Just thought you should know…How to prepare carrot greens! (and why you should!)

As you may know, I belong to a vegetable coop called Seasonal Roots. Each week, I receive a shipment of locally grown fruit and veggies. I automatically get a regular box, which they decide the contents, but you can add items to the box. This week, I added in 2 bunches of carrots, which came with these gorgeous greens still attached! They wouldn’t  fit in my fridge that way, so I chopped them off the carrots. Now, I don’t normally eat the tops of carrots, mainly because the carrots I buy at the store don’t have tops. Anyway, I couldn’t just throw them away, but I wasn’t even sure if I could eat them! So, it was off to GOOGLE for me!

As it turns out, carrot greens are edible, and extremely nutritious. Anything you’ve heard about them being poisonous is false, a myth. They are quite bitter, and bitter is often associated with poison, which is where this myth may have originated.

Why in the world should we eat these lovely greens? Well, they are a bitter leafy green, which is something we need to be eating every day.WHY? (1, 2)

1. Bitter greens are full of vitamins A, C and K, and minerals like calcium, potassium and magnesium, folate and fiber, and low in fat and sodium. Carrot greens, like other bitter greens, are jam packed with nutrients. Carrot greens contain 6 times the vitamin C as the root, and a great source of potassium and calcium.
2. Bitter greens… Eating them activates the taste buds, which stimulates the enzyme production and bile flow, promoting digestion. At the end of the day, the better the food is digested, the more nutrients get absorbed.
3. Bitter greens promote detoxification.
4. Bitter greens balance the taste buds and reduce cravings
5. Carrot greens have antiseptic qualities. (juice and use as mouthwash)
6. They’re packed with chlorophyll,  gives plants their green color. Chlorophyll is a good source of magnesium.

Now, just what is the best way to eat this beautiful greens?

ON TO THE LIST!

Carrot Green Chimichurri

LOVE AND LEMONS

• 1 cup finely chopped carrot greens (preferably organic)
• 2 teaspoons dried oregano
• ¼ teaspoon cumin
• 1 teaspoon ground sweet paprika
• ½ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
• 1 garlic clove, minced
• 1 teaspoon salt
• a few grinds of pepper
• ¼ cup white wine vinegar
• ¼ cup olive oil (a good fruity one)

CLICK HERE FOR THE COMPLETE RECIPE

Grilled Carrot + Carrot Green Pesto +

Asiago Grilled Cheese

HAPPYOLKS

• 1 bunch farmers carrots, greens attached
• 1/2 – 3/4 cup shaved asiago (rBST free!)
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• juice of 1 lemon
• 2 cloves garlic
• salt/pepper to taste
• 4-6 1/2″ slices of sourdough boule
• Butter, ghee, or olive oil for the pan/bread

CLICK HERE FOR THE COMPLETE RECIPE

Carrot Top Tabouli Salad

OH MY VEGGIES

• 1 cup bulgur wheat
• 1 cup boiling water
• 1/4 cup plus 1 tbsp lemon juice
• generous pinch of salt
• 1/4 cup plus 1 tbsp olive oil
• 1 cup chopped cucumber
• 1 cup chopped tomato
• 1/2 cup chopped scalliongreen and white part
• 1/4 cup finely chopped parsley
• 1/4 cup finely chopped mint
• 1/4 cup finely chopped carrot tops
• 1/4 cup lemon juice
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• salt

CLICK HERE FOR THE COMPLETE RECIPE

Garlicky ( Lahsuni ) Moong-Masoor Daal

with Carrot Greens

JAGRUTI’S COOKING ODYSSEY

• 1/2 cup Yellow Moong Lentils
• 1/2 cup Red Lentils ( Masoor )
• 2 cup Carrot Greens washed and chopped
• 8-10 Cloves of Garlic thinly sliced
• 1 medium Onion chopped
• 1 tsp. Ginger and Garlic paste
• 2 Green Chillies slit
• 1 small Tomato chopped
• Salt to taste
• 1 tsp. Red chilli powder
• 1/2 tsp. Turmeric powder
• 2 tsp. Ground coriander and cumin
• 1/4 tsp. Garam Masala
• 1/2 tsp. Lemon Juice or Amchoor Powder
• Pinch Hing
• 1 tsp. Cumin seeds
• 3 tbsp. Oil
• 1 tsp. Ghee

