Spaghetti Squash with Carrot Tops and Pumpkin Seeds Pesto

Do you usually discard the carrot tops when you buy them at the farmers market? Next time when you buy fresh, organic, and young carrots (they are the best in late summer and early fall), wash them thoroughly (soak them and change the water a few times to remove any sand and soil), remove the stems and use the greens to make delicious pesto. The greens have six times more vitamin C than the carrots and a good amount of potassium, calcium, phytonutrients, and fiber. And you don’t need to pay extra!

Recipe

Ingredients:

• 1 small spaghetti squash seeded, backed, and scooped (about 4 cups of spaghetti)

  For Pesto Sauce:

• 1 cup packed organic carrot tops, stems removed (about 1 bunch)

• 2 Tbsp chopped parsley

• 1/2 cup raw pumpkin seeds, soaked for a minimum one hour

• 1/2 cup EVOO (Extra Virgin Olive Oil)

• 1/2 lemon, juiced

• 1 garlic clove

• salt

• pepper

• smoked paprika

• parmesan cheese, or nutritional yeast (optional)

Method to make Pesto:

• Place all ingredients, except paprika and parmesan cheese, in the food processor or a high-speed blender.

• Blend until well combined, creating a unique, slightly coerced texture. (This pesto is thicker than a traditional basil one.)

• Mix a good amount of the pesto with baked spaghetti squash and keep the rest in the fridge for up to one week.

• Sprinkle the top with smoked paprika, parmesan cheese, or nutritional yeast.

• Serve right away.

Health facts:

• Low sugar

• High fiber

• Good source of vitamin A, C, and K

• Rich in magnesium, iron, calcium, and potassium

• WFPB (Whole Food Plant Based)

• Gluten Free