This is not what I had planned on posting tonight… I usually tend to do more elaborate posts on Friday nights…
But you see, I really want to go to bed early and get a good night sleep so that my body is well rested for tomorrow’s big challenge.
While 102 kilometers might sound like nothing to an experienced rider, it IS a heck of a challenge to me and I am really scared. It almost feels like it’s as big a challenge as my half marathon was, except that for my half marathon, I got to train throughout the entire summer and I went there totally prepared.
The decision to tackle the “Laurentians Challenge” was an impulsive one, based on my coworker challenging me to do it.
I feel totally unprepared, but hey… I’m totally committed now, so there is no going back.
He’s picking me up tomorrow morning at 8, so by 9 I should be pedaling.
Hopefully, by 2 in the afternoon, I should be done pedaling, and probably even walking, for the rest of the day!
My fingers should be working fine, though, so I’ll be able to fill you in and tell you how it went.
So anyway, before I go to bed, let me give you this super easy yet super tasty pesto recipe.
Wait… aren’t all pestos super easy and super tasty?
Well, this one is no exception, how’s that?
It’s really super thick and creamy and chunky and yummy!
Oh, here’s a little story on the importance of looking at nutrition labels.
The other day, I found this super huge bag of sun dried tomatoes at Costco that was going for a ridiculously low price. On the bag, one could read that the goods had been “lightly sprinkled with sea salt”
I wasn’t too thrilled about that, but one quick glance at the list of ingredients was enough to convince me to get the bag anyway. All it contained was sun dried tomatoes and sea salt.
At that point, I didn’t feel I needed to read the label, really…
When I got home I was looking super forward to tasting them, so I opened up the bag and grabbed a handful…
“OMG! LIGHTLY SPRINKLED THEY SAID????”, I exclaimed audibly. ”These things are so salty, it’s not even funny.”
THAT’s when I decided to take a look at the label. I was shocked!
Just check it out for yourself: 15 grams, seriously… just fifteen measly little grams of these things contain a whopping 600mg of sodium!!! That’s 25% of your daily allowance.
That’s insane!
I almost chucked them right then and there, but then I figured I would use them “in lieu” of salt in my egg white omelets and various salads.
Needless to say I didn’t add ANY salt to my pesto recipe.
And even then, it’s still WAY salty…
But also way tasty!
Wait ’til you see what I used it for.
Can you say pizza, anyone? – Oh yes I did! – Grains and all! 
And on that beautiful note, I’m going to bed. Wish me luck for tomorrow, guys!
INGREDIENTS
- 2 cups arugula
- ¾ cups sundried tomatoes
- ½ cup walnuts
- ¼ cup olive oil
- 2 tbsp fresh Parmesan cheese
- Salt and pepper to taste
- Juice of one lime
INSTRUCTIONS
- Add all the ingredients to the bowl of your food processor and process until you get a creamy and homogeneous paste, about 1 minute.
- You might have to scrape the sides once or twice.
- Transfer to an airtight container and store in the refrigerator for up to 3 weeks.
- Pesto might get really thick in refrigerator, you can add a little bit of olive oil or water to loosen it up when using.
- If adding water, add only to the amount you are going to be using immediately.
First things first: by the time you read this you will have done your pedalling and I DO hope you will be pleased with your achievement! A very interesting pesto which I shall certainly try! Salt in products: tell me about it, as the saying goes! At very busy or unwell periods have, on occasion, bought readymade ‘home style’ soups from supermarkets, only to discover some may have as much as 1500 mg sodium per portion
! Remember not so long ago buying cannelini beans in tins because of time shortage: the Oz one sort’of passed muster at 400 mg + per portion, the Italian one with the pretty wrapping touted a horrendous 1600 mg +. I’d rather have it tasteless for me to add the flavours: the second tin, salty even after a thorough rinse, sure ended in the bin!!
Thank you much Eha! I am done pedaling indeed and I’m pretty pleased with my achievement. Of course, I’ll fill you guys in in my next post.
And are you serious? 1500mg of sodium in canned soup? OMG! That’s insane. To think that I used to eat that stuff on an almost daily basis! Good thing I pretty much banned all “prepared” foods from my diets. And 1600mg in Cannellini beans?!!?!?!? Wow… I’m thrown! Much better off soaking / cooking my own. Plus, they retain so much more of a bite to them. I can’t stand mushy beans…
Thanks for this great pesto… I think it would be so nummy on pizza… with goat cheese, and fresh tomatoes and then more goat cheese. I can’t wait! All the best on your ride – I know you will do so well and don’t forget to smell those flowers, sweets.
Thanks Cathy! So true about the goat cheese! There wasn’t any on the pizza that I made, but it sure would work incredibly well! And thanks for your good wishes on my bike ride!!! Unfortunately, I didn’t come across any flowers to smell, but I did take the time to enjoy the amazing scenery! Wish I’d had my camera with me!
Bonne chance Sonia! En ce moment, tu devrais encore être sur ton vélo en train de pédaler. The good news is that the weather is beautiful and not humid like previous days, so that’s already something positive!
I hope everything is going well with your défi.
Thanks for this lovely recipe. It will be on my try list for this long week-end.
Bonne fête de la St-Jean btw
Merci Élise, c’est très apprécié! I was indeed pedaling when you wrote your comment… Was probably thinking that I was about to die any minute, or something like that!
The challenge was that… challenging, but it went very well. I shall fill you guys in, probably tonight!
Enjoy the long week-end, bonne St-Jean à toi aussi, and I hope you enjoy the pesto recipe!
You can do it! Have fun with pedaling and good luck
And I like the pesto. I made one out of basil, but I like the idea with tomatoes.
Thank you so much Marta! I truly appreciate your words of encouragement! Love basil pesto too, it’s a classic! So tasty!
Hope the challenge goes well. I’ve made a walnut pesto before and I love the idea of adding some sun dried tomatoes to it.
Hey! Thank you so much Tender! Your encouragements mean a lot to me!
Hope you like the pesto, but wait ’til you see the pizza that it went on… that’ll be music to your ear, my friend! 
Ooh sounds good! Too bad about the salty sun dried tomatoes
thanks for the recipe!
Sonia — Thanks so much for this recipe! I’m experimenting with going off dairy, white flour and sugar for the month, and with some slight modifications (nixing the cheese), this pesto was perfection when married wit h some whole wheat pasta. Warmly, f.
So glad you liked it Felicia! Your pasta looks amazing too! If I did do pasta, I would most definitely use that pesto in them too. Looks DELICIOUS. But I try and stay off pasta, you see… Must’ve been real good, though. Your pictures made me crave a big bowl!
Thanks for sharing the love, by the way. I truly appreciate that!!! 
You bet! I’m going off white so I’m weaning myself off bad flour (I was good for years and got caught in a very bad rut). I do love pasta, but am sticking to more wholesome versions.
I haven’t been using white flour in a long time and don’t miss it one bit. Made the switch to whole grains, it’s SO much better. Tastes better, fills you up way more, and brings so much more to your body. Now trying to keep my grain intake in check though, so limit usage to a minimum. I’m not sure whether I’ll stick with that, though. Still trying to gauge that pros and cons… I sure miss my pasta, let me tell you! And your dish sure made me crave it big time. I might have to have some soon!