Who doesn’t love a fragrant, savoury and delicious pesto? I adore pesto and the versatility of this simple "pasty" sauce. Not only is this recipe a concoction of so many nutrient rich ingredients—it's easy to make and won't kill the budget! Mix it into your favorite pasta for a burst of flavor or use it as spread on your favorite sandwich; whichever way you use it, this sauce won’t disappoint and a little goes a long way.

Makes ~1.5 cups

2 cups of loosely packed, washed & dried fresh kale leaves

1 cup of packed, washed & dried fresh basil leaves & stems

1/2 cup of almonds

1/2 cup of pumpkin seeds

3/4 cup of extra-virgin olive oil

2/3 cup of cow or goat feta cheese

2-3 cloves of peeled garlic

2 tablespoons of lemon juice

1 teaspoon of salt

Use a food processor to blend the kale, basil, almonds, pumpkin seeds, olive oil, feta, garlic, lemon juice and salt together until a smooth pasty consistency has been reached. Place contents in a container to store in the refrigerator for up to one week or store in the freezer.

Nutrition Bonus:

Almonds and pumpkin seeds are more economical than the traditionally used pine nuts in this pesto, and they are both a great source of heart healthy fats. Pumpkin seeds are also a source of iron. Kale, one of the highest ranked anti-oxidant containing vegetables, provides an earthiness to the flavour of this pesto, is easily available in the winter, and is more economical than basil!

This was my supper tonight :) Enjoy!

Lalitha