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Ultimate Family Food: Easy Kale & Walnut Pesto
If you cook for a family and don’t have a freezer stocked with pesto, you’re doing something wrong. I don’t mean to sound harsh, but let’s look at the cold, hard facts:
1. It comes together with one zip of the food processor.
2. It’s endlessly versatile. You can use it as a pasta sauce, sandwich spread, dressing for veggies, topping on meat or fish… You get the point.
3. It can be made with a staggering array of herbs, leafy greens, vegetables, nuts and cheese. Broccoli pesto. Cauliflower pesto with hazelnuts and citrus zest. Corn, basil and parmesan pesto. Cilantro and feta pesto. What else? Or maybe I should ask what not else?!
4. It freezes well. Make a big batch and you’ve got a freezer full of quick dinner solutions. (Holiday madness sanity saver!!)
5. Everyone loves pesto. Bright and nutty, sometimes garlicky, often cheesy: how can you go wrong? It’s an exciting way to serve herbs and vegetables, and to show kids how flexible and tasty they can be.
6. Pesto is healthy. You’re talking raw olive oil, nuts, veggies and/or herbs (which are also great for us, tots included—just check out these herb health properties).
This easy Kale and Walnut Pesto packs a particularly nutritious punch.
I’ve been trying to get my one-year-old to eat more dark leafy greens, but he can’t seem to get past the texture. He won’t eat purees anymore, but even finely chopped greens are too tough for him. (I tend to lightly steam my greens.) This pesto is finally the solution. With the addition of omega-3 rich walnuts, it’s also seriously good for you. And kale, plus good olive oil, some garlic and pecorino = delicious!!!
What’s your favorite pesto?
Kale and Walnut Pesto
makes 2 cups, enough for about 2 lbs of pasta1 bunch of kale
1 tsp olive oil, plus 1/2 c
1 c walnuts
1/2 c grated pecorino
1 clove garlic
salt and pepper1. Lightly steam the kale.
2. In the meantime, heat teaspoon of olive oil in a small pan and use to toast the walnuts, stirring frequently. The walnuts are done when they turn golden brown and are fragrant.
3. Place steamed kale, toasted walnuts, pecorino and garlic in the bowl of a food processor. Puree as you slowly drizzle remaining 1/2 c of olive oil in a thin stream. Pesto is done when it’s pureed and creamy. Stir in salt and pepper to taste.
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6 Comments
[...] out 6 reasons why I think that pesto is an ultimate family food (including a few, perhaps, unorthodox pesto combinations!). You’ll also get my recipe for [...]
Ultimate Family Food: Easy, Nutritious Kale and Walnut Pesto | One Hungry Mama commented on Nov 12 10 at 3:01 pmDiera commented on Nov 18 10 at 2:58 pmOK, this was very very yummy, but I think I used too much kale, because my pesto seems too solid. Any specifics on how much ‘a bunch’ should be? Kale is sold loose in my supermarket and I think I guessed high.
anna commented on Nov 19 10 at 6:04 pmIf your pesto comes out too solid, just add more oil. Or, you can even add some of the warm pasta cooking water.
OneHungryMama commented on Nov 19 10 at 8:01 pmDiera, my bunches are usually 10 big leaves. So, not large bunches. This recipe is pretty forgiving. Just add more oil until you get the right texture. Glad the flavor still worked. So delicious!
Shannon commented on Nov 21 10 at 1:56 pm@Diera, don’t worry about the measurement of the kale because you can easily adjust this recipe for consistency. If it turns out to solid, simply add more olive oil (I also love to add lemon juice in my pesto) to thin it. Sometimes I leave it on the thick side, and then when I serve it with pasta I add some of the hot pasta water to thin it and help the sauce coat the pasta really evenly. Pesto recipes are really just a starting place. Taste and adjust as you go.
Jen (A Girl and Her Carrot) commented on Jan 20 11 at 2:20 pmWhile I know this is for tots and pasta is fantastic, I think I’ll add my twist by tossing the pesto on some farro or red quinoa for real color. What a nutritious cornucopia of food!
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