Getting food from the farm to our fork eats up 10% of the total U.S. energy budget, uses 50% of U.S. land, and swallows 80% of all freshwater consumed in the United States.
That’s the statement by Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC) scientist and “food waste warrior” Dana Gunders that begins Wasted: How America Is Losing Up to 40 Percent of Its Food from Farm to Fork to Landfill (full PDF).
Forty percent?
The mission of this blog is to build community at the intersection of health and sustainability, and Gunders makes an excellent point in the publication above that “even the most sustainably farmed food does us no good if the food is never eaten.” So what are some steps that we (as health-conscious, sustainable-supporting home cooks) can take to reduce the staggering amount of food and therefore resources that are never put to good use? There are many round-ups of fun and informative tips already compiled:
- Greatist’s 29 Smart and Easy Tips to Reduce Food Waste (such as designate one dinner per week as the “use-it-up” meal… hopefully this becomes as popular as Meatless Monday!)
- Real Simple‘s How to Reduce Food Waste (such as conduct a “waste audit”)
- Bon Appetite‘s Guide to Garbage: How to Give New Life to Your Kitchen Scraps and Trash (such as using beet skins and tops to dye boiled eggs pink, how cute is that reuse idea?)
- EPA’s Reducing Wasted Food At Home (such as knowing which fruits give off natural gases as they ripen, making other nearby produce spoil faster, and should be stored separately)
- The Kitchn’s 8 Essential Tips for Avoiding Food Waste (such as storing non-perishables like condiments in the crisper and perishables up front at eye level in the refrigerator)
In order to do my part, I created this Vegan Parsley Pesto with Egg and Avocado as a quick and delicious way to use up the leftover herbs that are seemingly perpetually wilting in my refrigerator’s crisper drawer. I also have plenty of the remnants of bulk bags of nuts filling my freezer, and an infinitely-customizable pesto is a wonderful way to use them. Last but certainly not the least reason to make pesto? It is delicious on all the things! I drizzled it over egg and avocado here, but it would be wonderful on any kind of meat, fish, or veggie.
This is hands-down my favorite way to re-purpose the leftover herbs losing their freshness in my fridge.
- 2 heaping cups parsley leaves, loosely-packed
- 1/2 heaping cup walnuts or pine nuts
- 1/2 cup olive oil, plus more as needed
- 3 cloves garlic
- 1/2 tsp salt, or to taste
- 1/2 tsp black pepper, or to taste
- Lettuce, green beans, edamame, cherry tomatoes, avocado and a [url href=”http://www.thekitchn.com/how-to-make-a-soft-boiled-egg-kitchn-cooking-lesson-138819″ target=”_blank”]soft-boiled egg[/url] (optional)
- To make the pesto, combine all ingredients in a food processor until the nuts are ground. Pesto should still have texture and not be completely smooth. Add more salt and pepper to taste, if desired.
- Combine lettuce, green beans, edamame, cherry tomatoes, avocado and egg in a bowl if desired, spoon the pesto on top.
The Comments
Kyla Matton Osborne (#RubyWriter)
Why had I never thought to use parsley as a main ingredient for pesto? It’s so simple and yet ingenious! Will have to try your recipe 🙂
Fresh Planet Flavor
Kyla Matton Osborne (#RubyWriter)What’s the usual? Basil? I have parsley on hand much more often than basil…
Angela Quisumbing
This looks amazing. My mouth is literally watering right now. I love avocado with pepper flakes, and don’t get me started on pesto. I never thought of eating it with avocado. Thanks for the recipe.
Savannah
Oh man, this looks heavenly. The perfect lunch!!! I literally always have parsley wilting in my fridge, so this would be such an easy thing to throw together for my 17-month-old and myself on a busy afternoon. Thanks so much for sharing!! <3
Fresh Planet Flavor
SavannahJust throw the ingredients in a blender and go!
Chrissa - Physical Kitchness
This looks absolutely amazing. I love making pesto with basil and cilantro but have never tried parsley! I am such a stickler for food waste – nothing gets thrown in this house!
Fresh Planet Flavor
Chrissa – Physical KitchnessGood for you! And yummmmm cilantro pesto.
Madeline
I love the sound of that pesto! And this bowl looks like perfection. <3 <3
Bella
OK this looks and sounds incredible, I need this in my tummy! I gotta make this soon. Thank you for sharing.
lauren
This has all of my favorite things! I would never think to put pesto on eggs, but I really need to change my thinking since I am sure it is amazing!
Fresh Planet Flavor
laurenSalty, herbal, nutty… it goes really well with eggs for sure. 🙂
Kristen Kavan
as I read your blog, I am so starving and this looks amazing!! I need this! 🙂 Looks incredible. Thanks for sharing! I’m pinning for later! x
Amanda | Maple Alps
Loving this parsley pesto! So delicious!
Katie
My family has been trying to eat more plant-based meals and this looks great! Have never tried making pesto with parsley before!
Irena Macri
I adore this!!! I fell in love the moment I saw it pop up on Instagram. There’s nothing like a big bowl of veggies topped with pesto and an egg. Thanks for keeping ‘real’ simple 🙂
Fresh Planet Flavor
Irena MacriAw, thank you! Simple and delicious, just the way I like it.
Michelle Connelly Walker
OH MY!! this loooks devine!! anytime you have an avocado and an egg its pure perfection!
Fresh Planet Flavor
Michelle Connelly WalkerMatch made in heaven…
Portia @ Obsessed by Portia
This looks amazing! Pinning and Tweeting! xoxo
Fresh Planet Flavor
Portia @ Obsessed by PortiaAw, yay!