No Waste Maple Roasted Carrots with Carrot Top Pesto

Maple Roasted Carrots with Carrot Top Pesto

Makes 4 – 6 servings, as a side dish

Maple Roasted Carrots

3 pounds carrots, with tops

2 tablespoons olive oil

2 tablespoons pure maple syrup

1/2 teaspoon sea salt

½ teaspoon freshly cracked black pepper

Pesto

3 garlic cloves, peeled 

3 tablespoons peanuts

2 cups carrot tops (reserved from above)

½ cup fresh basil leaves

¼ cup grated parmesan cheese

½ cup extra-virgin olive oil

Juice of 1/2 a lemon

Sea salt and cracked

1. Preheat an oven to 350 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
2. Remove the carrot tops, leaving about 1 ½ inches of green remaining on the carrot itself (because it just looks baller). Coarsely chop the carrot tops, then measure out 2 cups for the pesto (save any extra tops for more pesto, homemade stock, etc). Scrub the carrots (do not peel) and dry them thoroughly. In a large bowl, toss the carrots with the olive oil, maple syrup, salt and pepper, then spread out in a single layer on the prepared baking sheet. Roast for 25- 30 minutes, or until fork tender, turning halfway through.
3. While the carrots are roasting, make the pesto. In a food processor, combine the garlic and peanuts and pulse until finely chopped. Add the reserved carrot tops, the basil, and cheese, and pulse for 1 minute, until finely chopped. With the food processor running, slowly stream in the olive oil until combined, scraping down the sides as necessary. Squeeze in the lemon juice, and when the pesto is smooth, transfer to a serving dish and season with salt and pepper to taste.
4. Serve up the roasted carrots and pesto with your favorite main course dish, or by itself as a summer time snack. Awesome.

Note! This recipe makes leftover pesto. Perfect with your morning eggs, on pizza, on pasta, over steak – you name it!!