Lemon Italian Parsley Pesto with Black Butte Reserve Cheese

This Lemon Italian Parsley Pesto is a zesty, flavorful and refreshing pesto.  It’s perfect on a summer day as well as it will brighten up any winter day.

I used a unique cheese called Black Butte Reserve.  It is a hard cheese made only in spring from cows that eat the freshest green grass and is for aged 6 months.  It has flavors of lush green grass and caramel.

This pesto pairs nicely with a white Rioja or a Cava.

Health Benefits:

Italian Parsley has an excellent source of vitamins C and A. The Vitamin A in parsley supports the tissues that line your lungs and promotes eye health.  And the C protects your retinas from the sun that causes free-radical damage. It is rich in lutein, which is an antioxidant that protects against macular degeneration. It is a good source of folic acid that is great for cardiovascular health. It is one of the richest herb sources for vitamin K making parsley great for your bones. The iron in parsley helps get rid of carbon dioxide and brings oxygen to your tissues.  It is an excellent blood purifier with its high chlorophyll content and a good remedy for lung infection or asthma.  It is also rich in anti-oxidants and a good source of potassium, calcium, manganese, iron, and magnesium.

Lemons are great for alkalizing the body even though they are acidic to taste.  They are one of the most alkaline foods, which is great for restoring a balanced pH to the body. They contain 22 anti-cancer compounds; one is flavonol glycosides, which stop cell division in cancer cells.  They are super rich in vitamin C and flavonoids making it a great antioxidant, which helps to relieve asthmaand it helps treat high blood pressure as well.  They stimulate the liver making it a great liver detoxifier as well as cleanse the kidneys and the digestive system.  Lemons help with bowel regularity from the pectin fiber and destroy intestinal worms due to an acidic digestive system.  The citric acid in lemon juice helps to dissolve gallstones, kidney stones and calcium deposits.  Lemon peel is highly potent in phytonutrient tangeretin, which has been shown to help with brain related issues like Parkinson’s. The sugar absorption is slowed down so this is helpful with the reduction of low blood sugar and Type 2 Diabetes. They have powerful antibacterial properties and are great for a soar throat and fight off infections like colds and flus. Lemon dissolves uric acid is helpful in reducing joints and knees pain by reducing inflammation. They also contain calcium, magnesium, phosphorus and potassium.