Carrot Top Pesto

Carrot tops are highly nutritive, rich in protein, minerals, and vitamins (great source of potassium and calcium + almost 6 times the vitamin C of the root!)

Pesto:

-4-5 cups blanched carrot tops

-4 small cloves garlic

-zest and juice of 1 lemon

-about 1/4 cup mint leaves, loose

-1/4 cup walnuts (almonds, pistachios - whatever)

-1/2 teaspoon chili flakes

-3/4 cup olive oil

-salt and pepper to taste

Wash stems/tops REALLY well, then blanch in boiling water for 30-40 seconds moving directly to ice bath

Add tops, garlic, zest, and lemon juice to food processor, scrape down edges

Add in walnuts, mint, salt and pepper + chili flakes and turn on processor.

With blade running, add in olive oil. Here is where you add more or less depending on your vision for the pesto. Using for grilled veggies? Maybe more oil. Using for scrambled eggs? Maybe a bit less.

I omit parmesan cheese from my recipe because I like it to be a blank slate in my fridge. A base for whatever I’m feelin’.