Kale Pesto

We know how fabulous kale is for us. It boasts an impressive nutritional profile of vitamins, minerals, and detoxifying phytochemicals. Plus, how can you go wrong with anything so intensely green?!

But how do we get some in??

This pesto is a staple at my place. It makes a great accompaniment to poached eggs or veggie patties. It’s also a handy little power dip to dunk veggie sticks into or spread on wholesome crackers.

Ingredients

• 70g de-veined kale leaves* (from about 10 large leaves)

• 1/3 cup raw cashews

• 1 tablespoon finely grated Parmesan cheese

• ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil

• 2-3 pinches of good quality salt (or more to taste)

Method

To blanch the kale, place it in a bowl of boiled water for ten seconds, ensuring it’s all submerged. Drain into a sieve/colander, and once cooled a little squeeze the leaves to remove most of the water.

Place the kale in a food processor along with the remaining ingredients and process. Use a spatula to scrape the edges every now and continue to process to desired texture.

 Notes & Variations

• *The main vein running down the centre of the kale leaf is highly fibrous and too hard to digest. Run a knife down the leaf on either side of the vein to remove it.

• For a vegan pesto, use two teaspoons of nutritional yeast instead of Parmesan