Imperfect Produce Broccoli Stem Salad

A while back I found Imperfect Produceon Instagram and instantly fell in love with their brand and mission. I realized quickly that I actually knew someone who worked for them and got in touch with when they would be making their way to Chicago. The good news turns out that Chicago was next on their list and I only had to wait a few months to get my hands on their discounted "ugly" produce. PS if you sign up for a box, use code ALMONDSANDASANA for 20% off!! The mission of Imperfect Produce is multifaceted: 1) they aim to reduce food waste by selling produce that would otherwise be deemed too unattractive for grocery stores to sell at majorly discounted prices, 2) they support local farmers by sourcing local produce for each geographic location that they serve 3) they make fresh produce more accessible by offering such discounted prices and delivery service, think "food deserts".

In addition to all of this, they provide a dashboard to show you how you have made an impact, for example here are my stats after just 2 weeks:

I have saved 22 lbs of diverted produce
I have saved 126 gallons of water
I have helped reduce CO2 in the air by 75 lbs

So, now to the recipe! In my first box, I received broccoli (you pick what you want ahead of time BTW) and it came with really long stems. Previously I would have tossed them out but I really wanted to repurpose them so I did a quick google search and saw an image of stems cut into little coins and made into a salad. DONE.

What I used: