Laura Linney and I cooked up some of my favorite recipes from The Kind Diet the other day for The Oprah Show. Of course I had to make this crostini dish! It’s ridiculously good… Great to serve at your next party, or just to make for a nice dinner at home! The best part is that you can use the leftover pesto and artichoke spread for sandwiches and other meals long after the crostini have been eaten! I urge you to make these… And then let me know how much you love them!
Prep Time: 15 minutes | Cook Time: 15 minutes
Ingredients
3 tbsp olive oil
2 tsp balsamic vinegar
2 tbsp mirin
2 tsp shoyu
1 pinch of salt
3-4 thinly sliced garlic cloves
2 cup thinly sliced leek
2 cup sliced button mushrooms
1 can whole water-packed artichoke hearts drained
1 tbsp olive oil
1 tsp umeboshi vinegar
1 cup fresh basil leaves
0.75 cup raw pine nuts
0.25 cup lemon juice
2 tbsp umeboshi vinegar
0.25 cup olive oil
4-6 thick slices whole grain baguette
Finely chopped flat leaf parsley
Directions
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees,Combine the oil – vinegar – mirin – shoyu and 2 pinches of salt in a skillet over medium heat.
Add the garlic – leek – and mushrooms.
Cover the pan and when you hear sizzling gently shake the skillet- holding the lid in place.
Reduce the heat to low and braise until the leek is quite tender and deeply browned (5-10 minutes)., Remove the lid and allow any remaining liquid to cook off.
Remove from heat and stir gently to combine.
Blend the artichoke hearts – olive oil- and umeboshi vinegar in a food processor until smooth., Remove from the food processor and set aside.
Blend the basil – pine nuts – lemon juice – umeboshi vinegar- and oil in the food processor until smooth.
Adjust seasonings to taste.
Brush the bread lightly with oil on both sides.
Arrange the bread on a baking sheet and sprinkle lightly with salt.
Bake until the bread is lightly browned and crispy at the edges.
Spread the artichoke mixture on the bread and mound the leek mixture generously on top and finish with a dollop of pesto and sprinkle of parsley.
Serve!
Top Photo: Anne Allier
The Kind diet
A simple guide to feeling great, losing weight, and saving the planet
By following The Kind Diet, you will lose weight more easily, your skin will absolutely glow, you will have tons of energy, and you will become more sensitive to all the important things in life – like love, nature, and your deepest, truest self.