Crudité Snack Board + Mint & Spinach Pesto Recipe

6/13/2018

Crudité Snack Board + Mint & Spinach Pesto Recipe

When you need an appetizer that's super quick, but looks impressive, and is sure to please a crowd, you can't go wrong with a giant crudité snack board! ​It's fun, fresh, and colorful, it can be made in just a couple minutes, and you can load it up with all of your favorite fruits, veggies, crackers, and dips so there's something for everyone! 

There are two keys to a fab crudité board. One - fresh, seasonal produce. And two - delicious dips. For my produce, I partnered with Taylor Farms and took a little shortcut by using their organic veggie tray and taking their pre-cut veggies straight from their package and putting it onto my giant platter - makes it so much easier! (Shhh, no one will know you didn't actually do all the chopping yourself!). The veggie tray is packed with all kinds of nutritious and fresh veggies, such as broccoli, carrots, celery, and tomatoes which will pair perfectly with the dressing that comes in the tray or with any of your favorite dips. I also added some fresh fruits, such as peaches, cherries, and blueberries that I always keep stocked in my fridge during the summer! 

And now for the dips - I have a few go-to's.  I like to offer a variety of dips so that there’s something for everyone! First, hummus. And here's another sneaky shortcut... I always buy a store-bought hummus (make sure to check the label for simple, clean ingredients), and then I scoop it into a bowl and top it with some za'atar seasoning and a drizzle of olive oil. It makes it look extra fancy and gives it a lot more flavor, too! Besides hummus, Romesco Sauce is always a fan favorite. And last but definitely not least, this Mint & Spinach Pesto. OMG wait until you try it... it's seriously so fresh and delicious!

The combination of the fresh mint, lemon, and garlic just screams Summer, plus you get an extra nutrient boost by adding a nice big handful of Taylor Farms Organic Baby Spinach in there too. My Italian cooking school teacher would probably be rolling his eyes if he heard me talking about a pesto that doesn't have any basil in it, but just trust me here, this one is a keeper! This simple pesto would also be the perfect sauce for a pasta dish or served over some grilled chicken, shrimp, or wild fish! Here's how to make it all come together...

Ingredients

For the Mint & Spinach Pesto:

1 1/2 cups fresh mint
1 cup Taylor Farms organic baby spinach
1/3 cup olive oil
1/4 cup toasted pine nuts
​1/4 cup shredded or shaved parmesan cheese (or swap in nutritional yeast for dairy-free)
1 garlic clove
Juice from 1/2 lemon
Salt & pepper to taste

1. Add all ingredients into a food processor or blender and blend together until smooth. Scoop into a bowl and sprinkle some extra pine nuts on top for garnish.

For the Crudité Snack Board:
​
 1 Taylor Farms organic veggie tray
Your favorite fruits - I used cherries, blueberries, and sliced peaches.
Any other veggies you'd like to add - I added sliced cucumbers, radishes, some multi-colored carrots, and extra cherry tomatoes.
Healthy crackers - Simple Mills & Jilz Crackerz are my go-to's
​Additional dips: Romesco Sauce or Hummus

1. Arrange each of the fruits, vegetables, and crackers on a large board in "sections" so they're nice and organized. Add the dips to the platter. Dig in!

Btw, this would be the absolute perfect appetizer to enjoy with your family for your Father's Day festivities this weekend (or for any of your summer entertaining)! 

This post is in partnership with Taylor Farms. All content, opinions, and words are my own, and I only promote products that I truly LOVE. Thank you so much for supporting the brands that support Weeknight Bite!