Saturday, June 15, 2013

spinach pesto turkey sandwich

dear emily,

i have really been trying to replace bad fats and sugars with good fat
and VEGETABLES.   aaargh.   i just can't make myself eat enough
of those nutrient rich foods, so i've had to be creative.   for instance,
instead of slathering mayo and mustard on my sandwich today, i made
a spinach pesto with coconut oil.

think that sounds gross?  well, you're wrong.   it was delicious and full
of good fat and green veggies.   "i'm dreaming of a" whole grain pasta
and vine ripened tomatoes drizzled with this yummy pesto.

while i wrote those two puny paragraphs, my husband just ate half of
my sandwich.   here's the super easy recipe:

an entire package of baby spinach
3 garlic cloves
1/2 cup parmesan
1 t. dry mustard
1 t. apple cider vinegar
1 T. honey
ground pepper
1/4 c. coconut oil
tiny dribble of olive oil as a token to normal pesto

squoosh it into your food processor and season to taste.

you're gonna' love it,
lea

"the earth is the Lord's and the fullness thereof."  psalm 24:1

22 comments:

Sandy said...

Now you're talkin'. This is the way we love to eat in this house. The more veggies the merrier!

Castles Crowns and Cottages said...

Oh Leah, This is the way to go! You will find the transition well worth it and your taste buds will love the natural wonder of fresh foods. THANK YOU for coming on over to visit my post! And PLEASE, PLEASE get back to your writing. Anaïs Nin said, "We write to experience life twice."

Have a lovely evening ! Anita

Vee said...

I'll take your word for it. Are you feeling better?

Dawn said...

I have the same struggle with food, but not because I dont' want to eat healthily. It's because my teenagers don't. Someday, I will try your pesto. Sounds yummy!

Unknown said...

Sounds great. I must try this soon. Thanks for sharing.

carissa said...

this sounds amazing. and when i read your words, i go into this trance - something about the way you write is so soothing.

Meg said...

I've never tried pesto with anything but basil. Spinach sounds yummy. And I love that your directions use the word "sqoosh"! Heehee!

Joan Elizabeth said...

I obviously don't keep up ... when did coconut oil become good for you and olive oil not?

BTW I am doing fine .. out of the blogosphere for a bit because I am working on the road, I hope to begin reporting the trip soon ... this very night I am by a tropical beach fringed with coconut palms ... now that is how I like to see coconut oil.

myletterstoemily said...

joan: enjoy your road trip . . . and olive oil
is still good for you, too!

myletterstoemily said...

carissa: that's what i try to do, hypnotize people and then ask them for money. :)

Lisa said...

Sounds delish! I've never ever made homemade pesto. The summer is the perfect time for experimentation.;)

Farm Girl said...

So yummy!!! I think it sounds like a great lunch.

Debby@Just Breathe said...

It actually sounds wonderful. Thanks for sharing.

http://bitsandpieces-sonja.blogspot.com/ said...

Just look at you! Miss healthy and gourmet, all rolled up into one package!! Good thing I wasn't there, the other half might have been gone too. :)

Janettessage.blogspot.com said...

you go girl!!! I thought of you when I heard about the fires in Colorado...my goodness girl, OK and now Colorado...you stay safe.
Keep eating healthy!

Auntie Cake said...

Yum, I live on pesto in the summer. I never thought of replacing olive oil with the coconut oil, I will have to try it next time, thanks for the idea, sounds absolutely delish. I use coconut oil for everything lately. Hubby can't figure out why it is even in the shower, but I love the smell and feel of my skin after slathering it all over. (Bummer that I keep trying to lick my arm as I go to sleep though. :)
Have a great day!
Kate

Thistle Cove Farm said...

that sandwich sounds delicious and never would have thought to make pesto with coconut oil...thanks!

Rachel said...

Sounds utterly delicious.

Excuse me while I go eat my willpower ;)

Cindy said...

Sounds yummy! I struggle to get enough veggies in my diet too. Today I had sauteed zucchini and mushrooms with some asagio cheese sprinkled on top. I liked it but found myself wanting something chocolate to finish it off. sigh....

Elizabeth "Libby" Day said...

I don't eat a lot of sandwiches, but this definitely sounds like the way to go. I must try this. Thanks for sharing.

Auntie Cake said...

Oh yes, my peonies are blooming beautifully! We came back from 12 days at the ocean to buds that were just ready to burst open. I am so glad they decided to wait for me to bloom. Along with that, two of my kids just came back from a missions trip to Roatan, Honduras. Three pretty great things, if you ask me!

Enjoy your weekend, sounds heavenly too!
Kate

Single and Sane said...

I've been looking for a pesto recipe that doesn't use basil. This one looks great and so simple. It could even make eating healthy more enjoyable!