Spring time is just the best time for everything. Isn’t it? I spring to life myself and get excited about all sorts of little things, hanging laundry to dry in the fresh warm breeze, watch the leaves uncurl day by day, listen for the sweetest birdsongs I could ever imagine.
Spring cooking is also taking on a new and fresh boost of excitement. And even though our Canadian soil isn’t growing much just yet, (ok, it’s growing nothing.) I’m happy to see Spring foods popping up in my favourite grocery stores. There’s something so natural about eating more veggies in the spring making healthier eating even more accessible and simple.
This recipe for Kale Pesto Baked Zucchinis is one great dish that is both very healthy and surprisingly very simple to make and is nice to present even if it’s just a small family dinner or a spring party.
I am so excited to share this amazing dish with you! My husband is a really ‘nice’ guy and compliments a lot of my cooking, but this by far apparently exceeded his expectations. He couldn’t keep quiet about how amazing this dish was – (not his style at all, trust me!) So with the Mr.’s stamp of approval – the carnivore in the family – this is awesome! ;)
I often hear little tiny gasps when people hear vegan AND gluten-free cooking…. but you know I love vegan and gluten-free recipes. There’s so much variety and the recipes get so much more fun and inventive this way!
KALE PESTO BAKED ZUCCHINI
(vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free, wheat-free, dairy-free, soy-free, nut free
~ very allergen friendly + very healthy + delicious)
Ingredients:
2-3 large organic zucchinis/courgettes
2 large organic tomatoes, cut into small cubes
1/2 cup gluten-free bread crumbs
fresh basil leaves for plating
Kale Pesto Ingredients:
2 leaves of organic kale
roughly 1/2 cup loosely packed basil leaves
1/3 cup mix of pine & brazil nuts (or just pine nuts for a more traditional taste)
4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil + extra for pan and drizzling on top
pinch of sea salt
1 1/2 cloves of garlic
fresh cracked black pepper
Directions :
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
Clean and dry the zucchini and slice lengthwise in half. With a spoon or ice cream scoop (because that’s more fun!) scoop out the soft inner flesh. Oil all over and set aside. (place the scooped out zucchini into a large mixing dish for later.)
For the Kale Pesto, combine all ingredients : kale, nuts, olive oil, sea salt, garlic in a food processor. Mix for a few minutes to form a pesto, being sure to stop, turn off the mixer and scrape down the edges halfway in between mixing.
In a large mixing bowl, chop the zucchini flesh into small pieces add in diced tomatoes and kale pesto and mix with a wooden spoon to combine all the ingredients together. Season with extra salt and pepper if needed. Fill the tops of zucchini with the mixture, sprinkle with bread crumbs and place in the oven for about 45 minutes.
Serve with a lentil pasta dish. Yes, pasta from lentils ;) (That beautiful recipe is coming up soon!). Or another protein rich grain such as wild rice or quinoa.
Quick Version ~ skip the homemade pesto if you must and purchase a good quality organic vegan pesto and add 1 or 2 leaves of kale into the recipe, just be sure to chop it very fine.
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I love anything zucchini + pesto + kale and I had a feeling this would be yummy ~ try this combination of flavours and let me know what you think ;)
What spring-time food is your favourite ingredient to cook with?
Blogger, Recipe Developer, Photographer and Author. Loves healthy food, photography, sunshine and dancing in the kitchen with her two daughters. 
Lovely recipe Ella! When we were in Canada we bought pasta made from lentils at a St Jacob’s Farmers Market and brought it home but I never managed to cook it right it just went into a big sloppy mess! Looking forward to your post about lentil pasta!
Hi Vicky!
Thanks so much for your lovely comment ;)
Lentil pasta is so very new to me I just discovered it about a week ago ;) It’s amazing but there’s a bit of a trick to boiling it. Sorry about your lentil slop! ;) I would still eat it ;)
I hope you are well, the weather here is just so beautiful ~ you would have loved it here at this time of the year ;) Sending big hugs. xox Ella
Hi Ella,
That looks absolutely stunning! Truly a feast for the eyes even before it can reach the tastebuds. Wonderful recipe!
Thank you so much Bar! ;)
What an incredible compliment ;)
I think eating with out eyes first is so important to the whole experience and enjoyment of food… even before blogs were around, I really liked my dishes to be presented nice with a little garnish and last details – so this is just wonderful that I can create yummy things and share them with others now ;)
So thank you again for your visit and lovely comment ;) I hope you’ll enjoy this and other recipes from Pure Ella *hugs* ~ Ella
Yum!!! I am making this for dinner asap :)
Thanks Gabby! You will love it ;) Enjoy!
Thanks for stopping by ;)
Darn, I think I miss my Potluck Parties! ;)
Oh how I’ve absolutely missed catching up with you! This is a great post to pop in on though…looks so delicious and appropriately…pure! =) And your photography is stunning as usual. I feel like I’m always saying that, but I am really always blown away.
Hi Clair! ;)
I missed you too ;)
Thank you so much ~ happy you like the photos ;)
I love everything you do so the inspirations go both ways ;)
*hugs* ~Ella
Hi Ella,
This is such a beautiful recipe. Your photos are magical. They really put a smile on my face today. I am featuring this fabulous recipe tonight on AFW. If you could, please add our link back in the post that would be super! Thanks so much lovely lady.
xo,
–Amber
Link: http://www.thetastyalternative.com/2013/05/allergy-free-wednesdays-week-66-may-15.html
Thank you darling! ;)
I just gave a shout out to you and Laura on Facebook ;)
Sending big hugs! xo Ella
Drooling over this incredible dish Ella! Wow, what fabulous combinations. Featuring your dish as well on AFW this week :)
Thank you miss Laura ;)
I just have a shout out to you and Amber on facebook ~ you ladies are just the best ;)
xo
Ella
Hi Ella! I’m so glad I found your blog (over from AFW)! Seriously your photos are breathtaking – artistic, clean, and colorful!! This recipe is right up my ally too. I love anything with kale! :)
Hi Gabriela,
So nice of you to visit and leave such a lovely comment! Thank YOU!
I love your blog too and it’s so amazing to see your ladies now eating and sharing such great healthy food! You go girl!
xo
ps. I love your name too ~ my daughter’s name is Gabriella ;)
SO good… Good kale is hard to come by in my area, so I had to go with spinach tonight, but anytime I can get fresh kale I will be making these :D Thank you so much!!!
Steve, thanks for your alternative tip! ;) Spinach would be fantastic – I will try that next time ;)
Thanks so much. Happy you enjoyed a great dinner ;) Cheers!
Made this tonight with spinach instead of kale (because it’s what I had!) and it was AWESOME! Thanks for the recipe. :)
Yay! So happy to hear that Ashley ;) Awesome! Thanks for letting me know – sure put a smile on me ;) xoxo Ella
I made this tonight with a gargantuan zucchini from the garden and it was wonderful! I quartered the zucchini and made four “boats”. The only change I made was that I added some mozzarella and Parmesan cheese. We are also trying to heal with food and this is a delicious way to do it!
“roughly 1/2 loosely packed basil leaves”
Is this a 1/2 Cup of leaves?
Thanks!
Thanks for your question Jamie.
Yes, 1/2 cup leaves, stems removed. Thanks for pointing that out! I will edit the recipe to include ‘cup’ ;)
Thank YOU and let me know how you like this recipe ;) Cheers! ella
Not the biggest zucchini fan but this looks like it would be able to sway me to the zucchini side.. It passes my eye test