Parsley Pesto

Parsley is a delicious and very nutritious herb. It contains high amounts of calcium, iron, potassium and magnesium as well as vitamin E and C . A half a cup of parsley has more vitamin C than an orange – it could be your daily multi-vitamin! Like most culinary herbs, parsley stimulates digestion and the assimilation of nutrients. Parsley is a gentle diuretic (meaning that it makes you pee), as well as an anti-inflammatory. It assists and promotes detoxification throughout the body. Parsley also helps to relieve water retention, cramps, headaches and other premenstrual symptoms. For nutritional purposes and to treat premenstrual symptoms, aim to eat ¼ cup of loosely packed leaves every day. In conventional agriculture, parsley is a crop that is heavily sprayed with pesticides; make an effort to eat parsley that is grown organically or without the use of pesticides.
 
If you have not always liked parsley, try eating different kinds. Many people who do not like parsley are used to eating curly parsley. Some find flat-leaf (often called Italian parsley) to be more mild and like it better! I usually choose to make this recipe with flat-leaf, Italian parsley leaves, but you can use curly parsley too.
 
 
Ingredients
2 cups loosely packed fresh Italian parsley leaves (larger stems removed)
2 Tbs. pine nuts, walnuts or pecans
¼ cup fresh Parmesan cheese
2 cloves garlic
½ – 1 cup olive oil
salt and pepper

Finely chop the nuts, Parmesan cheese, garlic and parsley and combine all ingredients together in a bowl. Add a pinch of salt and fresh ground black pepper. Pour olive oil over the mixture, stirring continually, until you reach a consistency that you like. You may want to add more or less oil depending on how you will use the sauce.