garlic

Pesto with Kale and Avocado Oil

This has been a bumper year for basil in my garden. I can’t explain it, because we have had a lot of rain, and days when we are wearing sweatshirts in July, but I am literally on my fourth or fifth batch of Pesto and there is more basil out there waiting to be picked…

Pesto is a beautiful sauce that I use on cheese tortellini, zuchinni “zoodles”, on top of salmon, even on an egg sandwich, you name it…if you are a fan of Pesto you can just about use it in ANYTHING. It is also an amazing way to hide some additional greens, such as spinach or kale.

So here’s where my typically hard core rule follower mindset goes off the path…when I make Pesto, I almost NEVER measure. I pick basil until I have “enough,” I use the leftover baby spinach I picked up at the market and used some for a salad…I drizzle in the oil until it “looks right.” UGH. Why did I choose this recipe to kick off my blog? Because I love it. Because it is versatile and both of my children eat it. Because it reminds me of my Dad, and he would be so proud to see me do this. So, I am making my best effort to give the quantities as I do them…and you too will amend it to suit your style.

Traditionally, I make this with a good olive oil, fresh garlic, Pignoli nuts, and Romano cheese. I choose Romano over Parmesean – it’s a personal choice. But here is the beauty of Pesto…If you want to substitute walnuts instead of pine nuts, avocado oil instead of olive oil…it changes-and yet, it doesn’t. Pesto is still this amazing vibrant green bold sauce whether my My mom makes it with no nuts and one garlic clove, or I throw in the whole head of garlic.

Have I mentioned it freezes? Oh yes, throw that miracle sauce into a container and pop it in the freezer. That Christmas party you need to make a side dish for? Just get yourself some frozen cheese tortellini, thaw that pesto, and yeah, you will impress. (Important to note- after freezing and heating up, the pesto does tend to lose the vibrancy, but not the flavor).

For this batch I switched out the oil and added frozen kale to the mix, and no one was the wiser. Here is a trick regarding Pesto I stick to- I don’t add the grated cheese until the entire sauce is combined and I am finished with the food processor. The cheese gets mixed in by hand at the end. I find this way, the heat of the processor doesn’t melt the cheese and make the sauce too oily.

Thank you for coming to the table!

Chrissy

Pesto with Kale and Avocado Oil

Print Recipe

The perfect way to capture fresh basil and sneak in a few healthy ingredients!

• Author: chrissy@mythankfultable.com

Ingredients

Scale 1x2x3x

 

• 4 Cups of Basil
• 2 Cups frozen Kale
• 1/2 – 3/4 C Pine (Pignoli) Nuts (depending on personal taste – my mom doesn’t
• even use nuts in hers…)
• 3 cloves of peeled Garlic (again, feel free to add more or less depending on taste)
• 1/2 –1 Cup Avocado Oil, slowly drizzled until the right consistency
• 2 C shredded Romano Cheese (Truth: I usually add more right before I serve it…don’t judge)

 

Instructions

Place basil, kale, garlic, and nuts into food processor (your food processor will be full), pulse and slowly drizzle oil into the mixture until all of the ingredients are combined.

I tend to like my pesto thicker- as it thins out when warmed up – but this recipe is all about what works for you.

Once the whole mixture is blended into a beautiful bright green sauce, empty out of the food processor and into a bowl. Using a rubber spatula, fold in the cheese until it is well combined. You want less cheese? More cheese? It is all good.

Serve over your favorite pasta, zoodle, use on top of salmon, or as a base for a fantastic pizza…the possibilities are endless.