Good morning!
I’m writing this post at 6am on a Saturday because I am just that excited to tell you about it!
First, I need to get this off my chest…
GARLIC SCAPES!!!!!!!!!!!!
“The garlic plant has more than one usable portion. While many people are aware of the many uses for the garlic bulbs, not as many persons are aware that the stalk of the garlic plant is also edible.” [Source]
I eat a lot of veggies, however I am always over the moon when I can discover a new veggie and figure out what to do with it!
Second, thank you to everyone who told me what this scary but magical veggie is and offered some recipe ideas! I think my CSA post is going to become a weekly feature. It was so fun to read everyone’s thoughts on new recipe ideas! Maybe we can start a recipe club. :tongue:
Third, what I am about to show you is life-changing. I do not joke about these things. This recipe left me ohhhing and awwwing and talking about it all night. Eric even scarfed it down!
I will get right down to business.
Easy Vegan Garlic Scape Pesto
Ingredients:
- 3 garlic scapes, rinsed and chopped a few times to break up
- 1.5 cups of my 3-minute parmesan cheeze (I tripled the batch so I would have lots leftover!)
- Juice of 1/2 a fresh lemon (approx 2 tbsp)
- 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
- handful of fresh spinach
Directions: Make the 3 minute vegan parmesan cheeze, by toasting 1.5 cups of sesame seeds in the oven until lightly golden in colour and then throw seeds, nutritional yeast, and salt into a blender. Process for 30-60 seconds. Parmesan cheese is complete! Step 2) Remove cheese from processor and set aside. Now throw in the garlic scapes and fresh lemon juice and process until fine. Add the vegan parmesan slowly in 1/2 cup increments, alternating with the extra virgin olive oil. Process until smooth or desired consistency. As a final step take your rinsed spinach and throw in and process. It will turn into a lovely green colour. Serve and enjoy! Makes 1.5-2 cups.
I figured it needed a little pop of GREEN, don’t you?
Much better.
I cannot even tell you how DELICIOUS this is!!! I just can’t. You have to make it for yourself to understand. I think I inhaled half of it on spot.
This was quite possibly the best thing that has ever come out of my food processor.
I am in love with garlic scapes! Their flavour is out of this word- they are very, very garlicky and to my delight they did not give me stomach pains like regular garlic does. You have no idea how happy I was to be able to eat something garlicky and not suffer afterwards! This also marked the first time that I have made pesto and actually was impressed by it (the first time I made it a while ago it was very off tasting).
I still have a ton of garlic scapes leftover and I can’t wait to throw them onto salads, roast them, and make a stir-fry with them. YUM.
If there is one thing you do this weekend RUN to your local market, pick up some garlic scapes (they aren’t in season for long!), and make this pesto. You will still be glowing from ear to ear come Monday morning.
Speaking of the Farmers Market, I am off to the orientation! My plan is to woo the farmer’s with Glo Bars and bring home copious amounts of strange veggies every week. :biggrin:
Vegan parmesan cheese!!! I’ll have to try it – I’m lactose intolerant. Do you have any other “cheese” recipes? I NEED!
Mae’s humnut cheese is awesome! http://ohsheglows.com/2010/02/04/vegan-pizza-with-cheeze/
wow, this sounds fabulous!! I want to try this :)
that vegan parm IS amazing.
I definitely can not wait to try this out!!
Never hear of garlic scapes until today. Thanks for sharing.
Oh, I saw scapes at the market this morning! I didn’t stop to check them out but now I wish I had. I’ll grab some next time so I can try this pesto.
Awesome! I’ve heard of scapes but didn’t really know what they looked like. I will definitely be keeping my eye out for them at farmers markets this summer! I <3 garlic.
WOW! I’ve never seen / heard of garlic scapes, but this recipe looks delicious and so easy to make. I’m definitely saving this recipe to make later on this week. Thanks for making me glow :)
Mmmmmmmm I love pesto! This looks delicious!
Have fun at your orientation. I’m sure you’ll sell TONS of globars with your charm :)
Wow, that looks and sounds awesome. I’d never heard of garlic scapes before. I’ll be on the lookout…
I’ve never heard of these but thanks for telling us about them. Your pesto looks so simple and delicious. I love the colour of it too. I’ve never heard of vegan Parmesan cheeze. Is this your own recipe??
I adapted a recipe that I linked to in the original post (it is linked in the ingredients for the pesto) =)
I picked some up at the farmer’s market today! I’m going to toss them with tofu in a marinade for the grill tonight…with grilled bok choy from the FM, too. Thanks for inspiring the meal!
i love learning new stuff!!! what an amazing discovery…and an amazing recipe to go along with it! YUMMMMMMMM :)
Love the new twist on pesto…YUMMY! Gotta try that with a veggie I’ve never heard of until now, GARLIC Scapes….kinda cool sounding. Woohoo!!!
I will be having to make this ASAP.
I got some of those last week and the ‘farmer’ didn’t know what they were called, but he did say they were garlic, not onions. I had no idea what to do with them either, I will have to get more & try this pesto, it looks delicious!
Wooooowww, this looks unbelievable!!! I’ve been meaning to find these – are they the same as ramps??
Can’t wait to try this pesto!!! Looks absolutely delicious!! Where did you find the spoons? I’ve been looking everywhere for them. :)
The sad thing about garlic scapes is that the window is so short, but the good news is that the pesto freezes wonderfully…so my advice is to buy as many of these bad boys as you can, make as much pesto as you can, and freeze, freeze, freeze!
I don’t get a CSA, but my garden is starting to produce and I am determined to at least TRY to use everything that’s edible. I had to pull my Daikon radishes because they were going to seed and the sad little radishes weren’t much of a radish, but the greens. The lovely, lovely greens! I had no idea what I was going to do with them and googled all kinds of options and finally settled on “pesto” also! Radish greens, the baby radishes, garlic, olive oil and some parmesan? HOLY HEAVEN! Beautiful and green and I ate mine on toast. And then ate the rest of it with a spoon.
I have grown garlic for years and always ate the scapes because it seemed like a waste to toss them out! However, this pesto thing is a new twist. Out of al the recipes I am cruising today this one looks the most appealing. Though I am not a fan of pretend cheese, or pretend anything.