As the end of my CSA is approaching for the year, I realize all the different recipes I’ve been making with all my produce; yet didn’t get to share much of it in here. As I find that having a full time job, being a full time mother, plus having other community engagements, leaves me very little time for my blogging adventures. To offset my lack of time to write a post I do keep a good record of my favorite creations on my Instagram and Facebook feeds.

Mizuna is a leafy green (also called Japanese Mustard) that I had never had before I started getting it weekly on my CSA box. I didn’t know what to do with it at first. It’s flavor is pretty mild. I found some recipes online and realized that basically I could use it as any other leafy green. I started adding Mizuna to my sautéed vegetables, beef chili, and salads. It didn’t matter how much I used it, every week I got more and more, and I couldn’t keep up. JenEhr Farms also sends a weekly newsletter, and with that, a lot of recipe suggestions for all the produce. They had a Mizuna pesto in there, I don’t know why I didn’t think of that before! I didn’t make the recipe on the newsletter, as it called for far more ingredients than I normally use on pesto; so I decided to just go with what I know works.

Pesto is a raw sauce, therefore using fresh, and the best quality ingredients will determine how good the end result will be. I always use the same ratio of greens, nuts, cheese, and oil even when I am switching some of the ingredients around. I served this Mizuna Pesto with steak (pictured here), I also used it on top of grilled chicken, and of course my favorite way for a quick weeknight dinner: Pasta!

Ingredients:
(makes about 1 + 1/2 Cup)
2 Cups Mizuna leaves
1 Large garlic clove (or 2 small cloves)
1/4 Cup sunflower seeds
1/2 Cup parmesan cheese, shredded
1/2 Cup extra virgin olive oil
Salt & Pepper to taste

Toast the sunflower seeds in a dry sautéing pan until fragrant, about 2 minutes. Let cool. In a food processor add Mizuna, garlic, sunflower seeds, and parmesan. Pulse few times to mix all the ingredients. Then run the food processor on low, and start adding the olive oil in a thin steady stream until a paste is formed, about 1 minute. Add salt & pepper to taste. Transfer to a serving dish. You can make mizuna pesto ahead of time, and keep in the fridge for up to one week. To preserve the green, top with olive oil to cover the surface before putting it in the fridge.

If serving with pasta. Cook the pasta according to the package. Serve hot pasta in a bowl, add desired amount of Mizuna Pesto on top. Toss the sauce while the pasta is warm until well coated . It will melt the cheese on the pesto, and warm up the oil and garlic. Top with more parmesan cheese and enjoy!