Ingredients

• • 5 oz. (about 4-5 cups packed) baby arugula
• • 1 cup walnuts, toasted
• • 1 cup freshly grated parmesan or manchego cheese
• • 8-10 cloves garlic, roasted*
• • 3 TBSP fresh squeezed lemon juice
• • 1/2-1 cup good quality extra-virgin olive oil
• • 1 tsp. sea salt, or to taste
• • freshly cracked black pepper, to taste

Instructions

1. 1. To roast the garlic, preheat oven to 400f. Slice off the top of a whole bulb of garlic, revealing the cloves inside. Place the bulb in the center of a sheet of aluminum foil, and drizzle liberally with 2-3 TBSP olive oil. Fold the foil up around the garlic, creating a tightly sealed pouch. Place the wrapped head of garlic on a baking tray, or into a muffin tin, and bake for 30-40 minutes. Allow the package to cool before opening - the garlic should be soft, fragrant, and golden brown. The cloves can be easily removed from the skin with a fork or tooth pic, or you can simply squeeze the bulb from the bottom like a tube of tooth paste.
2. 2. Meanwhile, toast the walnuts in a dry skillet over medium heat for 3-5 minutes, or until warm and flavorful.
3. 3. In the bowl of your food processor, add all ingredients except salt, pepper, and olive oil. Begin blending and drizzle in the olive oil until the pesto has reached the consistency you want. I found 3/4 cup to be right for me, but you may want it thicker or thinner.
4. 4. Season to taste with salt and pepper
5. 5. Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to a week, or spoon into a clean ice-cube tray and freeze. I like to measure 1-2 TBSP per cube, so I know how much is in each. Once solid, remove cubes to a zip-top baggie and return to the freezer until ready to thaw and use.