September is Ovarian Cancer Awareness Month. I have participated at this event last year as well and I shall continue to support it because every woman must be aware of this silent killer.
Michelle of Bleeding Espresso and Sara of Ms Adventures in Italy are sponsoring an O Foods Contest. Please see below for the details. Please come and visit here in the next few days, when I shall post some of the recipes I have made featuring my favourite PestO.
CONTEST RULES
O Foods Contest for Ovarian Cancer Awareness MonthSeptember is Ovarian Cancer Awareness Month, and for the second year in a row, Sara of Ms Adventures in Italy and Michelle of Bleeding Espresso are hosting the O Foods Contest to raise awareness of this important health issue.There are TWO WAYS to take part in the O Foods Contest:ONE: Post a recipe to your blog using a food that starts or ends with the letter O (e.g., oatmeal, orange, okra, octopus, olive, onion, potato, tomato); include this entire text box in the post; and send your post url along with a photo (100 x 100) to ofoods[at]gmail[dot]com by 11:59 pm (Italy time) on Monday, September 28, 2009.PRIZES for recipe posts:
- 1st: Signed copy of Dolce Italiano: Desserts from the Babbo Kitchen by Gina DePalma, Executive Pastry Chef of Babbo Ristorante in NYC, who is currently battling ovarian cancer, inspired this event, and will be choosing her favorite recipe for this prize;
- 2nd: Signed copy of Molto Italiano: 327 Simple Italian Recipes to Cook at Home by Mario Batali (winner chosen by Sara);
- 3rd: Signed copy of Vino Italiano: The Regional Italian Wines of Italy by Joseph Bastianich (winner chosen by Michelle).
ORTWO: If you’re not into the recipe thing, simply post this entire text box in a post on your blog to help spread the word and send your post url to ofoods[at]gmail[dot]com by 11:59 pm (Italy time) on Monday, September 28, 2009.Awareness posts PRIZE:
- One winner chosen at random will receive a Teal Toes tote bag filled with ovarian cancer awareness goodies that you can spread around amongst your friends and family.
———From the Ovarian Cancer Research Fund:
- Ovarian cancer is the leading cause of death from gynecologic cancers in the United States and is the fifth leading cause of cancer death among U.S. women; a woman’s lifetime risk of ovarian cancer is 1 in 67.
- The symptoms of ovarian cancer are often vague and subtle, making it difficult to diagnose, but include bloating, pelvic and/or abdominal pain, difficulty eating or feeling full quickly; and urinary symptoms (urgency or frequency).
- There is no effective screening test for ovarian cancer but there are tests which can detect ovarian cancer when patients are at high risk or have early symptoms.
- In spite of this, patients are usually diagnosed in advanced stages and only 45% survive longer than five years. Only 19% of cases are caught before the cancer has spread beyond the ovary to the pelvic region.
- When ovarian cancer is detected and treated early on, the five-year survival rate is greater than 92%.
And remember, you can also always donate to the Ovarian Cancer Research Fund at our page through FirstGiving!
Please help spread the word about ovarian cancer.Together we can make enough noise to kill this silent killer.
Mint Pesto with Almonds and Graviera – Recipe by Ivy
Preparation time: 10 minutes
Serves: 3
Ingredients:
- 2 Cups Mint (only the leaves)
- 2 Cloves Garlic
- 1/3 Cup Olive Oil
- ½ Cup Almonds
- ½ Cup Graviera or halloumi
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 1 Tbsp Wine vinegar
Directions:
- Put the mint leaves, garlic and pulse adding a few tablespoons of olive oil each time and keep pulsing until you get the right consistency.
- Add the almonds and the cheese, vinegar and freshly ground pepper and pulse.
Note: After using the quantity you need you can put the remaining into small Tupperware bowls and store it in the deep freezer for a long time. Thaw a couple of hours before using.
I have made it over and over again with some other minor changes and soon I will post recipes using this pesto.
Tags: Almonds, Awareness, graviera, Italian, Mint, Pestos, Sauces
September 19th, 2009 at 3:22 pm
That is one fabulous pesto! Flavorful!
Cheers,
Rosa
September 19th, 2009 at 5:46 pm
Ivy I see you have used mint in this pesto. I do like the “Greek touches” you have made by including the almonds and the graviera. Brilliant! Can’t wait for more of the recipes!
September 19th, 2009 at 5:47 pm
A little while ago I made pesto with oregano after reading a post where you described it. Now you tempt me with a mint version: will do. Thanks for letting us know about the event.
September 19th, 2009 at 6:12 pm
Oh, Ivy, what a WONDERFUL take on pesto! I have tons of mint right now and I may well try this. YUM.
I have to work on my O foods post, too.
Happy weekend!
September 19th, 2009 at 6:20 pm
Mmm, I’ve never made mint pesto but it sounds delicious! I’ll have to give it a try
September 20th, 2009 at 2:12 am
I’ve made all kinds of pesto but never thought to make a mint one! How delicious!
September 20th, 2009 at 2:34 am
Thank you for sharing this recipe and reminded us, female foodies about Ovarian Cancer!
Hugs & Take care
September 20th, 2009 at 3:40 am
Ivy you are so caring and such a wonderful friend. Your pesto looks delicious, I can’t wait to see the other recipes!
September 20th, 2009 at 10:12 am
Oh this looks heavenly, Ivy! Thanks so much for participating again
September 20th, 2009 at 10:22 am
Oooh, I have some mint in my garden. Looking forward to seeing of some of your recipes to make some. Thanks bringing awareness for this problem, which is an affair of all women. Hopefully the younger generation will be much luckier.
September 20th, 2009 at 11:50 am
Ivy, the mint pesto sauce looks great!
Angie’s Recipes
September 20th, 2009 at 3:07 pm
Very interesting flavours going on here .. i have made pesto with almonds, hazelnuts and walnuts … but never varied the cheese … love halloumi so I will try this out Ivy!
September 20th, 2009 at 4:15 pm
Delicious pesto! And, so many great uses for it.
September 20th, 2009 at 5:34 pm
Thank you Ivy for your neat descriptions and came to know more about macaroni. Very nice of you.
September 20th, 2009 at 5:50 pm
I saw this in FB & had been wanting to come over.. sounds so refreshing with mint!! beautiful.
September 20th, 2009 at 8:16 pm
Hello Ivy, delightful recipes and your previous post on Issioma moved me so much, as my mother is from Ano Karyes and I spent many happy summers there as a child… Thank you!
September 21st, 2009 at 2:19 pm
Hi Ivy!
Thanks for spreading the word regarding ovarian cancer!
I absolutely love pesto!
P.S. The collection of pepper recipes in which you participated is now finally online…you can find it here: http://www.exeigousto.net/2009.....-peperoni/
Cheers!
September 22nd, 2009 at 3:31 pm
What a terrific pesto with mint & almonds, excellent!
September 25th, 2009 at 6:31 pm
Those pictures reminded me so much of rural Mexico, the prickly pears, the cacti, the animals roaming freely, is there a better way to spend a vacation? I’ll try to participate in the event, because good causes are always the more fun
September 30th, 2009 at 10:22 pm
Cooking for a cause is great!!!I love cooking. I will try that one,PestO…yummy!!!!
October 5th, 2009 at 7:50 pm
I love to eat…I think that one is so delicious…I could ask my wife to cook PestO.