You know we can’t have an episode about using food scraps without sharing two of our scrappiest recipes. Here we’ve got Meghan’s Broccoli Stalk Pesto, a beloved recipe in her house that not only uses up oft forgotten broccoli stalks, but also the last of that spinach that needs using up. In our newsletter, Stacie is sharing the Pink Milk she mentioned in this week’s episode: subscribe here to make sure you don’t miss out!
If your kids are like Stacie’s and just eat the “trees” (did you listen to this week’s ep yet?!), this recipe is perfect for you. Meghan has been making it for her family for years! Be sure to peel the tough outer layer off the broccoli stalks before using or you’ll never get a smooth pesto. Also, a quick tip: Cook pasta while making this! You can “clean” your blender by whizzing some of the pasta cooking water and use the resulting sauce to dress the pasta for a quick lunch, snack, or dinner.
Spinach and Broccoli Stalk Pesto
- Yield: 1 cup 1x
Ingredients
2 large cloves of garlic
2 ounces Parmesan cheese, grated
1/3 cup whole toasted pecans
3 cups fresh baby spinach
1 cup broccoli stalks, peeled and thinly sliced
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 cup olive oil
Instructions
1. Pulse the garlic cloves, cheese, and pecans in a food processor or blender until crumbly.
2. Add the spinach, broccoli stalks, and salt; process until mostly smooth, stopping to scrape down the sides of the container as needed.
3. With the machine running, add the oil in a slow, steady stream, and blend until smooth.
Pesto keeps well in the fridge, but even better in the freezer. We recommend freezing it in an ice cube tray (and then popping the cubes into a food storage bag) to have easier to manage portions.
