Kale Walnut Pesto Pasta

I saved the best two for last! (or at least my most successful two. ps. Sorry I didn't blog for like a month. I went through this time where almost everything I made was not good. Seriously. Ask Mark... it was rough.)

Ok, who doesn't love pesto???? It's divine. I came across this in a search for something interesting and new to do with my kale. To me, this recipe is a miracle, because 1. I seriously would never have thought to assemble these ingredients to make pesto by myself. 2. It's soooo my kind of pasta! It just one of those things that will always be a mystery of why I like it so much, and I will never try to figure it out so I can keep the "magic" real. Whoa that was cheesey. But seriously. Kale walnut pesto is too good for me. I am not worthy enough.

Kale Walnut Pesto Pasta

Serves 4

• 1/2 bunch kale, stems discarded and leaves coarsely chopped
  
• 1 pound pasta (I used Whole Wheat mini shells)
• 1/2 cup chopped walnuts, toasted (optional), plus more for sprinkling
• 1 clove garlic, chopped
• 1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese, plus more for sprinkling
• 1-2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
• Salt and pepper
• 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil

In a large pot of salted water, cook the kale until tender, 4 to 5 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the kale to a colander and rinse with cold water. Add the pasta to the pot and cook until al dente, and drain. Return the pasta to the pot.

Meanwhile, squeeze the kale to remove the excess water. In a food processor, combine the kale, walnuts, garlic and parmesan until almost smooth; season with salt and pepper and a squeeze of lemon juice. With the machine running, add the olive oil.

Add the pesto to the pasta. If you need to, add a little bit of pasta water. Allow the parmesan to melt into the hot pasta. Sprinkle with more parmesan top with walnuts.

http://www.shutterbean.com/kale-pesto-pasta/