Tweak & Eat: Herbed Fava Bean & Arugula Crostini

Inspired by The Herb Quarterly, Spring 2012.

Fresh herbs are the focus of this light and healthy crostini as the crunchy baguette is topped with a mixture of spices and beautiful, green herbs. Herbs and spices are known for containing high levels of antioxidants and are an easy way to take a meal from ho-hum to gourmet.

Grab some fresh herbs from your local farmer’s market – they should be in full swing right now. A bunch of parsley, cilantro or basil can be as cheap as $2/bunch or less.

There wasn’t much to do to make this recipe any healthier. I swapped toasted spelt bread instead of a baguette, but that’s about it.

Makes enough to cover 10 to 15 crostinis.

Ingredients

2 cups shelled fresh fava beans (or shelled edamame beans, fresh or frozen)

1-3 cloves garlic

½ tsp ground cumin

1 tsp coriander

¼ tsp cayenne or red pepper flakes

½ tsp toasted sesame oil

5 Tbsp fresh lemon juice

¼ cup packed cilantro leaves

¼ cup packed Italian parsley leaves

¼ cup chopped fresh basil

½ cup olive oil

sea salt

fresh ground pepper

1 baguette (or small slices of toast if that’s what you’ve got)

4 cups arugula

dash of tabasco

toasted sesame seeds

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1. Preheat oven to 350F.

2. Blanch shelled favas/ edamame in boiling water until tender (about 4 minutes). Drain and cool under cold, running water and set aside.

3. Throw the next 9 ingredients (garlic, cumin, coriander, red pepper flakes, sesame oil, lemon juice,  cilantro, parsley and basil) in a blender or food processor. Pulse several times and add the olive oil.  Puree until smooth. Add salt and pepper, adjusting flavours to taste.

4. Cut baguette in diagonal slices ¼-inch thick. Brush with olive oil and toast in oven until just lightly crisp.

5. In a large sauté pan over medium heat, add 2 Tbsp olive oil.

6. Add arugula and cook until just slightly wilted.

7. Add 1 Tbsp lemon juice, dash of Tabasco, salt and pepper and set aside.

8. Spoon fava bean mixture onto crostini. Top with wilted arugula and sprinkle with toasted sesame seeds. 

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The Herb Quarterly is jam-packed with information about the healing properties of different kinds of herbs, both in food and natural beauty and home-care products. If you’ve got an herb garden overflowing with plants you don’t know what to do with - this publication will give you all the inspiration you need!

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Niki Boileau is a Vancouver-based RHN who loves spending time outdoors and dreaming up as many healthy porridge recipes as possible. Get in touch with her to talk all things food and health.