Cilantro Pesto

I know I have posted about pesto before, but this one is a little different with the addition of cilantro. Cilantro is an AMAZING blood cleanser and detoxifier. It helps to sweep heavy metals like lead and mercury out of your system. I have to give credit to my ND, since this was from her blog. I tweaked it a bit cause I don't like so much nutritional yeast in mine. What is nutritional yeast you ask? Nutritional yeast is deactivated yeast, so it doesn't make things rise. It's high in protein, in fact it contains all 18 amino acids, which makes it a complete protein. It is also chocked full of B vitamins. It has a cheesy flavor. I put my finished pesto on zucchini or squash "noodles". Maddy puts hers on quinoa pasta. So yummy and so good for you. Although, as you can see Jackson didn't care for it.....what a shocker:)


Cilantro Pesto
1/2 c. walnuts
2 cloves garlic
1 head of cilantro (leaves only)
1/2 c. basil leaves
1/3 cup olive oil
2 tbsp - 1/4 c. nutritional yeast (per taste)
salt to taste
1/2 lemon squeezed juice

Put walnuts and garlic in food processor till a paste is formed. Add cilantro and basil until all is combined. Add rest of ingrediants until you get the consistency you desire. 

I love ice cream

I love ice cream! I have only had dairy a few times in the last year and both were runs to Kopps for ice cream. I have tried to make dairy free ice cream in the past....which was good, but never as creamy and sweet as regular ice cream...until yesteday! 

So, Jackson is home following his adenoidectomy. I knew that he needed cooling and soothing foods for his potential sore throat. I get the reasoning behind why they tell you to go out and buy ice cream and sherbert but it is a not very well thought up concept. Store ice cream, for the most part, is filled with sugar, artificial sugars, and dyes. Not something I would like to give a child who is trying to ramp up his immune system. Still, I understand the need for cold and creamy so I went to my favorite book.....Nourishing Meals and I made the most creamy, tasty, and cool dairy free ice cream! Today we are trying strawberry but yesterday was chocolate.

Chocolate Ice Cream/Mousse
1 can full fat coconut milk (let sit in the fridge overnight)
2 heaping tbsp cacao or unsweetened cocoa powder
1/4 cup raw honey
1 1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
1/2 avacado

Scoop out hardened coconut milk into a blender. Leave watery coconut milk in can and use in a smoothie or something. The hardened coconut milk will be very thick. You could also substitute a can of coconut cream. Add the rest of the ingredients and blend. Now, you could eat this as is for a pudding, but here is where the magic happens and this is why this recipe is different than the ones I tried in the past. You put the mixture in an ice cream maker for 25 minutes. You could put it in the freezer if you don't have a maker, but it may not have the same creamy consistency. After 25 minutes you have a soft serve texture ice cream. Its best to eat it in one sitting because if it sits in the freezer for longer than 3 hours it looses its creaminess.

Homemade Gatorade

I always think about making my own gatorade when my kid wakes up puking in the middle of night. No time, so I reach for the gatorade. Although, sugar is part of an electrolyte drink, there are smarter options rather than using high fructose corn syrup and color dyes. I finally started making my own electrolyte drinks when I had a little downtime. I am preparing some today for my son. He is having an adenoidectomy tomorrow so I want to make sure ,if all he can swallow is liquid, that it is really able to rehydrate him. I make 2 kinds. A lemon lime one and a berry one. Both are tasty. But, don't be expecting a gatorade taste. With 2 tbsp. of honey, these are not very sweet. They are best served cold. I suppose you could pour these into popscile molds and make ice pops as well.

Lemon Lime Drink
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
1/4 cup fresh lime juice
2 cups water
1/8 tsp. himilayan sea salt
2 tbsp. honey

Blend in blender and store in large canning jars

Berry Drink
2 cups coconut water
2 cups water
1 cup crushed ice
1 cup fresh or frozen berries (any type)
1/8 tsp. sea salt
2 tbsp. honey

Blend in blender and store in large canning jars