produce drawer pesto bowl

The tragedy and triumph of the human condition is the delicate balance between brain, body, and heart. Sometimes the brain wants what the weary body cannot bear, sometimes it squashes what the heart wants out of fear and rationality, and sometimes it is soothed sweetly back to equilibrium with the help of a nurtured body and an open heart. The interconnectedness of the three is what makes us who we are, for better or worse; our highs and lows can come when one or more is dominant. Yet when the three find their rhythm, and work in harmony together, magical things can happen. It is through this rhythm that we find intuition. 

This "recipe" came about during a warm and quiet evening, when I told my brain to STFU for once and lead instead with my hands and my heart. With a fridge bursting with a bounty of summer produce, and zero desire to turn my oven on, I followed my whims and improvised on something simple, fresh, and satisfying. To me, this is the romance and power of cooking: letting your senses and your intuition take over, allowing yourself to be open to improvisation, and just trusting your gut. It is in the kitchen that I find my equilibrium, a consciousness that carries on long after the meal is over. The recipe below should simply be a guideline. Feel free to use whatever nuts/herbs/veggies/noodles you have on hand. YOU GOT THIS. 

For the pesto:
• 1/2 cup coarsely chopped garlic scapes (or green onions)
• 1/3 cup good-quality olive oil
• 1/4 cup toasted pumpkin seeds (or nut of choice)
• small handful of fresh mint
• small handful of fresh cilantro
• small handful of fresh parsley
• small handful of fresh spinach leaves
• 2 tbsp. nutritional yeast (or parmesan cheese)
• 1/4 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice
• salt and pepper to taste

For the bowl:
• Cooked noodles of choice (I used a mix of rice noodles and spiralized zucchini)
• Lots and lots of fresh veggies (chopped spinach, cabbage, carrots, radishes, etc)
• Crunchy chickpeas (recipe here)
• Hummus, if you're feelin it
• Crunchy toppings (chopped green onions, sesame seeds, chopped nuts, etc)

In a food processor or high-powered blender (I used my beloved Vitamix), blend all of the pesto ingredients together until very smooth. Toss some of the pesto with the cooked noodles until they're lightly coated, then swirl noodles into bowls. Add as many additional bowl components as you like, then drizzle on more pesto to your liking. Eat slowly. Remember to breathe, and to smile.