by Molly McConnell
What can I say? We love a green sauce.
But, I promise this one brings its own unique flare and flavor profile. Not to mention, it’s super versatile and can be modified based on whatever fresh garden herbs you have access to!
One of my personal goals for nourishing my body is to have something green with every meal. Often, it’s often a combination of cooked kale, spinach, broccoli or fresh arugula… but sometimes, it’s a simple as a cilantro or parsley garnish — in those cases, I take what I can get! Most green vegetables exhibit the bitter taste – which is critical to a balanced Ayurvedic approach to nutrition and nourishment. The problem is, its importance is often downplayed or disregarded entirely in the Western diet! Additionally, fresh herbs like cilantro, parsley, and basil add “agni” (or a component of digestibility) to our food to make our entire meal more easily absorbed and assimilated. Not to mention, the inclusion of almonds makes this summertime spread an easy and effective way to add a little plant-based protein to your meal.
Once you’ve made this recipe a few times, you can start to play around with the ingredients by incorporating other fresh herbs like mint, dill, fennel fronds, or rosemary. When preparing this spread in the summer, I recommend keeping cilantro in the highest ratio (because it is cooling), but in cooler seasons, give yourself permission to experiment with different fresh herbs, in different ratios. If you decide to make this spread in the winter, try increasing the ratio of more heating herbs like parsley, basil, or scallions.
I love this recipe so much and have been eating it on basically everything… my favorites include: a summer salad with cooked black rice and zucchini on a bed of fresh arugula AND sourdough toast. For those of you taking the opportunity to get into bread-making at home… get ready to spread something new on your toast.
INGREDIENTS [gf, v]
½ cup almonds — soaked for 3+ hours and peeled
1 bunch cilantro
2-3 scallions
handful fresh basil
handful fresh parsley
¼ - ½ cup olive oil
Juice of 1 lemon
¼ tsp powdered fennel, cardamom or cumin
Black pepper to taste
Salt to taste
METHOD
Roughly chop herbs. Combine all ingredients in a blender or food processor. Blend until smooth. Add more salt, pepper, olive oil, or lemon juice to your liking. Store in the fridge for up to 10 days.
NOTES
If you prefer to use almonds sparingly, substitute roasted sunflower seeds. Or try pumpkin seeds in the fall!
Typically, I like to keep it simple and just use fennel as my powdered herb in this recipe (especially because the Six Tastes Sauce features cardamom), but you certainly have options! If fennel isn’t your fave, try cumin or cardamom instead.
You can always substitute lime for lemon — especially if you want to bring in a little more of the bitter taste.
Self care is a radical act — when you are vibrant and awake, you have the clarity and energy to show up for what you believe in. Cultivate Balance provides Ayurvedic consultations, Goodness Guides, and online wellness courses that support you to nurture yourself so you can nurture the world. Dive in with our FREE mini-course, The Basic Balance Challenge!
