This summer we’ve been getting to know the farmers and vendors at Eastern Market to see what’s fresh each weekend. This week, a recipe for greens from Planted Detroit.

Kimberly Buffington sells greens and herbs at Eastern Market every Saturday. It’s a passion that grew out of her decade-long non-profit work distributing food boxes at markets like Trader Joe’s. 

“I realized that if I grew food, I could have more impact with people who were food insecure,” says Buffington. 

Her organization, Planted Detroit, is a hydroponic, vertical farm located on the lower-east side of Detroit. It specializes in greens such as Scarlet Frill, Golden Frill, Mizuna and arugula; recommendations Buffington received from local businesses in the community. 

“Greens are a very nutritious way to take in a lot of the vitamins that we need, and they’re really easy to grow,” says Buffington. 

Here’s a recipe for greens from Shayna Danto, which you can also download as a PDF. 

Pesto

Ingredients

• 2 cups packed greens (i.e., kale, carrot greens, basil)
• 2 cloves garlic
• 1/4 cup nuts or seeds of choice (i.e.,pine nuts, almonds, walnuts, sunflower seeds)*
• 2/3 cups oil of choice (recommend extravirgin olive oil)
• Parmesan cheese (optional)
• Juice of one lemon
• Salt and pepper to taste

Directions

1. Combine greens, garlic and nuts/seeds in a food processor.
2. Slowly add oil and lemon juice.
3. Continue processing until smooth.
4. If desired, add a few dashes of Parmesan cheese.
5. Save in fridge for about 2 weeks

*Nutrition tip: Soaking your nuts/seeds overnight makes the nutrients more available and easier to digest. Nuts and seeds are a great source of healthy protein and fats, aiding in satiety. If you have time, soak your nuts/seeds overnight in water and a little salt.