Pesto Sauce and its benefits

Ingredients:

3 cups of fresh Basil leaves
1/2 oz of pine nuts
1 1/2 cup of fresh pasley
2 garlic cloves
pinch os salt
1/4 cup fresh grated parmesan cheese
3 tbsp EVOO

Preparation:

Put basil, pine nuts, parsley, garlic and salt in a mortar and pound until you have a thick paste. For those of you lazy like me you can use a food processor. Transfer to a bowl and with a wooden spoon gradually work in the Parmesan cheese, followed by the EVOO to make a thick creamy sauce. 

Pesto is a great sauce to not only add to pasta but to plenty of other dishes. The benefits you may ask? Well herbs and spices are like anti-cancer in a teaspoon! Here are some to name a few!

Basil - This very tasty herb is packed with 2 flavonoids: orientin and vicenin which protectcell structures as well as chromosomes from radiationand oxygen-based damage. Basil has also shown to provide protection against wanted bacteria growth, its also a very good source of vitamin C, iron, calcium and potassium.

Parsley - This is the world's most popular herb and contains 2 special nutrients: volatile oils (limonene, eugenol, myristicini) and flavonoids (apiin, apigenin, crisoeriol and luteolin). Booth have been shown to block tumor formation, protect cells from oxidative damage and increase antioxidant capacity in the blood. Parsley also contains Vitamin C, Vitamin A, iron and folic acid. 

Garlic - A herb rich in powerful sulfur-containing compounds. Garlic is an excellent source of magnesium and selenium and a very good source of vitamin B6 and vitaminC. It has been shown that consumption of garic reduces the risk of cancer for the oral cavity and pharnyx as well as esophageal cancer. It also reduces risk for colorectal cancer, renal  cancer cell and laryngeal cancer.

You might ask why all these facts? I attended a cancer prevention cooking class and I got some very good healthy recipes that will help keep your body on a cancer fighting mood!

Have a healthy day =)

CM

Feta Tabbouleh - Vegetarian

As I mentioned in a previous post I have been doing a 21 day vegetarian challenge. I have kept up with it and surprisingly it has been extremely easy. I am amazed of how much I do NOT need or eat meat at all, it is not hard to make vegetarian choices even when eating out and if it gets tough you always have fish or sushi.

What I've been doing is prepping my veggies the moment I buy them, I put them into ziplock containers and they last forever and my fridge looks extremely organize (tip for my OCD friends out there). The first recipe I will post is one of my favorites, I have added yummy spices and even though I put salt "to taste" you can absolutely go without.

Ingredients:

1 cup of dry bulgur wheat
1/2 cup of scallions
2 cups seeded diced plom tomatoes
2 cups chopped fresh parsley
1 1/2 cups seeded diced cucumber
1 cup crumbled feta cheese
1 cup chopped fresh mint
4 tpsp fresh lemon juice
4 tpsp olive oil
Salt to taste (optional)

Directions:

Cook Bulgur according to package directions, drain and set aside to cool off. In a large bowl combine bulgur, tomatoes, parsley, scallions, cucumber, feta, mint; toss well and add lemon juice and olive oil. I did not add salt to mine and the herbs and lemon juice add plenty of flavor making this dish a very healthy one. Put in the fridge and chill until ready to serve!

Voila!

CM

Trail vs. Treadmill

Yesterday I went again for a run on Peachtree City's running trail with the intention of running 3 miles and again ended up running 6 because I couldn't find the 5K trail. Anyone that knows me knows that I HATE running on the treadmill and will by all costs avoid it, even during the winter. I also rather to run on the cold and hate running during summer, it just makes me slower than I already am, lol!

One of the things that I love about running outdoors is how relaxing it is to just tune in with nature, hear the sound of the birds, the wind, and in Chicago just stare to my beloved lake front while listening to the sound of the waves. Water just relaxed me, Peachtree City's trail is also around lakes and in the woods so its absolutely stunning and totally relaxing.

I finished my run at a pace of 11:45 which I am not to happy about but I have to blame it on the poor mapping of the trail I was constantly trying to figure out which way to go so i wouldn't get lost like the last time. At the end of my run I finally found where the 5K starts so I guess next run will finally be a 3.2 mile run, hopefully this one will be better marked.

At the end of my run  I did a 30 min guided meditation through one of my phone apps and here is a pic of my view, but the best part was my playlist. I've been in a Journey funk and I created a Pandora Music Journey radio and my run was filled with Journey, Pat Benatar, Foreigner, Whitesnake, etc. and oh let me tell you, how I love the 80s/early 90s!

I know... I look like crap... lol! But what can you expect after 6 miles ;)

Until next post,

XOXO
CM

American Reality

I saw this on my friend Jen's wall and how empowering this video is!

I LOVE BEING A LATINA!

American Reality

I saw this on my friend Jen's wall and how empowering this video is!

I LOVE BEING A LATINA!

Milwaukee Mood

Today's words

Jeremiah 29:11
"For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope."

Genesis 50:20
"As for YOU, you meant evil against me, BUT GOD MEANT IT FOR GOOD, to bring it about that many people should be kept alive, as the are today."

Romans 8:28
And we know that for those who love God, ALL THINGS work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose."

If what has happened has not moved us closer to Jesus and made us more engaged in his Kingdom's work, we have waisted our wiring and hindered God's purpose. Everything in our lives happen for a reason, good and bad things have a purpose. Our thoughts toward the events in our lives are the reflection of our faith and our trust in God.