Our garden is finally producing and we’re harvesting and I love it (little garden update coming next week)! We planted things a bit late this year, but thankfully not too late, and oh how I love having our little garden. I’ve already started a list of things I don’t want to forget to plant for next year! But more on the garden in another post!

I was inspired to make this recipe because I had a bunch of garlic scapes on hand and my mom used to always throw her garlic scapes into the blender and make a scrumptious pesto. I didn’t want the flavor to be too intense, so I mixed in the rainbow chard. The swiss chard in the recipe is from our first chard harvest. It’s still on the small side, and so incredibly tender. Swiss chard has become a produce staple for me…I love simply sautéing it with a bit of garlic as a side for dinner.

I could eat this pesto by the spoonful; it’s so full of flavor. If you don’t like a garlicky pesto, use just 1 cup of garlic scapes to start, then taste it and add more as you like!

Garlic Scape Swiss Chard Pesto
yields about 1 cup

Ingredients
2 cups roughly torn rainbow chard
1-2 cups chopped garlic scapes
4 tsp fresh lemon juice
3 tbsp lightly toasted walnuts
1/4 cup grated pecorino romano
1/2 tsp salt, or to taste
1/8 tsp black pepper, or to taste
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil

Directions
Place all ingredients except olive oil into blender and process until coarse. Don’t over-blend. Add oil, blend, then taste. Add salt and pepper as needed.

Slather on slices of bread, then make into a grilled cheese sandwich. You’ll never want to eat plain grilled cheese again.