result of free radical accumulation. The body naturally produces free radicals by way of metabolism, but these free radicals can prove problematic if levels exceed those of antioxidants. Oxidative stress can result and damage tissues, which increases the risk of chronic diseases.
Because this pesto has somewhat of a short lifespan in the fridge, you may want to freeze it in separate containers. You can also place the pesto into silicone molds and freeze it to make pesto cubes. When you want to use them, remove from the freezer a day early and allow them to defrost in the fridge. Plus, this radish top pesto has a very peppery flavor, so you probably won’t want to gorge on this all week. That said…we love it!
- Prep Time:5m
- Total Time:5m
- Serves: 8 servings
- Category: Full Body Cleanse Approved, Dips & Spreads, Raw, Vegan, Vegetarian, Gluten-Free
Ingredients
- 4 c radish tops/greens
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 1/2 c raw pine nuts
- 2 tbsp. nutritional yeast
- 1/2 lemon, juiced
- 1/2 c olive oil
- sea salt and pepper, to taste
Instructions
- Add all of the ingredients to a high-speed blender or food processor and blend until smooth. You will probably have to stop blending, scrape down the sides, and continue blending to fully incorporate the ingredients.
- As a note, it is helpful to drizzle the olive oil into the blender/food processor while blending.
- It is perfectly fine if your pesto is a little chunky. Use immediately or transfer to an airtight container to store in the fridge. Consume within five days.
