Green and Spicy Arugula Pesto

Pesto is about more than just basil.  For this pesto, I've used fresh arugula out of my garden (and out of necessity), but I've also done a mix of kale and arugula in the past which was delicious as well.  It's a fun way to get creative with greens and use up a bunch if you end up with a harvest bigger than you can handle.  This was pretty potent the first night, but much milder the second night.  Use it on pasta (as below), throw it in at the end to finish soups, or serve it with a splash of balsalmic vinegar as a dipping sauce for Bruschetta.  Keep it in the fridge or freeze it in ice cube trays to throw into whatever whenever.  The bright green color and spicy flavor is a punchy accent to any dish.

Recipe:
-3 cloves of garlic, mashed
-3-4 big handfuls of arugula (or other greens) + some for garnish, chiffonade
-1 handful of pine nuts + some for garnish
-olive oil
-salt and pepper
-whole wheat pasta, prepared
-grated Parmesan or Asiago

-->Put the garlic, pine nuts, and arugula into a food processor (or a blender) and blend adding oil until it forms a smooth consistency.  Season with salt and pepper.  Serve over cooked pasta (about one tablespoon pesto to one cup of pasta).  Garnish with arugula, pine nuts, and cheese.  Serve!

~*TIP: If you plant arugula in late fall or early spring (depending on which zone you're in), you can harvest it several times by cutting it off at about 2-3 inches above ground when it starts to bolt (go to flower).  I've harvested my arugula forest (below) completely about two times now, and I'm hoping for a third.  This last harvest yielded two HUGE bags from maybe 6 square feet of garden space!*~