Arugula is underestimated and underused, most often used only as a garnish on a plate.  Which in my opinion is a crime, as arugula is a master of adapting to whatever dish it’s tossed into.  It’s only become an American food star in recent years, but in the Mediterranean, it has been a staple for years. Ancient Romans would eat the leaves and use the seeds to flavor oils; and for all those wild toga parties, it was used as an ingredient in aphrodisiac potions.  Doesn’t that sound better than Trash Can Punch?

Varieties

Arugula is also known as, rocket, roquette, rugula, and rucola. This low-calorie, peppery, dark green, little leafy wonder is related to mustard. The baby arugula found pre-packaged tends to have a milder flavor, compared to the wild variety.

Arugula grows best in cooler weather, so it is best during spring and fall. In cooler climates, arugula can be at its peak from early spring all the way through early fall. When grown in a hot climate, arugula becomes way more bitter and tough.

How to Choose and Store

When purchasing, look for dark green firm leaves with no yellow coloring or mushiness.

When storing, make sure not to leave them in a plastic bag, as the moisture will make the arugula mushy. The best way to store them is to keep them covered in a slightly damp paper towel. When stored correctly arugula still only lasts a few days before spoiling, so as much as that huge bin at the store is a “great deal”, it can also lead to more spoiling and wasted money.

Pro tip: When using arugula raw make sure to dry off the leaves thoroughly before adding to your dish, as wet arugula does not take well to dressing. Dry leaves will allow you to use less dressing, thus saving money and your waistline! We highly recommend using a salad spinner for all salad greens to get them as dry as possible.

Nutrition

Loaded with Vitamin K as well as Vitamins A and C, arugula keeps bones and blood healthy.  With calcium, magnesium, and potassium, plus iron, it keeps blood pressure regulated.  Phytonutrients and phytochemicals not only protect the body but also toss out toxins and free radicals.

Best when eaten raw, but gently heated (such as at the tail end of the cooking process for soups or pizza) with a bit of oil, arugula’s nutrients are better absorbed.  I love adding arugula to a smoothie to support liver detoxification too.  Super easy!

Energetics

Arugula is cool temperature and bitter in flavor. It enters the liver to help cool and release excess heat, and it nourishes the heart and small intestine energy. It has some antipyretic (anti-fever) properties. Many types of lettuce in general dry dampness and help to promote the production of breast milk.

Arugula Pesto

Ingredients

• 2 cups of packed arugula leaves, stems removed

• 1/2 cup of shelled walnuts

• 1/2 cup fresh Parmesan cheese

• 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil

• 6 garlic cloves, unpeeled

• 1/2 garlic clove peeled and minced

• 1/2 teaspoon salt

Directions

1. Brown 6 garlic cloves with their peels on in a skillet over medium high heat until the garlic is lightly browned in places, about 10 minutes. Remove the garlic from the pan, cool, and remove the skins.

2. Toast the nuts in a pan over medium heat until lightly brown, or heat in a microwave on high heat for a minute or two until you get that roasted flavor. In our microwave, it takes 2 minutes.

3. In a food processor, combine the arugula, salt, walnuts, roasted and raw garlic into a food processor. Pulse while drizzling the olive oil into the processor. Remove the mixture from the processor and put it into a bowl. Stir in the Parmesan cheese. If you are adventurous and like to use a mortar and pestle, combine the nuts, salt, and garlic in a mortar. With the pestle, grind until smooth. Add the cheese and olive oil, grind again until smooth. Finely chop the arugula and add it to the mortar. Grind up with the other ingredients until smooth.

4. Because the pesto is so dependent on the individual ingredients, and the strength of the ingredients depends on the season or variety, test it and add more of the ingredients to taste.
   

Sources

Mateljan, George. The World’s Healthiest Foods: Essential Guide for the Healthiest Way of Eating. George Mateljan Foundation: Seattle, 2007. Print.

Pitchford, Paul. Healing with Whole Foods: Oriental Traditions and Modern Nutrition. North Atlantic Books: Berkeley, 1993. Print.

https://foodprint.org/real-food/arugula/

https://www.simplyrecipes.com/recipes/arugula_pesto/