We’ve been busy at the allotment and generally in life.  Hence, the minimal blog posts lately.

Since we started growing our own food and looking after the plot, it has become more and more apparent that we want to edge towards a no waste lifestyle.  With this in mind, we have started to try and use everything from the plot.

When we say everything, we mean EVERYTHING.  This includes carrot tops, stems of vegetables and even some unsuspecting roots of things that would normally go straight on the compost pile.

In trying to use everything, we have come up with a special little pesto recipe which is full of nutrients. It’s got texture, creaminess and an earthy flavour which works as a basic pasta sauce or as a wonderful topping for grilled veg.

 

No Waste Vegan Green Pesto

Ingredients:

1  Brocolli stem

Large handful of carrot tops (greens only)

2-3 Tbsp oil (some for frying, some for the blender)

100ml water

Juice of lemon

2 cloves of garlic

Half cup of cashews or walnuts

1 tsp Salt

1 tsp Pepper

Half cup of nutritional yeast

Pinch of chilli powder

Method:

Chop the Brocolli stem and sauté in oil until slightly browned.

Add the roughly chopped carrot tops and fry until wilted.  This will take any bitterness out.

Next add these and the remaining ingredients to a high speed blender (or blitz with a stick blender).

Check the consistency and add water or oil to thin out the pesto if you want to.  Then away you go! Use at will.

It keeps in the fridge for up to a week.  You can also play around with it, add other things. We’ve added basil and chives as other herbs to the basic recipe to give it a gorgeous aromatic hit. Sometimes though, it’s just as good like a good, old fashioned pesto.

Go ahead and give it a go and let us know what you think.

 

Thanks for reading.

The Vegan Veg Gardeners