Chimichurri Sauce

I first discovered chimichurri sauce in a little Brazilian restaurant on Capital Hill (Seattle) about 15 years ago. It is a delightfully flavorful sauce made with cilantro and parsley that is generally served with red meat. I forgot about this sauce for quite a few years until a local restaurant  in the next town over opened. They have a steak dish with a delicious chimichurri. This coupled with my discovery that we should be eating foods with chlorophyll to prevent cancer risk while eating red meat (go here to learn more), made me decide that I should start making my own chimichurri sauce. Here is my version. Top your grass-fed and finished flat iron steak with it, dip homemade fries in it, or use it any other way that seems right to you!

Chimichurri Sauce Nutrition:

• Cilantro: is a good source of dietary fiber, vitamins A, C, E, K, calcium, iron, potassium, and magnesium. It contains chlorophyll (go here to find out why this is important). Cilantro can help rid the body of heavy metals and can bring down blood sugar levels in addition to many other important benefits. Dr. Axe has a great post on the benefits of cilantro.  
• Parsley: an excellent of vitamin K and vitamin C as well as a good source of vitamin A, folate and iron. Not only does it contain the all important chlorophyll discussed here, it also contains the flavonoids apiin, apigenin, crisoeriol and luteolin. It also contains important minerals such as iron, magnesium, calcium, and potassium.
• Garlic: antiviral, antibacterial, and anti_fungal. Great for immune support!
• Cumin: a digestion boosting spice
• Raw red wine vinegar(with the “mother”): contains acetic acid and polyphenols. Can aid digestion.
• Lemon Juice: Vitamin C, potassium, and B-6
• Olive Oil: one of the “good” fats. Monounsaturated and delicious.

To make Chimichurri sauce, you will need:

• 2 cups cilantro, packed
• 2 cups parsley leaves, packed
• 7 cloves of garlic, peeled
• 1 1/2 teaspoons cumin
• 1 teaspoon fine sea salt
• 1/4 cup raw red wine vinegar
• 3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
• 1/2 cup olive oil

Directions for chimichurri sauce:

Combine all of the ingredients except the olive oil in the bowl of your food processor. Process until fairly smooth. Drizzle the olive oil in while the processor is running. Once combined, allow the flavors to meld for at least an hour or so. Enjoy! I like to top my steaks with it and dip roasted veggies into it. Try this recipe for Grass-fed Flat Iron Steak with Chimichurri Sauce.