Cilantro Pesto Removes Heavy Metals & Health Benefits

'After taking a closer look, Dr. Omura found these organisms seemed to hide and flourish in areas of the body where there were concentrations of heavy metals like mercury, lead, and aluminum. Somehow the organisms were able to use the toxic metals to protect themselves from the medicine. While he was testing for these toxic metals, Dr. Omura discovered that the leaves of the coriander plant (cilantro) could accelerate the excretion of mercury, lead, and aluminum from the body.

This came about accidentally when he noticed that mercury levels in urine increased after an individual consumed Vietnamese soup. The healthy soup contained coriander, or, as it is better known in this country, cilantro. And when cilantro was used concurrently with natural antiviral or antibiotic agents and/or omega-3 fatty acids, the infections could be eliminated for good.'


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Pumpkin Seed Pesto

 Source: Whole Foods


Makes about 2 1/2 cups 

This thick and fragrant pumpkin seed pesto, featuring roasted pumpkin seeds, olive oil, cilantro and garlic, is a versatile sauce for your repertoire. Try this pesto as a spread on sandwiches, tossed with hot pasta or served over roasted or steamed vegetables.

Ingredients 

2 cups unsalted hulled (green) pumpkin seeds 6 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided Salt and pepper to taste 1/4 cup water 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice, or to taste 3 garlic cloves 1 cup roughly chopped fresh cilantro 

Method

Preheat oven to 375°F. Toss pumpkin seeds with 2 tablespoons of the oil and salt then spread out in a single layer on a large baking sheet. Roast until seeds are puffed and fragrant, 10 to 15 minutes, then set aside to let cool. Combine seeds in a food processor with water, lemon juice, garlic, cilantro and remaining 4 tablespoons oil. Pulse until mixture forms a coarse paste then season with salt and pepper. 

Cover and chill until ready to use.

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Preserving Basil

Fresh Clips: Preserve Basil Like a Pro

By Kris Wetherbee

'Basil is easy to grow, but keeping that fresh spicy-sweet flavor intact is not so easy … unless you know a few vital tips and shortcuts.

• Frequent harvesting is key to luscious, flavorful leaves. Start by pinching the stemless and succulent cluster of new leaves at the top of a shoot above the leaf nodes (the joint in the stem where leaves grow) when plants reach 6 to 8 inches tall. At 12 to 18 inches tall, cut the plant back by two-thirds every three to four weeks. This will result in a multi-stemmed, bushy plant full of harvestable leaves.

• When storing basil, forego the refrigerator as the cold can cause leaves to blacken. Instead, keep basil fresh like you would cut flowers—in a glass of water on the kitchen counter. Change the water in your basil bouquet daily and you can keep the fresh flavor going for up to 10 days.

• Blessed with a bounty of basil? Freeze the excess in ice cube trays. Finely chop leaves (or puree in a blender) and mix with water, broth or olive oil. Then fill ice cube trays with the paste and freeze. Once the cubes are frozen, you can pop them out and transfer the basil pops into a zip-top freezer bag for easy storage. Drop a frozen cube or two into simmering soups and stews or to bring a touch of summer flavor to winter stir-fries and sautés.'

Source: The Herb Companion

Fresh for the Pesto Garden: Classic Pesto

photo credit: Happy Chicks Adventure to Sustainable Happiness

By Kris Wetherbee


Makes about 1 cup

This is the classic, fresh sauce that originated in Genoa, Italy. For best results when freezing this pesto, omit the cheese and add it later when the pesto is ready to be used.

· 2 cups fresh basil leaves, lightly packed
· 1/3 cup pine nuts
· 2 large garlic cloves, peeled
· 1/2 cup freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
· 1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
· Salt, to taste
· Freshly ground pepper, to taste

1. Combine the first four ingredients in a food processor and pulse until coarsely chopped. With the machine running, slowly add the olive oil to create a fine paste.

2. Season with salt and pepper and serve immediately.

Editor's Note: You can freeze several batches of garden fresh, homemade pesto for later use.

Source:Herb Companion

How to Freeze Fresh Basil

Source: Kalyn's Kitchen

'I pinch off all the basil leaves, discard the stems, and wash the leaves very well in a salad spinner. Spin them as dry as you possibly can. If you don't have a salad spinner, just wash your basil leaves in the sink and dry them well with paper towels.'

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