July 29, 2019
I think it’s safe to assume that a lot of us have grown up (myself included) where we have watched the cooks of our households throw away various different vegetable ends; viewing them as nothing more than waste. Well, I am about to expand your minds here people because low and behold, some of these tasty discards can actually be eaten. Enter the humble carrot top (can I get a drum roll please…?). Yes, you heard me correctly, carrot tops. DO. NOT. THROW THEM. AWAY! They are delicious, versatile, and they pack an impressive punch when it comes to nutrients. Carrot tops are high in fibre and contain significant amounts of vitamins A, C, calcium, and iron, providing health benefits such as boosting immune function to improving bone health.
Besides being incredibly nutritious, these flavoursome greens can help spice up a weeknight meal with very little effort. I myself, am a mother and student and fully understand that time is always of the essence, so for all of you busy people out there, I’ve got you covered. This recipe for carrot top pesto requires a handful of ingredients, a blender, and a container to store it in. That’s it. That’s all. The recipe does call for walnuts, but feel free to use whatever nut or seed you have on hand. The beauty of this pesto is that it is very versatile and almost impossible to mess up, leaving you with a lot of room for creativity. Once you have made it, you can use this on eggs or avocado toast in the morning, over pasta, and even as a salad dressing. Basically, I’ve solved a week’s worth of meal prep with one sauce….you’re welcome!
Without further ado…I give you the recipe.
Carrot Top Pesto
Ingredients
- 1 bunch of carrot tops (greens)
- 2-3 large cloves of garlic
- 1/3 cup lightly packed fresh basil (if you don’t have fresh on hand used a tablespoon of dried)
- 1/3 cup walnuts
- Juice of one lemon
- 3 tbsp nutritional yeast, or to taste
- 1/4-1/3 cup olive oil
- salt to taste
Instructions
- Add all ingredients except olive oil to a blender or food processor and blend to combine drizzling the olive oil in as it processes.
- Stop blending and scrape edges and do a taste test, adjust accordingly, and blend again for a minute to completely incorporate the ingredients.
Enjoy!
