One of the keys to the success of eating clean, nourishing plant based foods is having the quality of food you aim to put into your body ready when it’s time to fuel. The whole idea of fast food is based on having things packaged and ready for this moment. Good on the planning but not so good for the end result as what also comes along with this in most cases are loads of preservatives, excessive packaging & diminished nutrient content of the foods. So, what’s the point? …How do you go from staring into your fridge or at the squashes & herbs on your counter to actually having something you want to sink your teeth into in your hands? I don’t have all the answers to that question, but one of the secrets actually is in the S A U C E …prepared for when it’s time to fuel your body. There is no one way to approach incorporating more fresh produce & plants into your daily, but practice will get you there to those ah ha moments.

Here we will make an easy recipe of something to nourish now, while prepping a tasty sauce for another meal.

…Enter Kale Pesto + Pesto Hummus!

Kale Pesto

Ingredients

1 bunch fresh curly kale - washed & destemmed (about 3 c chopped) Or sub 1:1 for basil or parsley such as 2c kale & 1 c basil ratio

4-6 cloves garlic peeled or more to taste

1/2 c hemp seeds

1 large lemon fresh juice ~ 1/4 c

3-4 T nutritional yeast

1/4 c pine nuts - toasted in a dry cast iron skillet optional

pinch red chili flakes optional

3T to 1/4 C high quality cold pressed extra virgin olive oil or flax seed oil

Method

In a food processor add garlic & pulse. Add kale, hemp seeds, lemon juice, nutritional yeast, oil & water then blitz + optional ingredients if using. Add evoo or flax oil until desired thickness is achieved. Remove pesto from the processor and store in an airtight container; reserving 1/4 c of the kale pesto for hummus recipe below. No need to clean the food processor before moving onto hummus recipe below!

Pesto Chickpea Hummus

15 oz cooked chickpeas

1/4 c kale pesto

1 T tahini - optional

1 T flax oil - optional

Method

Add all to a food processor & blitz to desired consistency. Enjoy! Store in an airtight container in the fridge for 3-5 days. Shown here with toasted pine nuts, chopped basil and hemp seeds.