This is not just about getting greens into your body friends. It’s about getting awesome tasting finish-the-bowl-greens down the hatch again and again. We used the pesto in a pasta bowl two days in a row which is out of character for me but it was that more-ish.
The fresh smell of the kale in the food processor took me to a juice bar. It’s bright green color was like sunshine to my soul. All round, I was pretty chuffed with this kale, cashew and basil pesto bowl. I tried the pesto with garbanzo bean pasta and wheat pasta. I waaaaaay preferred the regular wheat pasta. We try don’t we.
Hooray for kale that’s packed with nutrition and antioxidants. Key to the benefits of eating kale are the phytochemicals kale contains. Glucosinolate compounds such as glucoraphanin, which contributes to the formation of sulforaphane, a compound under preliminary research for its potential to affect human health. Scientific verbiage aside, I am all for plant based nutrition and its health benefits.
The garlicky, creamy cashews, lemon with a hint of basil pair so well. This recipe was inspired by a vegan pesto dip in Trader Joe’s. I love shopping at that place.
- 2 large garlic cloves
- 6 cups kale leaves, destemmed (approximately 13 leaves)
- 3 and ½ tablespoons lemon juice
- 17 basil leaves, large
- 1 and ½ cups soaked cashew nuts (soak for a minimum of 6 hours - volume is already soaked.)
- 6 tablespoons olive oil
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 pinch black pepper, or to taste
- 1 pinch of red pepper flakes, or to taste
- 2 tablespoons pinenuts
- Place the garlic into a food processor and mince finely.
- Add the destemmed kale and process until finely chopped
- Add the lemon juice, soaked cashew nuts, pine nuts and spices and then blitz once more.
- Check that it's evenly combined by stirring with a spoon and process more if needed.