I am back, September 14th

　
Food Tip: Find something great you can use all week. I love to have a week that we have a theme. This week’s theme is pesto at our house! It can give you a lot of creativity. I love taking one ingredient and seeing how far I can go with it!

Fitness Tip: Avoid crunches.
You can do crunches all day, but if you have a tummy it does no good. All you end up doing is making your stomach stick out more. Save your time. Do some Pilates (and if you don’t know how, see me) Additionally, running and cardio can work your core if you concentrate on contracting and twisting those stomach muscles. Twisting is key to working those abs.

Presto It’s Pesto
This is the time of the year that basil comes out of my garden like weeds in the Sanford and Son house down the street. In fact, its like a Tuscan tundra out there. Pesto is a wonderful garnish on most dishes. Everyone needs oil for heart health and for joint lubrication. Oil is also a fatty acid which is the primary fuel in cardiovascular exercise. This week is devoted to pesto. Why? I love it ever so. Plus, I totally need to unload some. Today, I am going to teach you how to make the pesto. The rest of the week, I can going to show you how to use it. Pesto is wonderful because it freezes perfectly. Get an ice cube tray, freeze some pesto cubes, and you will have a perfect amount of pesto anytime! I am a genius, I know.
　
INGREDIENTS
¼ cup green pistachios
1/2 teaspoon salt
Pinch of red pepper flakes
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
2 cloves minced garlic
1 sprig of thyme
1 cup basil leaves
1/4 cup parsley leaves
½ of a lemon (zested) you will not need the juice, so save juice for something else
1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
½ part-skim parmesan cheese

Directions
Place pistachios, salt, peppers, garlic, thyme, basil, lemon zest, and parsley in to a blender or food processor. Turn the blender on, and add the olive oil in a slow, steady stream. Continue processing until a soft paste has formed. Do not dump in cheese, rather fold it into pesto. This is key, or else you will have Elmer’s glue!