KALE AND WATERCRESS PESTO

INGREDIENTS: 

• 1 cup basil leaves
• 2 cups kale leaves
• 2 cups watercress sprigs 
• ½ cup (80g) blanched almonds 
• ¼ cup (40g) pine nuts, toasted 
• 1 clove garlic, crushed 
• 1 tablespoon finely grated lemon rind 
•  ½ cup (40g) finely grated vegan parmesan or 20 g of nutritional yeast
•  ¼ cup (60ml) olive oil 
• 2 tablespoons lemon juice 
• ½ cup (125ml) water 
• sea salt and cracked black pepper

METHOD: 

1. Place the basil, kale, watercress, almonds, pine nuts, garlic, lemon rind, parmesan, oil, lemon juice and water in the bowl of a food processor and process to a rough paste. 
2. Season with salt and pepper and refrigerate until ready to use. Makes 2 cups

PESTO COUSCOUS SALAD

Not only is this a killer recipe to make ahead for lunches, it can also be adapted to a range of dietary needs, and still taste incredible. Vegetarian? add halloumi. Meat eater? Add chicken and haloumi. Gluten free? Swap couscous for quinoa.

Secondly, it’s also the perfect recipe to use up whatever vegetables you have, pumpkin, sweet potato, asparagus, beans, ANYTHING.

I recommend this serves for 6 as a main course , or about 8 for a side.

INGREDIENTS: 

• 1 lemon 
• 1 clove of garlic crushed
• 3tbs of oil (olive, coconut, avocado, whatever your heart desires)
• 1 eggplant
• 4 carrots
• 2 zucchini
• 2 cups of dry couscous
• 2 cups of boiling water
• 1 jar of pesto (or ¾ cup of homemade pesto) +extra because too much pesto is never a thing
• 100 g of spinach
• 1/2 cup of Sicilian olives

ADDITIONS:

• 500 gram of chicken breast, sliced and marinated in the juice of 1 lemon and 1 garlic clove
• 300g of haloumi, sliced

METHOD:

1. Cut eggplant carrot and zucchini into cubes, place on a tray with some oil, salt and pepper, and roast for 20-30 minutes.
2. Mix couscous with pesto in a heatproof bowl, add boiling water and cover with a plate. Leave for 15 minutes
3. When ready fluff couscous with a fork, on a large platter spread spinach, top with couscous, then roasted vegetables, sprinkle olives, and finish with the juice of a squeezed lemon and salt and pepper.

*If adding chicken: marinate chicken in the juice of one lemon and the garlic (this can be done the night  or a few hours before) then fry in a pan until cooked. Add to the salad before serving

** if adding halloumi, slice and fry in a pan with 1 tbs of oil until crispy and golden on both sides. Add to the salad before serving