Ever make a pasta dish or pesto and have no idea what to do with your leftover basil?
Well, this week is for you. Nothing bothers me more than excitedly buying fresh herbs to make one dish, only to find them wilted and browning in the back of my fridge a week later. So I’m taking a stand and launching my #NoHerbLeftBehind series where we’ll try unexpected uses of the go-to herbs. We’re kicking it off with basil this week… without a caprese or pesto recipe in sight!
This week you’ll be making
🌿 Weeknight basil tofu stir fry
🌿 Smoked salmon and white bean quinoa salad with lemon basil dressing
🌿 Basil turkey burgers (yes- trust me!!)
Your grocery list for the week:
Asterisks note things I suggest having on hand always as kitchen staples!
Produce
- Basil (1.25 cups if making all 3 recipes)
- 1/2 lime
- 4 cloves garlic*
- 1 zucchini
- 1 bell pepper
- Handful carrots
- 1/4 onion (red or yellow)*
- 1 small lemon*
- 3 cups cherry tomatoes
- 1 cucumber
- Optional– burger fixings (e.g. tomatoes, lettuce, more onion)
Dairy
- Optional – parmesan* for salad sprinkling and/or cheddar for burger
condiments/oils
- Soy sauce Apple cider vinegar*
- Garlic powder*
- Olive or avocado oil*
- Salt and pepper*
- Agave or honey*
- Corn starch*
- Sesame oil*
- Optional – red chili flakes*
protein
- 16 oz tofu
- 1 can white beans
- 1 package turkey turkey meat
- Smoked salmon
Misc.
- Brown sugar*
- 1 cup raw quinoa*
- Optional- burger bun
The recipes:
Basil Turkey Burgers
I know they sound weird but take a bite and realize basil is the burst of flavor you’ve been waiting for to fall in love with turkey burgers!
Smoked Salmon and White Bean Quinoa Salad with a Basil Lemon Vinaigrette
Smoked salmon, white beans, and basil are probably not a combination you’ve had before, but very worth a try with this salad!
Weeknight Basil Tofu Stir Fry
An easy weeknight stir fry dish that even the most lukewarm on tofu will enjoy thanks to the zesty lime sauce and crispy tofu!
Want three recipes with a corresponding grocery list that you can easily accomplish each week straight to your inbox every Sunday? Sign up for my weekly email blast:
The Carmel Kama'aina 