Gluten-free Vegan Eggplant Pesto Pomodoro 

Serves 4

Prep time: 10 minutes

Cook time: 20 minutes

Ingredients:

1 medium eggplant
2-7 cloves of garlic (depending on your taste preference)
1/2 small onion
1 can large can of tomatoes
3 T Olive Oil (Split)
1/4 c hemp seeds
1/2 small bunch of kale, washed, patted dry, roughly chopped or hand torn
1/4 c fresh basil
1/4 c Italian fresh parsley
1/4 c fresh oregano
Sea salt, pepper and crushed red pepper to taste

1 package of your favorite gluten free noodles

Optional: Capers, olives,subbing plum tomatoes for can.

Directions:

Boil water for noodles.

In the meantime, saute 2 T olive oil and eggplant over medium heat, about 5 minutes.

Add garlic and onion and saute until fragrant, about 3 seconds to a minute and a half.

Add tomatoes, salt, pepper, and crushed red pepper. Simmer about 10 minutes.

Add kale and hemp seeds stir in and turn off heat. Add fresh herbs and last T of olive oil.

Serve sauce over pasta. Enjoy!

Notes:

My favorite brand of olive oil is Middle Earth Organics. The flavor and quality are unparalleled. Available at Jimbos (SD), Whole Foods (Indy), or Amazon 

Melissa Schollaert is a Holistic Health & Nutrition Counselor and founder of Real Nutritious Living. Helping others achieve their health goals to attain their healthiest, happiest life is her greatest ambition.