Pesto Sauce made without Cheese.

When you open your fridge and see lots of parsley and cilantro and they are calling your name, what do you do? I prefer to make pesto and use it on anything I like.  I leave out the cheese because I always have extra that I freeze and I can add it later. I do add nuts, olive oil, garlic, lemon and anything that seems like it would be tasty. If you haven’t tried making this without basil, try it. You can add the basil as well. It’s all yummy!

Healthy Salad with Olive Oil and Vinegar

salad, eat your greensThey say eating green veggies are good for you, the greener the better! I prefer to make my own dressing because it’s tastier and much less calories. I also add the above pesto to the sauce when I remember it’s in the freezer so I can defrost it! Funny!

There are people that are allergic to dark green veggies so ask your doctor to make sure you are good to eat dark greens if you have an allergic since I am not a healthcare professional.

Reference: https://www.webmd.com/diet/health-benefits-of-salad-greens

The Benefits of Parsley Pesto

Parsley is highly nutrient-dense and is often considered an underutilized superfood.
    • High in Vitamins: Parsley is packed with Vitamin K (essential for bone and heart health), Vitamin C (immune support), and Vitamin A (antioxidant).
    • Antioxidant Properties: It contains powerful antioxidants that help prevent cellular damage from free radicals.
    • Digestion: Fresh herbs like parsley promote healthy digestion and can help settle the stomach after heavy meals.

The Components of Pesto
A standard pesto uses whole-food ingredients that provide excellent nutritional value, though portion control is important.
  • Olive Oil: Rich in monounsaturated fatty acids, which are fantastic for heart health.
  • Nuts (e.g., Pine nuts or Walnuts): Provide plant-based protein, healthy fats, magnesium, and zinc.
  • Garlic: Contains immune-supporting properties and beneficial antioxidants.
  • Cheese & Herbs: Provide calcium and trace vitamins.

    Cilantro Benefits

    • Nutrient Powerhouse: Rich in Vitamins A, C, and K, as well as minerals like potassium, calcium, and iron.
    • Antioxidants: Contains flavonoids and phytochemicals that fight inflammation and protect cells from damage.
    • Detoxification: Often praised in holistic nutrition for its ability to bind to heavy metals and assist in flushing toxins from the body.

 

The nutritional value of salad greens depends on the variety. Those with red or darker green leaves are generally higher in nutrients and vitamins.

Rich in vitamin A. Vitamin A plays an important role in eye health, cell division, immunity, growth, and reproduction. The daily recommended intake of vitamin A is 900 mcg RAE.

A 100-gram serving of romaine or red and green leaf lettuce gives you more than twice the amount of vitamin A you need every day.

A 100-gram serving of romaine, butterhead, or red and green leaf lettuce has between 370 and436 mcg RAE of vitamin A, or about half (48%-62%) of the vitamin A needed every day.Rich in phytonutrients. Salad greens contain these unique compounds that act as antioxidants. Antioxidants can help prevent chronic diseases. Red leaf lettuce in particular is high in antioxidants. 

Escarole is listed as one of the top 100 richest food sources of polyphenols (another name for phytonutrients). Other salad greens on the list include curly endive, green leaf, and red leaf lettuce.

May help protect your brain. Researchers studied 960 people with an average age of 81. They found that those who ate leafy green vegetables daily had better brain health. The rate of cognitive decline for those who ate the most leafy greens was equivalent to being 11 years younger.

Reference: https://www.webmd.com/diet/health-benefits-of-salad-greens

Reference: https://www.google.com/search?q=is+parsley+and+pesto+healthy&rlz=1C1GCEA_enUS834US834&oq=is+parsley+and+pesto+healthy&gs_lcrp=EgZjaHJvbWUyBggAEEUYOTIICAEQABgWGB4yDQgCEAAYhgMYgAQYigUyDQgDEAAYhgMYgAQYigUyDQgEEAAYhgMYgAQYigUyDQgFEAAYhgMYgAQYigUyDQgGEAAYhgMYgAQYigUyBwgHEAAY7wXSAQk3MDk4ajBqMTWoAgiwAgHxBf61cOnPS3Gv&sourceid=chrome&ie=UTF-8

Reference: https://www.google.com/search?q=is+cilantro++and+pesto+healthy&sca_esv=5bc541a127d402c6&rlz=1C1GCEA_enUS834US834&ei=Eo45aqnKC6q4w8cP5J2FiAI&biw=1500&bih=692&ved=0ahUKEwipm9TAy5uVAxUq3PACHeROASEQ4dUDCBI&uact=5&oq=is+cilantro++and+pesto+healthy&gs_lp=Egxnd3Mtd2l6LXNlcnAiHmlzIGNpbGFudHJvICBhbmQgcGVzdG8gaGVhbHRoeTIIEAAYiQUYogQyCBAAGIAEGKIEMgUQABjvBUjJaFDVU1ipZXACeAGQAQCYAWWgAZAFqgEDOC4xuAEDyAEA-AEBmAILoALEBcICChAAGEcY1gQYsAPCAg4QABjkAhjWBBiwA9gBAcICFxAuGNwGGLgGGNoGGNgCGMgDGLAD2AEBwgIGEAAYBxgewgIIEAAYCBgHGB7CAgsQABiABBiKBRiGA8ICCBAhGKABGMMEwgIKECEYChigARjDBJgDAIgGAZAGDboGBggBEAEYCZIHBDEwLjGgB_EVsgcDOC4xuAewBcIHBzEuNy4yLjHIBx-ACAE&sclient=gws-wiz-serp