Spicy Kale Pesto with Zucchini Noodles

I have been indulging in this dish the last couple days! It's so fresh and good. After making my raw zucchini wraps with kale pesto a few weeks ago, kale pesto has become a regular habit. I did this pesto a little differently than my last, minus the basil and tahini while opting to add in some red pepper flakes and a bit of nutritional yeast. The pesto pairs great with the zucchini noodles, especially with a nice dusting of almond parmesan. It was time to add this simple dish to my raw recipes in hopes to inspire others to join in on this nutritional powerhouse green, in a way that tastes amazing. Kale is king of the leafy greens and the more we can incorporate it into our meal plans the better. I use the lacinato kale, which is my favorite, and there is no bitter taste as far as I can tell. If you find your kale is a bit bitter, try adding a squeeze of lemon to the pesto. And for the zucchini, I can easily eat two in this dish so I have used that as a serving guide (I suppose it would depend on your zucchini size but go ahead and eat as much or as little as you like). I've also added diced avocado to this and it was fantastic. This is a simple meal and comes together fairly quickly. Also makes for great to-go lunches!

Spicy Kale Pesto with Zucchini Noodles

Ingredients

• 2 zucchini per person, give or take, spiralized or julienned
• grape tomatoes, sliced in half
• almond parmesan, for topping
• salt & cracked pepper

Pesto

• 1 bunch kale, about 3-4 cups, stems removed and roughly chopped
• 3-4 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil, more as needed
• 1 or 2 cloves garlic
• 1 - 2 tablespoons nutritional yeast
• 1/2 teaspoon himalayan salt, or to taste
• pinch or two of red pepper flakes
• juice of 1 small lemon, optional

Start with the pesto, place ingredients in food processor and blend until desired consistency. Add more olive oil if desired and taste for seasoning, set aside. (Serves two)

I use a spiralizer to get my curly noodle effect. You can also use a julienne tool or julienne them by hand creating a straight noodle. 

Combine the kale, tomatoes and noodles together in a medium size bowl and transfer to individual serving dishes. Top with some almond parmesan and enjoy!


Notes: To create a creamy pesto, you may also like to add 1/2 cup walnuts or pine nuts. Or try 2-3 tablespoons tahini instead.