Kale Pesto

If you follow the latest food trends, you'll know there is a new 'superfood' popping up every now and then. It seemed like everyone had jumped on the flaxseed wagon some time ago before Chia seeds stole the limelight. Then there was the barley to quinoa shift. And while spinach remains one of the most popular greens thanks to Popeye, kale has been 'the' green to consume lately! I'm not crazy about going by the latest food trends; in fact I believe in eating a variety. But adding a new green to my diet, especially one rich in vitamins and minerals, can never hurt. Another reason to eat kale is it's abundant in winter, when other vegetables are scares. I have been making an effort to eat more of it. My problem with kale though is that it can be bitter and stringy if the leaves are not absolutely fresh and tender. For that reason I had mostly been making kale chips in the oven for the longest time. Now I have found another recipe that will get me to eat more of the green. I was browsing through the cookbook that came along with my Vitamix, and came across a basil kale pesto recipe. I didn't have basil or pine nuts on hand, so I made the pesto using kale entirely, and swapped walnuts for pine nuts. The result was delicious. I tossed together some cooked penne pasta, fresh tomatoes, broccoli, and pesto for a satisfying and healthy week night dinner. The leftover pesto made a great smear for a veggie sandwich.

Kale Pesto

Ingredients:
2 Cups Kale leaves - torn
2 Cloves of garlic
1/4 Cup walnuts - you can also use pine nuts or almonds
2/3 Cup Parmesan cheese
~1/4 Olive oil
1/2 Teaspoon red chili flakes
Salt per taste

• Wash kale leaves thoroughly. Tear the leaves off the stock. If there are any veins that are tough, remove them. 
• Toss in kale leaves, garlic, walnuts, Parmesan, salt, and red chili flakes in a food processor. Pulse a few times until all the ingredients are combined and the leaves are roughly chopped.
• Slowly drizzle in olive oil while grinding until you have smooth pesto. 

Serving suggestion:
Cook your favorite pasta. Add chopped fresh tomatoes, blanched broccoli florets, kale pesto, and mix well. Serve with some grated Parmesan on top. You can add any other veggies or meat you like.