No Waste Recipe: Kale Stem Pesto
If you love delicious culinary crafted meals, you know that sourcing quality local ingredients is a must! Regardless of where you fall on the chef – foodie meter, you have a fantastic pallet for flavor that’s kept spunky by the farm fresh food that brought you here, and keeps your motor running! Scientific research has found that flavor reveals the amount of nutrients enriching your food. The things that make us love food are the same things that make them food for us! That’s a given, but where I continually fail in the kitchen, is in mastering of art of leaving no ingredient behind. I must admit, I throw away way too many fallen soldiers that my local farmer’s labor of love raised up disease fighting strong!
As the winds of change blow with hurricane force on our economy, my lackadaisical attitude is being blown aside. There are little things we can do to fight inflation, and tackling food waste is a productive place to start. I’ve decided to spend less time on my phone, and invest my time more wisely, and learn the practice of a new skill that results in the stretching of my dollars.
Cutting down on food waste, and maximizing what we already have on hand, not only means less to buy, but more food character we’re able to build into our lives. And excellent environmentally responsible habits to pass down to our children and future generations.
I’ve heard a lot of good things from professional chefs about making Pesto from throw aways like Kale Stems, Carrot tops & Tomato leaves, so that’s where I’ve decided to begin my journey to eliminate food waste. Are you ready to tackle a new culinary adventure and craft a new habit with me?
Awesome! Let’s begin!
Kale Stem Pesto
From: The CSA Cookbook by Linda Ly
Makes 1 1/2 cups
*This recipe can also be used with other neglected stems, such as collards, cauliflower or broccoli.
Ingredients:
1 cup chopped kale stems
1/2 cup packed fresh parsley with stems
1/2 cup toasted walnuts
3 garlic cloves
1/2 teaspoon Himalayan or Sea Salt
1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
Zest of 1 lemon
1/4 to 1/2 cup olive or avocado oil
Directions:
Add all the ingredients except the oil to a food processor and pulse until crumbly, scraping down the sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula, as needed. Continue pulsing and add the oil in a slow, steady stream until well blended to your liking (super smooth or with a bit of texture).
For a thick paste that you can spread onto sandwiches and pizza, use only 1/4 cup oil. For a thin sauce that you can stir into pastas and soups, use a full 1/2 cup.
Give thanks, and enjoy!
For more information about cooking with your CSA:
Visit our BLOG and visit our Recipe Blogger’s Websites:
BuenQamino Gluten-Free and Health-Conscious Food, Travel + Lifestyle
Be sure to check out these other amazing resources:
CSA Cooking Class 1: Tips and Tricks of a CSA
Boundless Guide: How to Get the Most from your CSA
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