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Grilled Cheese Sandwich with Kale Artichoke Pumpkin Seed Pesto

This Kale Artichoke Pumpkin Seed Pesto is a great way to sneak some vegetables into your kids' meals - put dollops of it on top of pizza, inside baked ziti or lasagna, tossed with pasta (use pasta water to thin it out).
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 5 minutes
Total Time 20 minutes

Ingredients

Kale Artichoke Pumpkin Seed Pesto

  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1 cup raw pumpkin seeds
  • 2 garlic cloves chopped
  • 6 cups kale leaves 5 ounces
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon pepper
  • 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
  • 1/4 cup water or more
  • 1 cup cooked artichoke hearts
  • 1 cup cilantro leaves
  • 2 scallions chopped
  • 1 tablespoon lemon juice

Grilled Cheese Sandwich

  • gluten free rolls or bread
  • olive oil
  • low-fat cheddar cheese shredded or sliced

Instructions

Kale Artichoke Pumpkin Seed Pesto

  1. Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a skillet over medium heat and add pumpkin seeds. Saute pumpkin seeds until they pop a little and puff up, about 4 minutes. They do not all have to be brown. Add one chopped garlic clove and cook for one minute. Transfer to a plate to cool.
  2. Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add kale leaves and cook for a minute, until kale loses its chalky taste. Drain well. Place kale, one chopped garlic clove, salt, pepper, extra virgin olive oil, water, artichoke hearts, cilantro leaves, scallions, and lemon juice. Process until smooth, scraping down the sides. Add a little more water if you like a thinner consistency.

Grilled Cheese Sandwich

  1. Spread a generous amount of on one side of roll or slice of bread. Top with a slice of cheese or some shredded cheese. Lightly brush outside of roll or bread with olive oil. Grill on a panini press or in a cast iron skillet until nicely browned on both sides.