Ingredients
Pesto
1 bunch kale, stems removed and chopped
1/2 cup walnuts
2 Tb water (kale cooking water)
1/3 cup olive oil
1/4 cup chives, chopped
3 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 cup parmesan cheese
1/2 tsp grey salt
1/2 tsp freshly cracked pepper
1 pkg egg pappardelle noodles
2 sweet potatoes, diced
Directions
1. Place kale and 1 1/2 cups of water in a large pot, cover, and cook over medium high heat for 5 minutes until the kale is wilted but still bright green.
2. Save 2 Tbs of the cooking water and drain the rest. Allow the kale to cool on a towel.
3. Finely chop the walnuts and the garlic in the food processor.
4. Add the kale, 2 Tbs of cooking water, chives, and salt & pepper to the food processor.
5. Blend until smooth while slowly drizzling in the olive oil.
6. Once everything is blended, mix in the parmesan cheese by hand.
7. Meanwhile, steam the sweet potatoes until tender, about 8-10 minutes, depending on size.
8. Cook the pasta according to directions, drain, and immediately add all the pesto to the warm pasta, then mix in the sweet potatoes.
I have been reading pesto recipes made out of kale for awhile and I always wanted to try it since it would be a healthier option. Plus, it's a great way to start getting more greens in your diet, if you are not a big fan of eating them whole. The kale is cut up so fine you don't even know what you are eating, which is great for kids who wouldn't normally eat greens. I found a version of kale pesto in my Vegetarian Times, so I thought I would add my own spin on it. I made this for a quick lunch and it was delicious! This was also my first time using the pappardelle pasta noodles. I have seen them on a variety of cooking shows and I thought they looked really interesting. Feel free to use any variety of nut in the pesto, like pecans, pumpkin seeds, pine nuts, or cashews. You can also mix up the greens and use spinach, cilantro, or traditional basil. The great thing about cooking is that your options are unlimited.
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