Sunflower and Pumpkin Seed Vegan Kale Pesto

Hola Amigos, Idriss here, trying to help you keep those New Year resolutions that you swore you were going to honor. I hope you didn’t already go back to bacon, but if you did that’s okay; come back to the green side with this awesome Sunflower and Pumpkin Seed Vegan Kale Pesto Spaghetti.

Say that ten times faster. I dare you.

‘I wish you would not call it pesto’ -Léa Jasmine

Let me tell you the story of a girl who loves basil. This chica smiles at the sight of basil and pesters her boyfriend about the fact he does not grow enough of it. One plant is not enough!

Of course it isn’t.

When I made this pasta, and served it to her, she smiled and said: Ooh Pestooo. She took a bite and then looked up to me very slowly and said: ‘What is this? I was promised pesto’

She still finished her plate and asked for more, it was delicious, but should not be mistaken for the sacred entity that is basil pesto, as far as Lea is concerned.

What is pesto anyway?

Pesto in Italian means paste. It’s traditionally made using a pestle and mortar. It’s essentially taking herbs and turning them into a paste. And guess which herb grew the most in Italy!

That’s right, you got it, Basil.

Here is a fact, you can take pretty much any green leaf and turn it into a pesto.

So yes, I did make pesto, my pesto.

Pesto Theorem (Yes, I be a nerd)

There a clear formula on how to make pesto, the classic one calls for Basil (Freshness), Parmigianino (Umami), Olive oil (Fat), Lemon juice (Acidity), Pine nuts (Creaminess) and some people like to even add in anchovies for extra umami and saltiness.

Once you get those parts to a pesto, you can pretty much change it around any way you want. I decided to make a vegan version, somewhat similar to my vegan pesto.

So here is my formula:

(Baby kale (it’s less sour) + a little fresh basil) + (Nutritional Yeast +Turmeric) + Olive oil + (Lemon Juice + Zest for extra freshness) + (Sunflower seed and pumpkin seeds)  = Awesome nutrient charged pesto.

Dare I say, Pesto 2.0

Behold thee!!

Magnificent right?

Hehe no but seriously. My approach to cooking is pretty simple, I look at each ingredient for the role that it plays in the dish. Once I understand that role, I can successfully change it and pretty make into anything I want. And what I want right now, is vegan and healthy.

Give it a try, and tell me how it went. If you enjoy our recipes, subscribe to our newsletter to never miss a recipe and to get secret bonus recipes that only our members get.

Enjoy,

Idriss

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5 from 2 votes

Sunflower and Pumpkin Seed Vegan Kale Pesto

This is a green super food that not only tastes good but also provides you with added health benefits. Easy, quick and delicious pasta.

Course Pasta

Prep Time 5 minutes

Cook Time 10 minutes

Total Time 15 minutes

Servings 4 -6

Author Idriss

Ingredients

• 2 Cups of Baby Kale
• 1 Cup of Basil
• 1 Cup of Pumpkin Seeds and Sunflower Seeds
• ¼ Cup of olive oil. You can add more if you want.
• Juice and zest of one lemon. You can use less I like my pesto very lemony.
• ½ Tsp of turmeric.
• ¼ Cup of Nutritional yeast.
• Salt and Pepper to taste.
• 1  500g pack of spaghetti or any pasta of your choice. Penne is also an excellent choice.

Instructions

• In a food processor or blender , add your Kale, Basil, olive oil and lemon juice and half of your seeds. Blend.
• Add your turmeric and nutritional yeast and blend again until completely smooth.
• In a big pot, bring some water to boil.
• Add some salt and then throw in your pasta.
• Once the pasta is cooked. Scoop in about ½ cup of that starchy pasta water and set it aside.
• Drain your pasta.
• Add some of that pesto to your pasta and your pasta water. It might look a little too watery but don’t worry the pasta will soak it up like nobody’s business. Adding that starchy pasta water guarantees that your pasta won’t be dry and sad.
• Add the rest of your seeds.
• And mix thoroughly.
• Serve and enjoy.

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