Delicious Kale Pesto

When I was asked to bring a vegetarian-friendly, seasonal dish to a potluck style orientation, the infamous, yet very typical kale salad immediately came to mind.  But then I thought, kale is so trendy - the skinny jeans of the health world if you will. Now I’m not bashing kale here, I absolutely love this nutritionally packed super food!  I just wanted to whip something up that would really open up people’s minds to the numerous kale concoctions out there. I’m happy to say this dish was a hit! Everyone loved the unique twist on a sometimes boring, over-done ingredient.

Kale Pesto                                                                                                                              Vegetarian, Gluten-free

Ingredients:

1 bunch of lacinato kale, thick stems removed

½ cup toasted hazelnuts

½ cup toasted walnuts

¼ cup olive oil

¼ cup of parmesan reggiano

A tsp of garlic

A few pinches of salt

Directions:

Bake the hazelnuts and walnuts on a sheet tray at 350 degrees for about 10 minutes. Let cool.

Bring a large pot of salted water to boil. Add the kale. Blanch for three minutes. Remove and place in an ice bath to stop the cooking process. Remove and set on paper towels to absorb the water.

Add the nuts and garlic to a food processor and pulse until the nuts are coarsely ground.

Add the kale to the processor and pulse until the kale begins to break apart. Drizzle in the olive oil while pulsing the blade, pausing to scrape down the sides. Make sure not to puree the pesto – you want to have a somewhat chunky consistency.

Scrape the pesto into a bowl and season with a few pinches of salt and stir. Garnish the finished product with some chopped tomatoes, and you’re all set! 

I served my pesto with a lightly toasted baguette, but here are some other uses:

·      Add it to hummus

·      Mix it with quinoa and cubed tofu or chicken

·      Toss it with grilled veggies

·      Spice up your favorite pasta 

Good luck and enjoy!