Kale and Walnut Pesto

Image and recipe from Love And Lemons

Small bunch of kale (4-6 leaves, remove the thick part of the stems*)
1/4 cup walnuts, toasted
1/2 to 1 clove of garlic
1/4 cup olive oil (or more for a smoother pesto) Juice & zest of one lemon
Salt & pepper to taste
Optional: grated parmesan or pecorino cheese

1. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Fill a large bowl with ice and water.
2. Blanch kale for about 30 seconds, remove and place in the ice bath to stop the cooking process.
3. Dry the kale a bit, squeeze out some of excess water and set on a towel for a few minutes more.
4. Blend everything together in a food processor. Pulse to create a chunky pesto, blend longer to create a smoother one. Taste and adjust, adding more salt, pepper, lemon, olive oil, as necessary.

Note: you can use all of the kale stems in your pesto, you will just have to boil them longer (separately) than the leaves. About 20 minutes, or until tender.