Kale Pesto Recipe

Want an easy recipe that's quick (...kind of assumed with "easy recipe"), delicious, and a great way for the whole family to pack in the greens and kale? Kale pesto. It's a real thing, and so yummy.

Basic Recipe for Kale Pesto

1 cup of organic kale (lancinato or red or green lea

f), ribs removed; organic because non-organic can have high levels of pesticide

1 cup of basil (or if you're feeling wild, try cilantro)

2-4 cloves of garlic, depending on preference

1 cup of olive oil (the good kind...so much tastier)

1/2 cup of walnuts (or sunflower seeds, or whatever nut/seed you have on hand)

1/4-1/2 cup parmesan cheese (if you're consuming dairy - fun fact, hard cheeses like parmesan have very little whey, and are often better tolerated)

Blend it all up in a food processor or blender until a smoother consistency is reached.

Add it to pasta, chicken, your favourite vegetarian savoury, breakfast scramble, navy beans, or salads, (or use it as a dip - my daughter loves it as a dip).

Health benefits include:

kale: calcium, magnesium, vitamin A, folate, vitamin C, iron, and trace minerals

garlic: raw garlic, eaten shortly after preparing, will have the antimicrobial action you hear so much about, and will contain calcium, selenium, choline, folate, and vitamin C

basil: vitamin K, potassium, calcium, vitamin A

olive oil: omega 6 fatty acids, pain-relieving compounds, vitamin E, vitamin K, and plant sterols (great for your heart)

walnuts: omega 3 and omega 6 fatty acids, calcium, magnesium, phosphorus, potassium

parmesan cheese: protein, omega 3 and omega 6 fatty acids, sodium, phosphorus, calcium

Enjoy the pesto!