Carrot Top Pesto Pasta with Zucchini Noodles

When it comes to cooking, Mama Lin has taught me many things: how to pleat potstickers like a pro, how not to overcook my bok choy (she’s particularly picky about this), and how to peel an orange in less than 15 seconds. The most valuable lesson she’s taught me, though, is to be resourceful with my food. If you’ve ever met Mama Lin, you’ll know that she hates food waste. She saves the bones from a feast for soup broth; she dries pomelo skins to concoct a tasty herbal tea. Now that I’ve become my own cook at home, I’ve tried to adopt these lessons about being resourceful with food to my own cooking. That’s why I’m partnering with Earthbound Farm today to celebrate Earth Month and to show how to make the most out of the food we buy.

Spring Pasta with Carrot Top Pesto - easy gluten-free, vegetarian dinner in 30 minutes! by @healthynibs

A lot of you may know this already, but food waste is a big problem in the U.S. I’ve read reports from the USDA that food waste amounts to 30 to 40 percent of our food supply! It boggles my mind that we’re spending so much time and resources to food that doesn’t end up being consumed. That’s why I want to share a few creative recipe ideas to make the most out of our food and to do our part to limit the amount of food we throw away.

I love buying bunches of carrots at the farmers market, particularly because they come with those beautiful green tops. I know a lot of people (including my sister—tsk, tsk) who toss those greens away, but they’re great in an herb soup or a pesto sauce! Besides flavoring pasta dishes, the carrot top pesto is amazing on top of a pizza, too.

Aside from carrot tops, I’ve also included a handful of salad greens in this pesto. If you’re like me, you’ll open a package of salad greens in the beginning of the week, only to forget about it for days. By the time you dig out that package from the back corner of your fridge, you realize that the greens look less than optimal for a salad. Instead of just tossing them away, throw them into a green sauce or sauté them with other vegetables. They’ll add an extra bit of nutrition to whatever you’re eating.

Let’s do our part to try to lower the amount of food waste by making simple changes to the way we cook. Every bit of our efforts can add up to make a big, positive impact to our food systems, and, ultimately, our earth. To get more tips on how to make more earth-friendly food choices, visit Earthbound Farm’s website and take their “How green is your cart?” quiz! For every quiz taken, Earthbound Farm will plant a tree (up to 20,000)! Isn’t that cool? Also, at the end of the quiz, you’ll get a $1 coupon that can apply to any Earthbound Farm product. Be sure to check it out!

Carrot Top Pesto Pasta with Zucchini Noodles - easy gluten-free, vegetarian dinner in 30 minutes! by @healthynibs

MASTER MY MISTAKES / COOKING NOTES

Did you say miso in the ingredients? Yes! I love adding miso to my pesto sauces because it adds an umami flavor. If you don’t have any around, leave it out and just add salt.
Rinse carrot tops thoroughly: A lot of dirt gets trapped in carrot tops, so be sure to rinse them thoroughly!
Refrigerating the Pesto: The pesto does start to turn brown at the top after a day. Just give the sauce a quick stir before using it, and it should look green again.

If you try this recipe, let me know how it goes by leaving a comment or sending me a message. Take a photo of the food and tag me on Instagram so that I can give you a fist bump. Seeing your creations makes my day!

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Author: Lisa Lin