Tonopah Rob's Vegetable Farm

Well, who knew? There is something you can do with carrot tops besides turning them into compost. Chewing on these fresh, raw, bitter greens you would never know that, when prepared in this soup recipe, they are quite nice. Finding this recipe was not easy as it turns out not many people have carrot top recipes that are worth sharing, or that I think sound appealing – feel free to share your carrot top recipes here.

• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 1/2 onion - diced
• 4 cups water
• 5 to 6 of Tonopah Rob’s kaleidoscope carrots
• 1 cup carrot tops - washed and finely chopped
• 2 tbsp Better than Bouillon – Beef Flavor or 2 tsp beef bouillon granules
• 1/2 cup quinoa – rinsed well

Sauté onion in olive oil over medium-high heat in 3 quart pot until onions begin to brown. Add remaining ingredients and simmer for approximately 30 minutes.

An alternative which I prefer but is more time consuming is to first brown the onion and then place all the ingredients in a slow-cooker for about 3 to 4 hours. The Better than Bouillon stock is not always easy to find. I have ordered mine online from Superior Touch before finding that Whole Foods carries it. For vegetarians there is a “No Beef – Beef Bouillon” version of this product. Those of you not familiar with quinoa (pronounced Keen-wah) it is a seed that some believe is a bit similar to a grain. Quinoa has been a staple in the Andes for 6,000 years and is a respected food for its nutritional value. In addition to a protein content between 12% and 18%, quinoa contains a balanced set of essential amino acids, is high in magnesium, iron, and is gluten free. Thanks to wikipedia for the quinoa info!