KALE + ALMOND PESTO

makes 32 ounces

I love making this pesto when I have a bunch of kale in the fridge that needs to be used. It’s a nice variation on the classic and is also a great way to get in additional greens. This makes a lot of pesto, so you can either use it throughout the week to top grilled vegetables, toss through a bowl of pasta or use it as a spread on a sandwich. Alternatively, you can refrigerate the portion you expect to use the week of and freeze the rest.

 

If you don’t have nutritional yeast or do not like it, you can easily substitute in grated parmesan cheese.

ingredients

3 cups basil, tough stems removed

1 bunch lacinato kale, tough stems removed

¾ cup raw almonds

3 cloves garlic, peeled

3 tablespoons nutritional yeast

Juice of 1½ lemons

1 teaspoon salt

1½ cups olive oil

method

Place all ingredients in a blender or food processor and blend until smooth. If the pesto is too thick, add water, 2 tablespoons at a time, until the desired consistency is reached.

Remove just the toughest parts of the stems from the kale and basil. Don’t fret about the smaller, more tender pieces of stem – they will get blended into the pesto!