TURN OVER A NEW LEAF

Make the most of your veg and cut waste

Food waste is a huge ongoing issue, with UK households throwing away 4.5m tonnes of food a year that could have been eaten – this amounts to £700 for an average family with children*. By using the parts of vegetables we would normally throw away, we can eat more sustainably and cut down on food waste. This pesto combines basil leaves with tasty and perfectly edible vegetable tops from beetroot (often used in bagged prepared salads), radishes and carrots, which are usually thrown away. A handful of fennel fronds or celery leaves adds an aniseed freshness, too. Toast 50g pine nuts or hazelnuts in a dry frying pan over low-medium heat until golden. Leave to cool, then tip into a food processor. Add 150g mixed veg leaves, 25g basil (stalks and leaves), 2 crushed garlic cloves, juice ½ lemon, 50g finely grated Parmesan and seasoning to the processor, and blitz until fairly smooth. Gradually add 250ml olive oil until combined. Check the seasoning. Serve the pesto with pasta or spooned over chicken or fish. Makes about 525g.