PCOS Friendly Kale & Herb Pesto
This vibrant green pesto swaps out the usual pine nuts for a base built entirely around leafy greens, making it a genuinely nourishing sauce you can reach for again and again. Kale gets a quick blanch to soften its bite and lock in that gorgeous color before it's blended with fresh basil, parsley, and bright lemon juice into something that tastes far more complex than the effort involved. The addition of turmeric and optional fresh ginger gives it a subtle warmth that also happens to align beautifully with an anti-inflammatory way of eating — both are ingredients that come up repeatedly when managing hormone-related conditions through food. Extra-virgin olive oil brings it all together into a thick, spoonable paste that's rich in the kind of healthy fats that support balanced blood sugar rather than spiking it. Toss it through roasted vegetables, swirl it into grain bowls, spread it on eggs, or use it as a dip — it's endlessly versatile and keeps well in the fridge for easy weekday meals. Because every ingredient here is whole and unprocessed, you're not navigating any hidden sugars or refined additives that can sneak into store-bought versions.
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Learn more →Ingredients
6 servings
- 2 cups curly or lacinato kale, stems removed, leaves roughly torn
- 1 cup fresh basil leaves, packed
- ¼ cup fresh parsley leaves
- 2 cloves garlic, peeled
- ½ cup extra-virgin olive oil, plus more as needed
- 2 tbsp lemon juice (from about 1 lemon)
- ¼ tsp fine sea salt, or to taste
- ¼ tsp ground turmeric
- 1 tsp fresh ginger, finely grated (optional)
Instructions
- 1
Bring a small skillet of water to a boil over high heat. Add the kale leaves and blanch for 30 seconds, until bright green and just wilted. Drain immediately and transfer to a bowl of ice water for 1 minute to stop the cooking, then squeeze out as much water as possible with your hands.
- 2
Combine the blanched kale, basil, parsley, garlic, lemon juice, turmeric, and ginger (if using) in a food processor. Pulse 8–10 times until the mixture is coarsely chopped and the garlic is broken down.
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