RAW ZUCCHINI NOODLE–PESTO SALAD
I’m not a big fan of the whole hide-the-veggies-so-kids-don’t-know-they’re-eating-it thing, but then again, I don’t have kids, so my opinion is not really important. However, if you can add vegetables to something without altering the taste that much, I’m all in. This pesto is similar to the one you’ll find here, except it’s loaded with kale, so you get an extra serving of greens every time you use it. It’s a pretty good deal, if you ask me. SERVES 4
PREP TIME: 15 minutes
COOK TIME: None
2 cups stemmed and roughly chopped kale leaves
1 cup fresh basil leaves
¼ cup pine nuts
½ cup extra-virgin olive oil
Salt
Freshly ground black pepper
1 cup raw zucchini noodles (see here)
- In a food processor or blender, roughly chop the kale, basil, and pine nuts, stopping occasionally to push all the leaves down from the sides with a spatula. Turn the food processor back on, and slowly drizzle in the olive oil. Season with salt and pepper.
- In a serving bowl, spoon the kale pesto over the zucchini noodles. Toss well and serve.
VARIATION 1 RAW ZUCCHINI NOODLE–PESTO SALAD WITH CHICKEN: Top the main recipe with 4 to 6 ounces diced chicken breast. (Salmon would also be delicious if you feel like fish instead.)
VARIATION 2 KALE PESTO WITH WALNUTS: Replace the pine nuts with walnuts for a less expensive pesto. Top your dish with extra walnuts.
PREP TIP: Pesto freezes really well, so make a big batch and freeze it in small containers or even in an ice cube tray.
