Pesto is one of my favorite sauces. It’s so versatile and delicious. It’s easy to make from scratch and you can make it from a lot of different ingredients. Of course, you can go the traditional route with basil and pine nuts and you’ll enjoy a fantastic flavor. BUT, you can also go totally rogue. You can create a formula by using the same proportions for your traditional pesto and substitute other greens, herbs, and nuts and get a completely different flavor profile. This versatile sauce can serve as a condiment on sandwiches, dip with crudite, top vegetable soup, and coat pasta.
In this case, I used peanuts because I adore the flavor and they give a protein punch plus tons of vitamins and minerals. I also used a blend of spinach, baby kale and parsley to create a true freshness. I think I’m going to use this sauce to coat roasted cauliflower…yum!
Spinach Kale and Peanut Pesto
Makes 2 cups
- 4 cups packed, mixed spinach and baby kale
- 1/3 cup chopped parsley
- 1/3 cup salted peanuts
- 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese
- 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
Pulse greens and parsley in a food processor quickly to break it down slightly. Add peanuts and Parmesan cheese and process until peanuts are well ground. Then, stream oil into the processor while it’s running until all oil is incorporated. Use right away in one of the ways mentioned a
Erin
DietitianSherry
Brandi Zenker
DietitianSherry