Pesto is a classic Italian sauce traditionally prepared by grounding and pounding the ingredients in a mortar and pestle. It is usually made with garlic, basil, and pine nuts blended with olive oil and cheese. And pesto can be used in a number of ways: with pasta, on bread, with beef, potatoes and even roasted veggies. This recipe for kale pesto features the superfood kale in its ingredients.
Kale Health Benefits
Why is kale so heathy?
Rich in phytonutrient indole-3-carbinol, which helps in DNA cell repair and slowing down the growth of cancer cells.
Rich in lutein and zeaxanthin, which protect your eyes from macular degeneration.
And compared to other leafy green vegetables, kale’s anti-inflammatory properties are unbeatable, especially relating to the treatment and prevention of chronic conditions, such as arthritis, heart disease, and autoimmune diseases.
Basil Health Benefits
Basil is considered one of the healthiest herbs. These bright green leaves offer a good amount of vitamins and minerals, including:
Vitamin K, which is essential in preventing blood clotting.
Antioxidants, which fight against free radical damage.
Flavonoids, which protect important DNA.
Iron, calcium, manganese, magnesium, vitamin C, and potassium!
Ingredients Directions Blanch the kale by boiling it in water for 1 minute and then soaking it in an iced water bath. Prepare your ice water bath before boiling. Squeeze out some of the excess water from the kale. Put all ingredients in a food processor (I use this one), and mix until you reach a creamy and smooth consistency. Enjoy! Notes: You may skip the blanching step and use the kale raw especially if you are using lacinato kale which is more tender. I used curly kale which is tougher. You can pre soak the nuts together overnight in the fridge and rinse, or you can soak them in hot water for 1 hour. You can also use all walnuts, or even other nuts like almonds and pine nuts. Store leftovers in the refrigerator for a week or freeze in an ice cube tray for a couple hours then transfer to a zip lock bag and store in the freezer for a long time. This recipe works best if you use good quality olive oil. Super Kale Pesto Recipe
One bunch of kale
2 cups of fresh basil
1/4 cup of pre-soaked walnuts
1/4 cup pre-soaked sunflower seeds
¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil
2 tbsps fresh lemon juice
½ cup parmesan cheese
himalayan salt
pepper
Remove the stems of kale leaves.
Info source and recipe for kale pesto adapted from Mercola Recipes.
A New Life Wandering 
Ooooh, this sounds yummy! I often make my own pesto as it’s a million times better than the shop bought ones but I never thought to try it with kale! Great idea, thanks 😀
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It’s really good! We have so much kale in the garden, and pesto turned out amazing. Other times I threw in some beet greens and carrot tops too!
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Sounds amazing! The fresh pesto smell is incredible 🙂
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