Winter Pesto Crostinis

Makes 20 to 25 crostinis

This is a great seasonal recipe that you can eat year round.  It is so flavorful you wouldn’t even know there was no basil in it.  It is also incredibly healthy.

Ingredients

1 cup kale, torn into small pieces and stems removed
1 cup spinach, loosely packed
½ cup parsley, loosely packed
½ cup nuts (pine nuts, hazelnuts, macadamia, any mild nut will work)
1 clove garlic, chopped
1 tsp fresh rosemary, stem removed
1/3 cup freshly grated Parmesan
½ cup extra virgin olive oil
½ tsp salt
Pinch red pepper flakes
delicious bread or crackers (I like a crusty baguette)


Instructions

Prepare an ice bath in a large bowl to cool the kale after cooking.  Bring a pot of water to a boil then add kale and blanch for 4 minutes.  Remove kale with slotted spoon and place immediately in ice bath to cool down.  Once cool, drain excess water from kale.

Add everything except bread and olive oil to a food processor.  Drizzle olive oil into the processor while pulsing.  Do not over process; we’re not making baby food here.

Spoon about 1 tsp of the pesto on each crostini and grate fresh Parmesan over the top.