Cilantro Haters, I'm sorry I Judged You.

I've seen this situation play out multiple times. I'm at a party, someone grabs a chip and goes for the salsa, then quickly withdraws as they cringe exclaiming "Ewe, this salsa has cilantro in it, I hate cilantro." I secretly judged them, I'm not gonna lie. Cilantro is up there with my favorite herbs. I think it tastes fresh and reminds me of citrus in someway. Because of my love for this little bushel of flavor I never could understand the cilantro haters, nor did I realize how many of them there were. UNTIL NOW! Did you know there are even facebook groups and blogs devoted to hating cilantro!
I just read an article in the New York Times that helped me understand where these cilantro haters are coming from. To them cilantro really does tastes like soap. Its a genetic thing. It isn't that they are just being finicky or difficult, they really taste something completely different than what I experience when I eat the herb. The craziest part for me is that the word coriander is derived from the word bedbug because people have said that the cilantro aroma can be compared to bug infested clothing. WHAT??? Seriously?

Well, I am going to take a moment celebrate cilantro. Did you know that cilantro protects against the salmonella virus?It lowers blood pressure and settles stomach upset. There are other health benefits to cilantro as well google it. I will wrap this up by posting a yummy recipe. To all of you haters, now is your time to check out. Lovers, read on!



Cilantro Jalapeno Hummus

1 (14 oz) can chick peas

1/2 cup cilantro leaves

2 jalapenos seeded

1/4 cup water 2 tbsp. extra virgin olive oil

6 tbsp. tahini

1/2 tsp. sea salt

1/4 tsp. cumin

1/8 tsp Cayenne pepper

3 tbsp. fresh lemon juice

1-2 cloves of garlic ( depending on your love for garlic)

Use food processor to blend chill for at least 30 minutes to meld flavors and enjoy!

Tip: blend cilantro, garlic and jalapeno first until very finely minced, then add other ingredients and blend.