Lemon Kale Pesto with Pasta

If you are on the lookout for a quick, healthy and satisfying weeknight meal, search no further. This lemony kale pesto is as nutrient dense as it is delicious. A favorite way to serve it at the Hubele house is tossed with freshly cooked gluten-free penne, adding in a handful of chopped garden fresh tomatoes. An equally good alternative would be to coat these salt crusted fingerling or baby creamer potatoes with a few heaping tablespoons of this pesto and serve them up with a salad or slaw.

Here is the basic pesto recipe, but please feel free to make it your own by switching out the greens or fresh herbs.

Ingredients

• 2 cloves garlic (although I like to use shallots for a milder flavor)
• 2 bunches of kale, stripped from the stems
• A handful or two of fresh herbs (consider basil, parsley and cilantro)
• Juice from two large lemons
• Good quality organic olive oil (adjusting amount to achieve desired pesto consistency)
• 1 cup nuts and seeds (can be a combination of pistachios, almonds,walnuts, pumpkin seeds and/or pecans)
• 4 heaping T nutritional yeast
• Salt and pepper to taste

Directions

1. Place nuts/seeds in the food processor. Pulse and process until finely ground. Add kale and herbs, pulsing until all are chopped. Drizzle oil through opening of the food processor, adding a few tablespoons at a time, pulsing and checking consistency, scraping down sides if necessary.
2. Sprinkle in nutritional yeast, pulse again until well incorporated. Finally, add salt and pepper to taste, setting aside while pasta cooks.
3.  Once pasta is tender, drain, reserving a bit of the cooking water for thinning the pesto if needed. Add pesto by heaping tablespoon, stirring gently. Toss in tomatoes and fresh herbs for garnish.
4. Serve immediately.

Enjoy!