CLICK HERE FOR THE COMPLETE RECIPE

Garden Veggie Burgers

STRENGTH AND SUNSHINE

• 1 Can (15oz) Black-Eyed Peas (no salt-added, rinsed)
• ⅓ Cup Quinoa Flakes
• 1 Cup Carrot Top Greens (chopped)
• ½ Cup Fresh Dill (chopped)
• ½ Cup Fresh Italian Parsley (chopped)
• ⅓ Cup (about 2) Scallions (chopped)
• 1 Cup Chopped White Mushroom
• ½ TB Dijon Mustard
• 1 Tsp Minced Garlic
• ½ Tsp Black Pepper
• 1 TB Red Wine Vinegar

CLICK HERE FOR THE COMPLETE RECIPE

Turmeric Roasted Carrot Soup with Carrot Top Harrisa

WHAT’S COOKING GOOD LOOKING

For the carrot top harissa:

• 1 cup of green carrot tops, chopped
• 1/2 cup of cilantro
• 5 mint leaves
• 1 small garlic clove, sliced
• the juice of 1/2 a lemon
• 1/2 teaspoon of cumin
• 1/4 teaspoon of salt
• about 1/2 cup of extra virgin olive oil

For the turmeric spiced carrots:

• 2 cloves of garlic
• 1 teaspoon of turmeric
• 1 teaspoon of cumin
• 1/2 teaspoon of cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon of kosher salt
• a pinch of cayenne
• 1/4 cup of olive oil
• about 10 carrots, trimmed
• 1 large yellow onion, sliced into thick chunks
• 5 cups of water (or a chicken or vegetable broth)
• *If you’re using water, you will likely need additional salt, about 1/4-1/2 a teaspoon
• juice from 1/2 a lemon

CLICK HERE FOR THE COMPLETE RECIPE

Beet Couscous with Balsamic Glazed Carrots

& Carrot Top Dressing

(I think this recipe could be made with quinoa, instead of couscous.)

For the carrots:

• 7 medium carrots, peeled and sliced into about 6cm long sticks
• 3 tablespoons of melted butter
• ¼ cup of balsamic vinegar
• ¼ cup of sugar
• ½ teaspoon of salt

For the couscous:

• 1 cup of couscous (I would actually use quinoa here instead)
• 1 cup of vegetable stock
• 1 tablespoon of butter
• 1 medium roasted beet

For the carrot top dressing:

• ½ cup of chopped carrot top
• 2 tablespoons of chopped basil
• 1/3 cup of olive oil
• 20gr of grated Parmesan
• 2 tablespoons of white vinegar
• 1 tablespoon of honey
• Juice of ½ a lime
• Salt
• Pepper

Extras:

• ¼ cup of toasted slivered almonds

CLICK HERE FOR THE COMPLETE RECIPE

Indian Style Carrot Greens Stir Fry

SPICE OF GOOD LIFE

• 1 bunch Carrots greens Use the carrots and the greens
• 1 tablespoon Mustard Seeds
• 2 tablespoons Urad Dal (split black beans)
• 7-8 dried red chillies
• 1/2 cup Coconut (scrapped or shredded fresh coconut)
• 1 teaspoon Oil
• Salt as required

CLICK HERE FOR THE COMPLETE RECIPE

Carrot Leaf Parantha

Carrot Greens Furikake

SOURCE:

1. http://www.carrotmuseum.co.uk/carrotops.html
2. https://www.mindbodygreen.com/0-13385/3-reasons-to-eat-bitter-greens-every-day.html