Summer of Herbs Part 1

If you’re on social media, I’m sure you've noticed that windowsill and backyard herb gardens are having a well-deserved revival. These space saving, beginner friendly gardens are a great way to grow a little something of your own. With the resurgence of herb gardens, it only makes sense that cooking with more herbs is on the rise as well! 

If you ask me, the freshness that they add helps to really perfect a dish when it gets hotter outside. Although sprinkling them on top of a meal to finish it off is great, herbs have much more potential than that. Here at the Monrovia Community Garden, we have some herb recipes that we have been loving for the summer. Keep reading to learn how to make Green Goddess Dip and a Spinach and Basil Pesto!

Check back in a few weeks for a second post featuring even more herby concoctions! If you can’t wait that long for your herb fix, join us on 7/19 between 9-11 AM at the Monrovia Farmers Market where we will be demoing and giving out samples of these recipes. If you have thyme, stop by to give them a try!

Green Goddess Dip:

You may have heard of the trending “Green Goddess” dip or dressing. If you haven’t, it’s a creamy sauce filled with herbs and often paired with salads or vegetables. This recipe is a great way to incorporate lots of different herbs! You can make it with almost any that you like. Start with parsley and chives and top it off with whatever else you have on hand. Cilantro, mint, and dill are all fantastic, but tarragon really makes this dressing. Its mild licorice flavor makes this green goddess dressing really complex and unique.  We have been enjoying it with raw carrots, cucumbers, and other fresh veggies we harvest in the garden. Our recipe doesn’t include avocado but we’ve heard it’s a tasty edition.

Ingredients

1 cup whole milk plain Greek yogurt*

1 cup fresh parsley

1 cup mixed soft leafy herbs, dill, mint, tarragon and/or cilantro

2 tablespoons chopped chives

¼ cup fresh lemon juice, plus ½ teaspoon zest

1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil

2 teaspoons capers

2 garlic cloves

¼ teaspoon sea salt

Freshly ground black pepper

Instructions

In a food processor, combine the yogurt, parsley, mixed herbs, chives, lemon juice, zest, olive oil, capers, garlic, salt, and pepper. Pulse until well combined. Season to taste.

Serve as a dip or toss with salad greens. 

Store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days.

*To make this vegan: Use 1 cup raw cashews + ½ cup water in place of the yogurt. Blend all ingredients, except the herbs, in a high-speed blender until creamy. Add the herbs and pulse to combine. If your dressing is too thick, mix in little water or more olive oil. This version will not work as well in a food processor because the cashews won’t get as creamy as they do in a blender.

Adapted from: https://www.loveandlemons.com/green-goddess-dressing/

Spinach/Basil Pesto:

The second recipe we have been loving is a spinach and basil pesto. The addition of spinach to pesto is a game changer! It adds lots of nutrients and helps increase the sauce’s volume. Plus, our recipe omits pine nuts, a traditional pesto ingredient, making it both allergy and wallet friendly. It’s a great way to try out something a little bit different.       

Ingredients

1/2 cup olive oil

4 cups packed fresh spinach leaves

2 cups packed fresh basil leaves

2 cloves garlic

2 tablespoons lemon juice

1/4 cup shredded Parmesan cheese

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon black pepper

Instructions

Blend ingredients together in a food processor. Play with ratios until you have a consistency you like! 

We hope to see you at the farmers market on 7/19! If you try any of these recipes and think that they are a big dill, please share with us about your experience. Happy Herbing!