kale and walnut pesto

They say if you love something, let it go.

And so I have…for a little while anyway.

When it comes to food I like, I have terribly obsessive ways. Once I find a recipe I love, I have to have it… ALL THE TIME. That was this case with this tomato sauce.  But I’ve had to shelf it, at least for a few weeks. Too much of a good thing, you know?

So, in came this easy pesto to save the day. Because the opposite of tomato sauce is pesto (in my logic). And that’s exactly what I needed to detox.

Kale and Walnut Pesto (adapted from Tastespotting)

makes about 1 cup (maybe a little more, depending on how much kale and olive oil you add)

About 3 cups of roughly chopped kale (or a small bunch, which is how I measured it)

3/4 cup of raw walnuts

1-2 garlic cloves

1/2 cup - 1 cup of extra virgin olive oil

Salt and pepper, to taste

Pulse garlic clove(s) in food processor until finely chopped, about 30 seconds.

Add kale and walnuts to processor until chopped, stopping in between to scrape sides and pish mixture down to blades.

With the processor running on low, add in extra virgin olive oil until you get your desired consistency.

Add salt and pepper. Mix.

{I love that bright, glistening green}

I consider this the green smoothie of the pasta world. It has a ton of vitamins A, C and K from the kale, not to mention the added benefits of the walnuts, extra virgin olive oil and garlic. And one batch of this makes enough for several servings. Use what you will and freeze the rest (try using this genius ice cube tray trick).

Some other uses leftover pesto:

• spread on crusty French bread (my savory breakfast for the next few days)
• substitute for mayo in sandwiches, burgers or even grilled cheese.
• mix in egg salad

For more delicious ideas, check out 50 things to make with pesto.