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                      Presto! It’s Pesto To the Rescue

                      Published by Grace O
                      Making pesto

                      The versatility of pesto can help us all do our very besto when it comes to adding great flavor and big benefits to dishes. Use your imagination and check out the pesto chart along with two of my out-of-the-box pestos that deliver great taste along with powerful nutrients. You can serve these and any favorite pesto over vegetables; pasta; flatbread … whatever you choose!

                      Bowl of Pasta with Pesto Sauce and Grated Cheese

                      Nettle Pesto

                      At the height of allergy season, incorporating nettles into your meals can be a soothing practice offering relief. With research supporting the use of nettles for seasonal allergies and hay fever, this plant contains anti-inflammatory and immune boosting properties (Learn more about the benefits of nettles in our story on them.)It is also rich in vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants. Nettles are commonly cooked into a tea, but they also make a flavorful sauce. Never eat or touch fresh nettles; heat neutralizes the volatile compound that stings so some type of processing is key before you consume them. If you don’t have access to fresh nettles, dried nettles can be ordered online or you might find them at a Farmer’s Market.

                      Enjoy this fresh nettle pesto today on whole wheat or bean pasta or your favorite vegetable noodles.

                      Yields 1 cup
                      Ingredients

                      1/2 pound fresh nettles (or 8 oz. dried)
                      4 large garlic cloves, minced
                      1/2 cup pine nuts (you can substitute walnuts if desired)
                      1/2 teaspoon Kosher salt
                      ½ teaspoon freshly ground pepper
                      1 medium lemon, juiced with seeds removed
                      1 cup extra virgin olive oil
                      1/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese
                      Crushed red pepper flakes to taste (if desired)

                      Instructions
                      Bring a large pot of water to a simmer. Add the nettles directly from their bag and cook, stirring continuously, for 2 minutes to denature their sting. Be careful not to touch dry nettles; use gloves or tongs if needed. Drain and set aside. When the nettles are cool, wrap them in a clean dishtowel and pat out as much moisture as possible. In the bowl of a food processor, blend the garlic, pine nuts, salt, and pepper to a paste. Add the nettles, one handful at a time, and the lemon juice and process until finely chopped. With the machine running, slowly pour in the olive oil and process until smooth. Add the cheese and gently blend into the mixture with a spoon. Season with additional Parmesan and crushed red pepper flakes if desired.

                      kale-pesto-2

                      Kale-Cashew Pesto

                      Cashews are a sweet nut that helps to balance the sharpness of kale. I use Tuscan kale, which is mild and tender. It’s also called lacinato kale, black kale, or cavolo nero. This pesto is wonderful tossed with pasta, quinoa, roasted potatoes, or even spread on sandwiches.

                      This recipe is from The Age Beautifully Cookbook, and it’s loaded with antioxidants (AO), which prevent and repair oxidative damage to cells caused by free radicals. Kale is practically a wonder drug, with all its antioxidant power from indoles (sulfur compounds), carotenoids, quiercetin, vitamin C, and a bonus helping of bone-building calcium. Olive oil is rich in heart-healthy monounsaturated fats and flavonoids. Basil contains lycopene, which appears to be particularly beneficial for prostate health.

                      Yield: I cup

                      Ingredients

                      1 cup tightly packed whole Tuscan kale leaves, without stems
                      2 tsp. salt in a large bowl with water for rinsing
                      1 cup tightly packed whole basil leaves
                      ½ cup unsalted roasted cashews
                      5 Tbs. olive oil
                      1 tsp. crushed garlic
                      ¼ tsp. sea salt
                      1/8 cup grated Parmesan cheese

                      Directions

                      1. Rinse the kale in salted water. Drain and dry with paper towels.
                      2. Place the kale and remaining ingredients except the cheese and 1 Tbs. of olive oil into a food processor bowl, Blend for 10 seconds or until the mixture is granular but not smooth.
                      3. Scrape down the sides of the bowl; add the cheese and the reserved Tbs. of olive oil. Blend for another 6-10 seconds until it becomes an emerald-colored paste.

                      nkpesto_1000dl

                      SOURCE: This chart is posted by permission Delicious Living (and its parent company New Hope Network), a trusted voice in the natural living community for 30 years.

                      Share
                      Grace O
                      Grace O
                      GRACE O is the creator of FoodTrients, a unique program for optimizing wellness and longevity. She is the author of three award-winning cookbooks – The Age Gracefully Cookbook, The Age Beautifully Cookbook, and Anti-Aging Dishes From Around the World. She is a fusion chef with a mission to deliver delicious recipes built on a foundation of anti-aging science and her 20 years in the healthcare industry.

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                      FoodTrients Trademark™ and copyright © 2011-2022 Triple G Enterprises. I Terms and Conditions I Privacy

                      This website is for informational and entertainment purposes only and is not a substitute for medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. FoodTrients – A Recipe for Aging Beautifully Grace O, author and creator of FoodTrients® -- a philosophy, a cookbook and a resource -- has a new cookbook dedicated to age-defying and delicious recipes, The Age Beautifully Cookbook: Easy and Exotic Longevity Secrets from Around the World, which provides one hundred-plus recipes that promote health and well-being. The recipes are built on foundations of modern scientific research and ancient knowledge of medicinal herbs and natural ingredients from around the world. Since the publication of her first anti-aging book, The Age GRACEfully Cookbook, Grace O has identified eight categories of FoodTrients benefits (Anti-inflammatory, Antioxidant, Immune Booster, Disease Prevention, Beauty, Strength, Mind, and Weight Loss) that are essential to fighting aging, which show how specific foods, herbs, and spices in the recipes help keep skin looking younger, prevent the diseases of aging, and increase energy and vitality. Grace O combines more exotic ingredients that add age-fighting benefits to familiar recipe favorites.

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