By Jodee Weiland

Being Italian, it was hard for me to imagine kale in a pesto when I first used it in my Baby Kale Pesto.  Before that I used it to make kale chips, a kale salad, a kale and bean soup, and since then I have used it in my pesto and more. I‘ve used it in omelets, smoothies, and even made it with olive oil and garlic as a side dish. Prior to that time, putting kale in a pesto to use with pasta was something I just couldn’t imagine, especially since I love Italian Basil Pesto. Nevertheless, with all the kale I have coming from my garden this year, I decided I had to do something more with it all, and my Healthy and Delicious Kale Basil Pesto with Pasta is what I came up with for dinner tonight.

I was pleasantly surprised when this dinner turned out to be even tastier than my earlier version of kale pesto. I think the reason for that is because it combines two pesto recipes, kale pesto and my all-time favorite, Italian Basil Pesto. Not only do I get the rich taste of basil, which I love, but I also get the great flavor of kale and all the healthy nutrients from the kale. If you ask me, this gives me the best of both worlds, and I’m all for that! So here’s my Healthy and Delicious Kale Basil Pesto with Pasta recipe and how I did it!

Healthy and Delicious Kale Basil Pesto with Pasta

2 cups fresh kale leaves packed tightly, torn into pieces and de-stemmed
2 cup fresh basil leaves
1/3 cup pine nuts
1 and 1/2 teaspoon chopped garlic clove or to taste
1/4 teaspoon sea salt or to taste
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper or to taste
1 and 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil (more or less, depending on desired consistency and thickness)
1 and 1/3 cup freshly grated Parmesan Reggiano cheese or more
Pasta of your choice
More Parmesan Reggiano cheese to serve with meal

Blend together the kale, basil, pine nuts, garlic, salt, and black pepper until finely chopped in a food processer or blender. Gradually add oil to this mixture to attain a smooth consistency and thickness (your preference). Finally, add the Parmesan cheese into this mixture. You can add more salt and black pepper to taste once it is blended. Kale basil pesto can be made two days ahead or just before it is needed. If made ahead, cover and refrigerate it. With this pesto recipe, you will have enough for more than one meal, so freeze some for later. I usually have enough for three meals, so I use one portion and freeze two for later. Boil pasta per instructions and when done, blend in the pesto with your pasta.

My Healthy and Delicious Kale Basil Pesto with Pasta is awesome and will soon become a favorite for you as well. Serve with a glass of Chianti, a crusty loaf of bread, and a side salad. Have some Parmesan Reggiano cheese ready to grate fresh over your pasta. Some people may even enjoy some crushed red pepper on their pasta, so have some ready just in case. In Italian households, this is how we serve pasta, along with great conversations and much love. That’s why it’s called comfort food, so enjoy!

By Jodee Weiland

For some time now, I have wanted to try zucchini spaghetti. It sounded so healthy, I couldn’t help but be curious about how it would taste. So I sat down and researched the various tools to do this with and came across a wide variety of veggie spiralizers. There are all kinds from hand held to some that are larger, but are easier to use. I found out you can make zucchini spaghetti a number of ways. I chose to make my Zucchini Spaghetti with Olive Oil, Garlic, and Fresh Tomatoes with a veggie spiralizer I found at a local store by searching online.

What I found out during my search was that you can prepare the zucchini with a julienne peeler, a mandoline with a julienne blade, or with a veggie spiralizer type product. I chose the veggie spiralizer type product for a number of reasons after reading reviews and checking prices. The one I chose was at a store that gives 20% discounts with their coupons, so the price was under $25 with tax. The product I chose was made basically the same as a more expensive version at another store and both had similar reviews. Last of all, after looking into it, this product made preparing the zucchini so easy, it cut the time of preparation down tremendously.

All the products can be used to prepare a number of vegetables, but the one I chose did more. To me, saving money, time, and being able to use a product for more than one thing is worth it. So that’s how I came to prepare my zucchini spaghetti with a traditional Aglio E Olio (garlic and oil) sauce and adding fresh diced tomatoes for additional flavor. My Zucchini Spaghetti with Olive Oil, Garlic, and Fresh Tomatoes was made with a veggie spiralizer, and I loved it!

Zucchini Spaghetti with Olive Oil, Garlic, and Fresh Tomatoes

2 medium zucchini cleaned and skin removed (skin may be left on if preferred)
1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
2 to 3 garlic cloves chopped
1 tablespoon fresh parsley chopped finely
1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper (add more for more heat, if desired)
2 fresh Roma tomatoes diced
Sea salt
Grated Parmesan Reggiano cheese to taste

Prepare the zucchini first by peeling it and cutting it into long thin spaghetti like strands with a veggie spiralizer, a julienne peeler, or a mandoline with a julienne blade. Lightly salt the zucchini strands and put them into a colander for about thirty minutes, placing the collander in a large bowl, so the moisture in the zucchini can drain off. Toss and squeeze lightly every once in a while until ready.

When ready, heat the olive oil in a large pan. When the oil is heated, add the garlic. Be sure to use a splatter cover because heated oil will splatter whenever anything moist is added to it. After you add the garlic to the oil, sauté it over a low heat for a few minutes until tender. Be careful not to burn the garlic. Add the fresh parsley and crushed red pepper, and then sauté another minute or two. Next, put the prepared zucchini spaghetti in the pan (again use the splatter cover for your pan).

When it stops sizzling and has cooked slightly, turn off the stove and toss the zucchini gently in the olive oil and garlic mixture. You want the zucchini al dente, so only heat it for a few minutes, or it will become too soft. Transfer it all to a serving dish so it does not continue to heat. Last, add the fresh diced Roma tomatoes. Serve with grated Parmesan Reggiano cheese to taste. NOTE: Another alternative is to leave the zucchini spaghetti raw and put the heated olive oil and garlic mixture over it and toss lightly. It is a matter of personal preference. You choose which way you prefer to do this.

Zucchini Spaghetti with Olive Oil, Garlic, and Fresh Tomatoes is so delicious and healthy, you will wonder why you didn’t try it sooner. It has a great flavor that will leave you wanting more. I enjoyed it so much that now I’m wondering why I didn’t try it sooner myself. I have to think being Italian and raised on wonderful pasta meals had something to do with it, but we had great zucchini dishes as well, so I’m not so sure about that. In fact, zucchini in olive oil and garlic has been served often in my home and tastes great. If you decide to give this recipe a try, I know you’ll love it, so enjoy!