Kale, Orange & Almond Pesto Spaghetti

Our digestive systems taking a beating these days. Foods laced with artificial ingredients, chemical additives, flavours and colours are commonplace in every kitchen because it's quick convenient and cheap! I'm no different, it's so convenient to buy a bottle of passata or a stir fry sauce to make a quick dinner or lunch. In my practice as a health care practitioner I see not only lots of people with diagnosed digestive problems, but also countless people with undiagnosable "digestive discomfort", including heartburn and indigestion.

If you suffer from symptoms of heartburn, indigestion, lower abdominal pain, flatulence or irregular bowel movements you should talk to your doctor or pharmacist about getting some relief. If they aren't able to diagnose a cause then your best bet is to see an acupuncturist or Chinese herbalist, as they will treat the root of the problem for a more long term solution (disclosure: I'm a doctor of Chinese Medicine!). You should also look at your diet, as in my professional experience it can often be as simple as altering what you put into your body. It may be an intolerance such as wheat or lactose, or it may be time to start reading the labels on what you're buying at the supermarket!

It's really easy to start making a few things at home instead of buying commercial ones full of preservatives and things our bodies were never meant to consume. It only takes a few minutes to make your own pasta sauces and salad dressings. You can even whip up your own smoky bbq sauce in just a minute. Making your own pesto is easy too, and it tastes much more fresh and delicious than store bought. I love the bright green colour when I make my own pesto and the gorgeous fresh taste. It couldn't be easier - just chuck it all in a food processor and blitz it for a few minutes. It doesn't have to be basil pesto, either.You can experiment with different types as well, such as my rocket & chilli pesto and my broad bean pesto.

This healthy, vegan & additive free meal takes only 10 minutes to make. For quickest results, put the spaghetti on to cook and make the pesto in the 8-9 minutes it takes for the spaghetti to cook (varies depending on which type of spaghetti you use).

Kale, Orange & Almond Pesto Spaghetti

Ingredients
400g dried spaghetti
1 bunch kale, washed and stems removed
1/2 cup blanched almonds
2 cloves garlic, crushed
Zest of 1/2 orange (about 1 tsp)
1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
Salt and pepper to taste
Extra olive oil, as needed
Blanched almonds, to garnish

To Make
1. Boil the spaghetti according to the directions on the packet, until al dente.
2. While the spaghetti is cooking, tear up the kale and put it in a food processor with the almonds, garlic, orange zest and olive oil. Process until all chopped up into a paste, you can make it as smooth or as coarse as you like - I like to leave mine a little chunky.
3. Drain the pasta as soon as it is cooked and return to the pan. Add an extra 2 tbsp of olive oil and toss through the pasta. Mix the pesto through the spaghetti evenly, you can add a little more olive oil if you need to to make the pesto mix easier.
4. Lightly toast a handful of blanched almonds to garnish and serve immediately.

Disclosure: This post was sponsored by Gavsicon.