All Photos © Christine Elise McCarthy 2015
To see images of my past posts & get links to the recipes – look on my Pinterest board – HERE.
Because I subscribe to vegetable delivery service, Farm Fresh To You, I get a huge box of locally-grown produce dropped at my door every two weeks. It is a great way to force myself to eat lots of veggies. Even though the boxes are only delivered every 14 days – I still find t hard to get through everything they send. So – sometimes – a few items get sad & wilted before I can use them. That was almost the case with the Roasted Rainbow Carrots with Thyme & Balsamic Glaze I posted yesterday – seen below.
Last night – it was the kale that was sift & wilting & crying out to be put to good use. I also had a ton of spinach in the fridge – so – I decided to make pesto. I have posted a zillion pesto recipes over the last three years (my blog will be three years old this weekend!) and pesto can be used over pasta, on pizza, as a sandwich spread, on crostini, mixed into potato or pasta salads, mixed into mashed potatoes, in soups, on baked potatoes – endless ways, really. I used it as a layer in my Grilled & Baked Eggplant Pizza Towers with Fresh Mozzarella & Basil Chiffonade last night (not reflected in the photo below) and it was delicious.
Also – you can freeze it in small containers for future use. Putting small portions into Ziplock sandwich bags & stacking them flat – like stacked books – is a great way to store it & save room in your freezer.
The color of this stuff is un-enhanced. It really is this spectacular, emerald green! Just imagine that tossed with some farfalle! Also – it is a good way to trick kids into eating the less popular but more healthy vegetables.
Kale, Spinach & Cashew Pesto
Makes about 2 cups – which is a lot
INGREDIENTS
2 cups kale with the ribs removed
2 cups organic spinach
2-6 garlic cloves (depending on your taste for garlic)
1/4 cup grated Parmesan (or vegan alternative)
1/4 cup cashews (or almonds or pistachios or walnuts or pecans)
1/4 cup olive oil
1/4 cup water
S&P
DIRECTIONS
Blanch the kale in boiling water for 1 minute & then drain & put into cold water. When it is cool enough, squeeze the water out & pulse it in a food processor a few times.
Toast the nuts in a dry pan – agitating them so they do not burn – for a few minutes or until they start to brown a bit & smell fragrant. Do not burn them or the pesto will be bitter. Pulse them into the Kale.
Add all the other ingredients & pulse until smooth. You might need to add more or less water to get the desired consistency – which should be thick but smooth. Season with S&P.
Delightful-Delicious-Delovely 