If you’ve ready my story you’ll know that it was really difficult growing up to adjust and explore the world of anything gluten-free. A GF diet wasn’t as excepted back in 99 as it is now, and it was hard to get creative at times.
Quick story! Before I was diagnosed with Chronic Lyme Disease after 12 years of a misdiagnosis, I was also diagnosed with ADHD, and granted I do have it (proudly folks) but when I eliminated gluten from my diet COMPLETELY, all my hyperactivity, inflammation and most all other related symptoms stopped dead in their tracks. It was such a hassle even growing up in Orange County where a healthy lifestyle wasn’t judged as much. Accommodating was difficult at first, but I realized it was worth it, and wouldn’t be as difficult to give up wheat pizza as I had thought. Creating easy, gluten-free recipes which were low in sugar, dairy-free, grain-free if possible was and still is key in my life. Gluten is truly hidden in everything including condiments, sauces and even vitamins! Travel is a huge part of my existence so this was crucial, and who doesn’t love a quick/easy recipe anyways? Ok, story time over…
So, this kale, cashew, basil pesto is a mockery of Trader Joes’ version of their popular sauce. I had tried it for the first time and fell head over heels. I would use it as a dip, and then realized it would be a great addition to a summer pasta recipe. Nothing personal on TJ, but instead of purchasing the sauce every time, I wanted to make my own version of this sauce to save time & money. It’s actually much simpler than you think and you get more bang for your buck!
I use an olive oil base for my sauce, excluding TJ’s safflower oil and swapping ingredient ratios. If you are using this sauce as a pasta addition rather than a dip, I like to chop heirloom tomatoes, and sprinkle on some basil and oregano just to spice it up and make the meal a complete flavorbomb! Now, I personally have cut dairy, but if you are a dairy lover (I get it, I was there once), feta cheese is a great addition. Yet as this is a vegan recipe, I don’t add dairy in the sauce or even as a topping.
A lot of people have asked me if I use whole cashews, but I actually use cashew butter to smoothen the consistency. Cashews balance out kale and basil really well, while adding extra healthy fats and protein. To get on with the actual recipe now, I’ll kindly shut up. I hope this sauce saves you time and money, and perhaps adds a little spark to your dishes. And best part, you can fool anyone; they’ll never know that kale has joined the party 🙂
GF/Vegan Kale, Cashew & Basil Pesto
A summer favorite, light, fresh and perfect for any occasion. I know you'll love this kale version of a classic favorite, gluten-free/vegan style!
Ingredients
Kale, Cashew & Basil Sauce
- 1/4 Cup Cashew Butter
- 3 Tbsp Extra Virgin Olive Oil
- 1 Cup De-stemmed Kale Leaves (preferably steamed)
- 1/3 Cup Basil Leaves
- 2 Tsp Himalayan Sea Salt
- 2 Garlic Cloves (medium)
Kale, Cashew & Basil Pasta
- 1 Bag Brown Rice or Chickpea Pasta
- 1 Cup Chopped Heirloom Tomatoes
- 1 Tbsp Oregano
- 1 Tbsp Chopped Basil
Instructions
- For the sauce, add all ingredients into food processor, making sure the kale leaves are de-stemmed (you can just pull the leaves off to make matters easy)
- Process all ingredients for about 25-30 seconds, until a smooth combined and smooth
- Use as a dip, or add into pasta!
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