So as I’ve mentioned a few times, the Hosmer family has gone to the dark side… of veganism.

dun dun dunnnnnnnn.

It all started when we received some lab results back for Andy that surprised us a bit: high LDLs + low HDLs.

BooHiss.

I told him that we needed to improve his numbers.  –> he agreed.

I told him I would make the changes with him.  –> he thanked me.

I told him that we’d need to start eating very vegetarian…. –> he looked at me like I had about 3 eyes + a frog leg coming out of my ear.

So we …. sort of ate vegetarian.  + sort of worked on fixing those numbers.

A few months later we had another blood test: worse.  Not a lot worse, but not better.

It was at this time that a documentary was recommended to us: Forks over Knives.  [To clear a few things up: 1. we know this documentary had a purpose. 2. we know that all research has a bent… we’re human beings. 3. while we felt that we agreed with a lot in this film, we also felt it left a lot out.]  Basta.  We also decided that it couldn’t hurt to try a change in our diets… + see if it works, right?  So. We dove in.

I’ve been asked quite a bit if we’ve gone all the way.  Andy + I decided that we want our diet to consist of less than 5% meat + dairy.  So, I guess that makes us pretend vegans… or something.  I’m also too cheap to throw away what we have “in stock,” so I am eating up the cheese stuff + meat that we have on hand.

On to more interesting things: the cooking! 

I have definitely been working harder in the kitchen + finding new recipes for our family.  It’s difficult to fall back on “old favorites” when our favorites are approximately a few weeks “old,” at most.

But this recipe?  This one is a new favorite.  I’ve made pesto with walnuts before, when I didn’t have any pine nuts on hand, but on Tuesday I didn’t have any basil around either.  Double fail.  So kale came to the rescue!

I give you… Kale + Walnut Pesto Pasta.  I’ll post the crunchy fairy turd recipe soon. ;o]  I have no idea why I’ve started calling chickpeas fairy turds, but I have.  Not Sorry.

1 box of whole wheat pasta – mine was a 13oz box … and I have about 1.5 cups left over in another bag of pasta.  Very exact, I know.

Kale, remove all the thick stems.  [I think I used about 10 leaves.]

Walnuts [about 1 cup]

UPDATE: nutritional yeast!! I completely forgot that I threw some of this in! I kind of look for any old excuse to use it these days! I used about 3/4 C  [You can get nutritional yeast at Whole Foods, but I like to get mine at our local food coop… as it’s a little less “whole paycheck.” I’m sort of obsessed with it + it’s benefits, and I’ve been using it a lot!]

Olive Oil

Salt/Pepper to taste

Garlic [I used 5 cloves]

1. Fill a big pot full of water. Bring it to a boil + add the kale.

2. Bring it back to a boil + remove using a slotted spoon, etc.  [You want to keep the water for the pasta … OR you can save the water as vegetable broth! + nab some new stuff for your pasta. ;o)]

3. When the water boils again, add your pasta.

4. While the pasta is cooking, put your garlic in a food processor.

5. When the garlic is all chopped up, add a few walnuts at a time.   At this point I should have removed the chopped up walnuts + garlic…added it to my kale in a bow, and then put in small portions together…but I didn’t.  So we’ll make the instructions what you should do, not what I did. 

6. Remove the walnut/garlic “paste” with a spatula + mix it up with the kale.  Update: Add the nutritional yeast + mix together.

7. Grab a handful + put it back in the food processor.  Continue adding until it’s not chopping anymore, + begin adding olive oil.  I just pour a little in as it’s chopping.  You can add as much olive oil as you’d like – I like my pesto a bit thicker.  When everything is blended into the pesto, add salt/pepper to taste.

8. When your pasta is al dente, drain the water + add the pesto to the pasta in the hot pot.  I found that the heat help move the pesto around to coat all of the pasta.

9.  Top with some freshly ground pepper + basil … if you have some! Unlike me. :o[ + some crunchy chickpeas fairy turds

10. EAT!

Husband + 10 month old approved!

I’ll be updating all of my recipes with a PDF to download + print.  Stay tuned!

Also? *standing on my roof + calling all vegans + pretend vegans* Please? have any great recipes to share?  My brain is starting to hurt.  xoxo

xoxo,

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