Carrot top pesto
Growing up on the East Coast of Massachusetts & Rhode Island, there was always an abundance of local produce on farm stands and driveway honor systems around every corner !
I loved getting in my Jeep, top down leaving my coastal bartending job, and stopping at my favorite farm stand for fresh flowers, fruits & veggies before I got home. Ahhh, memory lane. :)
I’m always super impatient come June here in the Colorado Rockies. Where are all the veggies and fruit?!
Well, considering winter lasts roughly half the year here things take a bit longer. And since starting my own garden in Minturn this year, I have an even deeper appreciation for high altitude farmers!
I am so excited to support my dear friend Samantha with All the Good Stuff. She offers CSA boxes with locally baked, grown & grassfed goodness. Her boxes are sold out this year, but she has a farmer’s market store in Edwards, Colorado that has “All the Good Stuff” you love at farmer’s markets year round! Summer is the best because she has local eggs produce & so much more! Be sure to check her out if you live in the area, or even if you’re visiting.
I hope you enjoy this super simple & delicious Carrot Top Pesto Recipe!
Carrot Top Pesto Recipe
1 cup loose packed (washed!) carrot tops, tough stems removed. Be sure to leave out any yellow or browning tops!
1.5 cups tightly packed basil leaves, large stems removed
1/3 cup of pine nuts (Can substitute walnuts, pistachios or cashews)
2 Tbsp of lemon juice
2 Medium sized or 1 Large clove of garlic, peeled
1/2 tsp Celtic sea salt
1/4 cup of Parmesan cheese, plus more as needed (can substitute Nutritional Yeast if making Vegan!)
1/4 cup of Olive Oil, plus more or less as needed
Add all ingredients to a food processor except for the olive oil & cheese
Blend together using a rubber spatula to scrape down the sides until mostly combined
Add in the Parmesan cheese & blend
Slowly pour in Olive Oil while blending, taking pauses to scrape down sides. Add Olive oil until desired thickness & creamyness
Enjoy!
We put ours in a mason jar for later in the week and is great to use on roasted veggies, grilled steak or chicken, or even as a yummy dip for crackers or crudités. Freezes well too! Just be sure to label & eat within a year to prevent freezer burn.
Pro tip: We put our carrots with a bit of the tops submerged in water to keep them fresh until we were ready to enjoy them! This helps stop them from getting flimsy and lasting longer!