Bright green kale and walnut pesto makes this a kid-friendly dinner into a nutritional powerhouse.
Boost the protein by adding lemon pepper chicken.
Simply Recipes / Nick Evans
Green food can be off-putting, hence, the classic Dr. Seuss book.
Simply Recipes / Nick Evans
This is especially true if the green in question is brown-green like some pesto.
Ive struggled getting my kids to eat jarred pesto for this reason.
The color can be kindablah.
Simply Recipes / Nick Evans
But thiskale and walnut pestothat I served with rotini pasta isbrightgreen.
Its almost comically green and my kids thought it was hilarious to eat something SO green.
Little did they know that it was actually HEALTHY.
Simply Recipes / Nick Evans
Like, ridiculously healthy.
This meal comes together really quickly and the only cooking you must do is the pasta!
Serve it by itself, with aside salad, or with lemon pepper chicken (my Dad Add).
Simply Recipes / Nick Evans
Any way is a good way!
Why Walnut Pesto?
Classic pesto contains pine nuts and basil.
Nick Evans | Art Banner Credit: Andy Christensen
The walnuts in this recipe can be bought economically if you buy the walnut pieces rather than whole walnuts.
Plus, the flavors work nicely.
Walnuts and kale have an earthy flavor to them that works well in pesto.
Nick Evans | Art Banner Credit: Andy Christensen
Ten seconds is all it takes.
Then remove the greens with tongs to let them cool and dry on a baking sheet.
you could boil the pasta in the same water!
Nick Evans | Art Banner Credit: Andy Christensen
Suggestions and Substitutions
Pesto can be a very flexible thing and I highly encourage substitutions.
If you cant find walnuts, try pecans.
Kale should be pretty available, but the kind of kale can be up to you.
Try purple kale or dinosaur kale for a different twist!
Of course, the pasta is flexible as well.
Make-Ahead Walnut Pesto
If you cant make the pesto fresh, no worries.
you might make the pesto in advance and store with plastic wrap pressed directly against the pesto.
This will keep it from browning too much.
Then just add it to hot pasta and youre in business.
The pesto by itself will keep fine in the fridge (airtight) for three to four days.
you’ve got the option to also freeze pesto for up to three months.
After that, it starts to lose some of its zing and the pesto will start to brown.
I made a simple pan-seared lemon-pepper chicken that goes really well with the flavors.
I say it was the Dad Add, but my kids both snuck pieces of my chicken.
A parent is always sacrificing!
If you eat a piece of green pasta, will it turn your teeth green?
These are the types of questions that must be investigated during dinnertime.
Bring a large pot of water to a boil seasoned with salt.
Use this same pot of water to cook your pasta.
Blend until pureed into a paste.
Taste and adjust seasoning to your liking.
Add rotini pasta to the water you used to blanch the vegetables.
Cook untilal denteaccording to package.
Reserve 1 cup pasta water and drain the pasta.
Return the pasta to the pot and add all the pesto.
If the pesto seems really dry, add reserved pasta water a little at a time.
Stir between each addition until it coats the pasta well.
Serve pesto rotini with grated parmesan cheese on top.
Leftovers keep in the fridge for 2 to 3 days.
Reheat gently in a pot with a splash of water over low heat or in the microwave.
Season the chicken cutlets liberally with lemon pepper and salt.
