Shake Ya Basil - Health(ier) Pesto

 Shake ya basil, don't you be hurtin' nobody. Dip ya pesto, work ya pesto. This is what I would serve Jay-Z, R. Kelly and Lil' Kim for appetizers. If R. Kelly wants to pee on his, so be it. I don't know his life! But seriously folks, you can use the strong flavors of basil and garlic to sneak in extra nutrients.

• 1 large bunch basil - roughly 3 cups
• 4-6 kale leaves, stemmed
• 1 avocado
• 6 tablespoons walnuts
•  2- 4 garlic cloves
• 1 - 6 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil*
• 1 tablespoon salt
• 1 squeeze lemon 
• A liquid such as: vegetable stock (low sodium); plain soy, almond or rice milk; water
• 1 tablespoon chia seeds (optional - added omega 3!)

*for a lower calorie version replace some of the olive oil with vegetable stock, plain soy milk or water in a pinch.

Put all of the ingredients in a food processor. Pulse, occasionally wiping down edges until desired texture is achieved. Taste and adjust as needed. For a dip, thicker is better; for a pasta sauce you may want to add a liquid to make it runnier. The water you boiled the pasta in is good for this in a pinch - but vegetable stock is my first choice.

Notes: I just made this up on the fly so the ingredient amounts are really flexible. Taste frequently and adjust! Basil and garlic - I add about 4 or 5 large cloves - completely mask the kale and avocado so you can be pretty liberal in adding them. The squeeze of lemon keeps the pesto from turning brown and helps you absorb the nutrients in the kale. I've made this with as little as 1 tablespoon olive oil, so if you want to cut some fat, try subbing one of the other liquids listed - again, veggie stock is my first choice.