Yum yum.
Friday night is all about decadent dinners for me. I want to eat something sinful without actually committing a lot of it.
Hence the perfect blend of health and heft: Kale&Basil Pesto with whole-wheat or brown-rice spaghetti. Not only is it delicious, but it takes 30 seconds in my glorious Vitamix!
Ingredients:
- 2 cups Kale (if the kale is particularly bitter, reduce this amount, or add more of the basil)
- 2 cups Basil
- 5 cloves of garlic (yes I like it garlicky!)
- ½ cup of Extra Virgin Olive Oil
- ¼ cup of Parmigiano Reggiano (optional)
- ¼ cup of toasted pine nuts (optional)
- Salt (to taste)
- ¼ tsp. freshly ground black pepper
- Squeeze of lemon (optional)
Directions:
Add the EVOO to the blender, then the Kale, Basil, Garlic, cheese, Salt, and Pepper.
Blend until smooth. You may have to push the leaves down once or twice but it really is super-easy!
Boil the spaghetti until it is al dente. Save a tablespoon of the starchy water.
Throw the spaghetti and starchy water into a bowl, top with a dollop of pesto, mix, serve, and garnish with pine nuts and some shaved Parmigiano Reggiano.
This is a playdate pleaser as it can be made allergy friendly! You don’t need to add the nuts or the cheese to the blender when making pesto. You can easily top the adult portions with them, and keep the kiddie portions nut and dairy free.
Storage:
The pesto will freeze very well, although it’s usually gone before I get a chance to store it. When I do, I like to spoon the pesto into ice-cube trays, and top with a light smear of olive oil to preserve the fresh green color, and then freeze. Store in an airtight container or a Ziploc bag. It defrosts very easily, in a pan, at room temperature, or a minute in the microwave!
Try it and let me know what you think!