Walking through the farmers market last week, I was drawn into one of the farm stands by the absolutely intoxicating aroma of fresh basil. Summer is the season of abundance both in nature and in our lives. It’s so fun to be out and about, socializing with friends, staying up late and enjoying the long days outside. It’s also a great time to take advantage of the ample, colorful local fresh foods that are in season in summer and fill up the farmer’s market stands.
In Chinese Medicine, summer is usually the time to focus on cool and bitter foods to counter the summer heat. This is why many of us crave things like fruit, melons and salads. It’s not that you should only eat these types of food in summer, but to increase the ratio of cooling foods to warming foods compared to other seasons.
Basil, on the other hand, is warming and pungent in quality. In Chinese and Ayurvedic medicine it has been used for centuries as both a culinary and healing herb. It is said to strengthen the yang qi, dispel cold and damp conditions, promote blood circulation, strengthen the lungs and clear toxicity. Upper respiratory viruses usually have symptoms of cold and damp in the lungs, making this the perfect herb to use for our family right now as our daughter is fighting a late-summer cold.
While I love traditional pesto, others in our family don’t tolerate garlic so we don’t eat it often. However we’ve found a great way to make pesto with chives instead of garlic. Chives are also fresh in summer (I was able to pick these up at the market as well) and have a warm and pungent quality. They have some similar properties as basil but are targeted more for the stomach and intestines rather than the lungs, so recommended for digestive issues and infections.
Both chives and basil are high in antioxidants. Antioxidants can protect against cell damage from free radicals, and thus boost overall health. Other summer foods that are high in antioxidants include berries, kale, artichokes and beets.
Here’s our recipe for Summer Basil and Chive Pesto. It tastes amazing tossed with pasta, fresh summer tomatoes and chicken, or is a great topping to buddha bowls or on top of salmon. If you’re looking for a new twist on pesto, try this recipe out!
Summer Basil and Chive Pesto (Low FODMAP, vegan)
Ingredients:
2 cups fresh basil leaves
1 cup fresh chives roughly chopped
1/3 cup pine nuts
Juice from 1/2 fresh lemon
1/2 cup olive oil
Sea salt to taste
Directions:
Place basil leaves, chives, pine nuts, lemon juice and olive oil in a blender or food processor.
Blend on high until desired consistency is achieved. Season with salt to taste.
Use after preparing or freeze some in a ziplock bag or freezer safe container for later in the year.
Let us know what you think!