Healthy Recipe: Natural Kale Pesto

Healthy RecipeKale is one of the healthiest foods you can eat and is always delicious when you eat kale chips for snack time or when used as part of a salad. You can even use kale as a condiment for dipping your snacks. How can you create such a healthy recipe?

Get into the spring spirit by getting some local kale and fresh basil from your farmer’s market or straight from a nearby farm.

The kale pesto is useful for spring, especially if you’re detoxifying to begin the new season. The sulforaphane in kale assists the body’s detoxification enzymes for flushing unwanted substances from your system such as food additives and preservatives from processed foods. Kale also contains fiber and many sulfur-containing phytonutrients, which also help detoxify your body. The omega-3 in kale also helps fight your springtime asthma because of its anti-inflammatory properties.

Enjoy this healthy recipe as part of crackers, pizza crust, or on top of your rice and quinoa pasta. You’ve probably had pesto the conventional way with olive oil and various herbs; however, pesto the kale way will have you coming back for more.

Healthy Recipe: Natural Kale Pesto

Ingredients

  • 1 bunch kale (8-12) leaves (finely chopped)
  • 1/2-1 teaspoon Celtic sea salt or Himalayan rock salt
  • 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
  • 1/2 cup pine nuts or cashews (chopped)
  • 1/4 cup dry basil or 1 cup of fresh basil
  • 1/4 cup lemon juice
  • 1-2 minced garlic cloves

Optional

  • 1-2 teaspoon raw honey

Directions

In a food processor or powerful blender, combine the kale leaves, salt and extra virgin olive oil. The texture should be chunky after processing.
Add the nuts, basil, lemon juice, garlic cloves, and the raw honey (optional).
Enjoy this homemade condiment on crackers, pizza crust, or in your rice pasta.

Sources:
Cabaca, E., Earthly & Divine: Whole Recipes for a Healthy World (Richmond Hill: Pronto Reproductions Ltd., 2010), 99. 

Mateljan, G., The World’s Healthiest Foods: Essential Guide for the healthiest way of eating (Seattle: George Mateljan Foundation, 2007), 154.