Turnip Top Pesto
I hate seeing vegetables go to waste! Lots of the “scraps” that we compost or garbage can still be used in broths, sauces or as added flavour, which reduces waste and saves you money. Lots of these leafy parts of vegetables that we generally discard are packed with nutrition, so do not waste them! The tops of beets can be used in salads, apple peels can be turned into apple cider vinegar, grape leaves can be rolled with rice and radish, turnip and carrot tops can be made into a zesty pesto. I have made a radish top pesto with parmesan cheese and it was delicious! In this version I have made it dairy-free and it is still super tasty and enjoyed with fresh veggies, or spaghetti squash. All you need is a food processor or a high speed blender and you can whip up delicious pesto in minutes.
Turnips are part of the cruciferous vegetable family so by eating the greens you are benefitting your liver by adding sulphur compounds that aid in detox. These greens are also bitter, which aids in fat digestion and alkalizing the body. Turnip greens contain high amounts of the minerals calcium, iron, magnesium, phosphorus and potassium and many vitamins including C, A, K and folate. This recipe is with raw greens to keep the enzymes active and again, promote liver health. I have added fresh lemon and garlic which support immunity and detoxification, fresh rosemary as an antioxidant and nutritional yeast for a “cheesy” flavour and a source of vitamin B12. Nutritional yeast is great for vegans and vegetarians because they are at a higher risk of being B12 deficient, as this nutrient is generally found in animal products. If you are very low energy and vegan or vegetarian make sure to check B12 and iron levels that may be lacking. If you consume dairy you could opt to sub out the nutritional yeast for parmesan cheese - I have tried both ways and approve both.
Turnip Top Pesto
Ingredients
3 cups turnip greens - chopped
1/4 cup walnut pieces
1 lemon - juiced
2 cloves garlic
3 sprigs of rosemary (or 2 tsp dried)
2 tbsp nutritional yeast
3 tbsp olive oil
salt and pepper to taste
1-3 tbsp juice from fermented vegetables (optional)
Directions
Place all ingredients in a food processor or high speed blender and blend until smooth
Add a little more oil or juice from fermented vegetables (or water) if needed
