A day of sage

Some weeks ago it became time to prune back the sage. It had reached a glorious height, extending out to take up almost a third of the garden bed in my dad's backyard, and it's purple, bee-beloved blossoms were beginning to wither. Stepping back when I finished I beheld a monstrous pile of clippings. And so began the day of sage.

Inspired by descriptions of the beautiful Sacred Art of Bathing workshops taught by La Abeja Herbs I made myself a sage and oregano garden bath, lovely in the silver scented afternoon light.

Sage is a powerful healer and protector. It gets its name from the latin words salvus "safe" and salvere "to be well" and its healing properties are more numerous than I can describe here. Used topically, sage is beneficial for the skin and hair. It nourishes the scalp, promotes hair growth, and strengthens weak hair. It also aides in the regeneration of skin cells and treats blemishes and other skin conditions including eczema, psoriasis, and athlete's foot. Its earthy scent is especially calming and grounding.

For lunch I made a walnut-sage pesto. I realize this is yet another recipe for a green dip, but I guess that's alright seeing as it's what I'm in the mood for these hot summer days! I might even follow it up with more pesto variations because it's one of my all time favorite foods!

Taken internally sage stimulates digestion and pancreatic function, reduces inflammation, clears mucus and sore throats, and improves brain function. This panaceaic plant offers these benefits and more to those who include it in their diet.

Sage pesto reminds me of my dear friends Michael and Erica, who I refer to affectionately as my fairy godparents. They made it for me one lovely summer evening in Washington. Sage has a strong flavor that I hadn't thought of for making pesto but I found it to be quite nice. The version I made is vegan but of course you can add parmesan or pecorino if you like.

Vegan Walnut-Sage Pesto

• 1 clove garlic
• 1 C. walnuts, soaked and dehydrated** or pan toasted
• 3/4 C. sage leaves
• 1/4 C. parsley
• 1/3 C. olive oil
• juice of 1/2 a lemon, more to taste
• 1-2 Tb. nutritional yeast
• salt and pepper

In a food processor, pulse the garlic until minced. Add the rest of the ingredients beginning with the walnuts, followed by the herbs, then everything else and blend until smooth and well combined.

Use this recipe as a guide and alter the amounts to taste! To be honest I don't think I ever measure when I'm making pesto. Instead I go by feel and taste, adjusting until it's just right. If the sage flavor is overpowering I'll add another handful of walnuts. Maybe I like it super lemony one day and milder on the next. I might keep it thick if I know I want to use it as a spread, or thin it with a bit of water to use as a sauce or dressing.

**more about soaking/sprouting nuts, seeds and grains in a future post!

Pesto is good on so many things! I use it as a dip for veggies, a filling for wraps, a topping on yams and salads, and sometimes even for pasta. It stores beautifully in the freezer so you can make a big batch and keep some for when you need something quick and delicious. I like to freeze it in an ice cube tray so when I want to use it I can just pop out a few cubes at a time to thaw.

Cauliflower with walnut-sage pesto