Kale and spaghetti squash with radish leaf pesto

When I get a CSA box I really hate throwing things away. So when I cut the radishes up I wanted to know if I could use the leaves for a pesto sauce. So I made the pesto recipe below with a couple of modifications. I also added some spaghetti squash, kale, celery, onions, garlic, tomatoes and a little bit of goat cheese.

Radish Leaf Pesto

- 2 large handfuls of good-looking radish leaves, stems removed. I also added a little bit of basil leaves too in case the radish leaves were bitter. (They weren't.)

- 30 grams (1 ounce) hard cheese, such as pecorino or parmesan, grated or shaved using a vegetable peeler

- 30 grams (1 ounce) nuts, such as pistachios, almonds, or pinenuts (avoid walnuts, which make the end result too bitter in my opinion). I used pinenuts because I love the taste, though they can be costly.

- 1 clove garlic, germ removed, cut in four

- a short ribbon of lemon zest cut thinly from an organic lemon with a vegetable peeler (optional). I just added a little lemon juice instead.

- 2 tablespoons olive oil, plus more to get the consistency you like. I used a cup of olive oil as other recipes have called for.

- salt, pepper, ground chili pepper. I never salt or pepper anything.

Put all the ingredients in a food processor or blender or mini-chopper, and process in short pulses until smooth. You will likely have to scrape down the sides of the bowl once or twice. This produces a thick pesto; add more oil and pulse again to get the consistency you prefer. (This can also be done with a mortar and pestle; it's great for your karma and your triceps.)
Taste, adjust the seasoning, and pack into an airtight container (I use a recycled glass jar). Use within a few days (it will keep longer if you pour a thin layer of oil on the surface) or freeze.