Killer Kale Pesto

By Steve-3

Ingredients

• (1) cup pecan halves, raw
• (1/4) cup pumpkin seeds, freshly toasted
• (3/4) cup olive oil
• (1) cup green curly kale, chopped
• (1/2) cup fresh basil
• (1/4) cup fresh parsley
• (1) clove organic garlic
• (1) tbsp salt
• (5) tbsp fresh lemon juice
• (5) tbsp good quality grated parmesan cheese (optional)

Preparation

Step 1

Pre-heat the oven to 350 degrees. Lay the pumpkin seeds on a flat tray and pop into the oven while it heats (my trick with dry roasting nuts – I put them in while the oven gradually reaches temperature, this keeps them roasting evenly and prevents that dreaded over roasting – ooooops!). Toast until fragrant and turning golden, about 5 minutes.
Meanwhile, prepare the other ingredients and add to the blender, starting with the pecans first. Once toasted, add the seeds right away to the blender while still warm – the heat from the warm seeds will assist in better blending and the result will be a much smoother blending process and slightly more delicious pesto.
Blend on high and move around with a spatula to get it going*. Blend all until you reach a thick well blended consistency and there are no bits of kale left.
*Of course you can also use a food processor for this, but alas, I do not use one!
Voila! Scrape with a spatula into a clean jar. This will keep refrigerated for a while in the fridge (at least a week or more). You can also freeze in small containers!
This seriously delicious pesto adds an exquisite touch to a boring old piece of toast, a flavorful topping for a cracker, and an even more delicious component to a polenta appetizer or pizza (like I made tonight with broccoli – double green hit – super yum!).