Kale Pesto

prep: 15 minutes

makes about 2 cups 

you’ll need:

½ cup sunflower seeds, shells removed
2 garlic cloves, unpeeled
2 cups Lacinato (aka dinosaur) kale leaves, ribs removed and cut into ¼-inch ribbons
1 cup fresh basil
¾ cup Parmesan cheese
⅓ cup extra-virgin olive oil
salt and pepper to taste

let’s get to it…
Toast the sunflower seeds in a heavy skillet over medium heat, stirring often, for 3 to 5 minutes or until golden. Remove from pan and set aside. Add the garlic to the skillet and toast over medium heat for 5 to 7 minutes or until fragrant. Peel garlic and chop when cool.
Place sunflower seeds, garlic, kale, basil and cheese in a food processor. Pulse 15 to 20 times, using a rubber spatula to scrape sides.
Slowly add olive oil with processor running until blended. Add salt and pepper to taste. Store in an air-tight container.

make-ahead: Spoon the pesto into ice-cube trays; freeze. When frozen, pop out cubes and store in a gallon-size Ziploc® brand storage bag for up to one month.

Hot-To-Trot Brownies

prep: 20 minutes
bake: 30 minutes

you’ll need…
½ cup baking cocoa (like Ghirardelli, Scharffen Berger, Hershey’s)
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon Xanthan gum
1¼ cups gluten-free flour
1 teaspoon cayenne pepper (more or less to taste)
1 teaspoon cinnamon
½ teaspoon salt
3 eggs
2 cups sugar
¾ cup melted butter
1 tsp vanilla extract

let’s get to it…
Move an oven rack to the middle of the oven. Heat the oven to 350°F. (If you are NOT using the Silpat non-stick baking pan, line a 9-by-9-inch pan with foil, with the ends of foil extending over the sides. Spray foil with cooking spray.)
Mix the cocoa, baking powder, Xanthan gum, gluten-free flour, cayenne pepper, cinnamon and salt together in a medium bowl; set aside.
Beat the eggs, sugar, melted butter and vanilla extract together in a large bowl until just smooth (don’t overbeat!).
Stir in the cocoa mixture and blend until evenly mixed.
Spread mixture evenly in pan.
Bake for 30 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out with fudgy crumbs. If using the Silpat non-stick baking pan, let rest in pan 30-minutes before turning over onto a cutting board. Otherwise cool completely and use foil handles to remove brownies from pan before cutting to serve.

Dream Cookie Bars

prep: 5 minutes
cook: 25 to 30 minutes

you’ll need…
2 cups graham cracker crumbs
¼ cup sugar
½ cup (1 stick) butter, melted
1 can (14 oz.) sweet condensed milk (non-fat, low-fat or regular)
1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
1 cup white chocolate chips
1 cup butterscotch chips
1 ½ cup flaked coconut
1 cup marshmallow bits

let’s get to it…
Heat oven to 350°F. Line a 13 X 9-inch baking pan with foil, extending foil over the edge of the pan. Coat lightly with non-stick spray.
Combine graham crumbs, sugar and melted butter together in a small bowl with a fork until mixed. Press mixture into foil-lined pan.
Drizzle sweetened condensed milk evenly over crumbs.
Sprinkle with chocolate, white chocolate and butterscotch chips. Top with coconut and marshmallow bits.
Bake for 25 to 30 minutes or until coconut is lightly browned. Loosen from sides of pan while still warm; cool on a wire rack.
Lift up edges of foil to remove from pan. Cut into bars. Store, loosely covered, at room temperature.