Black kale pesto. Certainly an unusual pesto but full of good intentions. First, it is rich in compounds that are not lost with only a very quick blanching. Many know it as Tuscan kale, the main ingredient of ribollita. It is a long-lived plant; I sow it in the garden and it resists frost very well — in fact it becomes sweeter and more tender; cultivation can go beyond two years and I harvest in all seasons. Right now its flowering also gives me beautiful little flowers to use in my spring salads. You can also grow it in a pot to have an intense and nutrient-rich vegetable at hand like many other cruciferous: vitamins, including K and C, antioxidants and fiber — useful for healthy eating. A quick recipe rich in phytonutrients: 3 or 4 leaves of Tuscan kale, without the central rib, a small bunch of dandelion leaves, 1 green apple, a piece of ginger, 1 not-too-large fresh cucumber. Clean all parts well and juice. Consume in the morning just made to preserve enzymatic properties.

Now let’s move on to the pesto which you can enjoy with spring salads or spread on crostini.