From June to late October, my family receives a CSA (community-supported agriculture) pick-up of veggies each Monday. Supporting our local farm (Old Path Farm of Sauquoit, NY) helps us eat seasonally while also keeping local farms afloat.

This week’s bounty brought cabbage, kale, Bibb lettuce, cucumbers, squash, zucchini and of course beautiful baby carrots with tops! Utilizing all parts of our produce ensures that food waste is kept to a minimum.

Mix this simple dressing into a salad, roasted vegetables, or pasta to add another layer of flavor. You can also dress up shrimp skewers, marinate chicken or use it as a dipping sauce for your favorite raw veggies.

Don’t throw away those beautiful carrot tops!!  Here’s what I did instead:

Carrot Top Pesto Dressing

Yield: 2 cups

1 cup carrot tops (or parsley)

½ cup fresh basil leaves

1 teaspoon fresh lemon zest

Juice of one lemon

½ tsp salt

½ tsp pepper

¼ cup grated Parmesan cheese

¾ cup olive oil (sub: grapeseed oil, avocado oil)

2 cloves fresh garlic

1 Tablespoon Dijon mustard

¼ cup water

Directions:

1. Combine all ingredients besides the oil in a blender. Blend for 30 seconds or until ingredients begin to combine.
2. Keeping the blender on low, slowly stream in the oil and blend for 1-2 minutes or until the dressing becomes emulsified and creamy.

Keep in a jar or Tupperware in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks!