I believe that we should always strive to use all that we can from the plants that we eat, but I think this is even more important now that the shelves at the stores are becoming bare. Below are some simple tips to use many parts of the plants that sometimes find their way into the compost pile.
Stems, Leaves, and Peels
If you are anything like our family, we use a lot of garlic, onions, carrots, and celery. Take a one-gallon Ziploc bag and start to collect the ends of the carrots and celery and the skins of the garlic and onions. You can even place the peels of the carrots in the bag. Store the bag in the freezer. Once it is full, dump it into a large pot, add 8 cups of water, a tablespoon of salt and some peppercorns and simmer for several hours. Remove the solids, add a splash of white wine and you have vegetable broth.
Did you know that the stems of most delicate herbs have as much flavor as the leaves? We often pluck the leaves off and throw the stems away but can use them as we do the leaves. Parsley stems can go into the Ziploc bag for making your vegetable broth. Cilantro stems can be chopped up and used however you are using the leaves. Leftover herbs can be minced and placed with olive oil or water in an ice cube tray. Once frozen, pop the ice cubes out, store in a container and use as needed.
The leaves and cores from a head of cauliflower or broccoli can be roasted along with the florets and are delicious. You can also use the core for stir fries, peeling and cutting them into medallions, or use them to make a blended soup. Peel the stems and chop them finely to use as rice or shred them to use in a salad. Turnip greens are delicious when pan fried with a little oil and garlic. Cook the roots first and add the greens toward the end of cooking. Don’t throw your chard stems away—they can be chopped into small pieces and cooked in advance of the leaves.
Let’s not forget treats for our furry friends. If you have a dog, they truly enjoy the roasted stems/cores of broccoli and cauliflower. They also enjoy the roasted fibrous stem of kale, which usually ends up in our compost heap. We have a goat farm about ¼ mile away from our house and we take our fennel fronds and the green tops of carrots to them--they love these treats.
Brine from Dill Pickles and Sauerkraut
I love dill pickles and sauerkraut and try to purchase the refrigerated versions as I find these to be crunchy and taste so fresh, plus they include live cultures. Once the pickles or sauerkraut are gone, it seems like a shame to throw away the brine. Did you know that you can slice up fresh vegetables and place them in the pickle brine and make a new batch of pickles? You can use the brine to mix into recipes where you want an extra dill kick, like un-tuna salad or potato salad. The sauerkraut brine can be used to make vegan cheese. The simplest thing to do? Just drink it! The brine does wonders for your gut and is a great electrolyte replacement. Many long distance runners drink dill pickle juice.
Bean Broth
If you soak and cook your own beans, you know how beautiful and tasty the broth can be. If I am making soup out of the beans, I use the bean broth instead of vegetable broth as a 1:1 replacement.
Citrus Juice and Zest
I always feel guilty when I need the juice of a citrus fruit and throw out the zest. Instead, remove the zest from the skin, dry it out and store it in a jar for future use. Only need the juice of half of a lemon? Juice the other half and freeze in an ice cube tray for future use. Defrost when needed.
Stale Bread
If you are like our family, we don’t eat a lot of bread, but we do, it is the good stuff. There is nothing more disappointing than reaching into the bag to get a piece of sourdough and find that your bread has gone stale. Two easy things you can do with stale bread are to make breadcrumbs or croutons. Rip the pieces of bread and place into a food processor and pulse to make crumbs--they can be used to thicken soups and sauces. Everybody loves croutons—use them on hearty soups or salads or just pop them in your mouth for a snack! There are many easy recipes for croutons found online. You can also store the bread in a freezer bag and use it to make crumbs or croutons at a later time.
Aquafaba
Aquafaba was a huge discovery in the vegan world. For those of you who don’t know what it is, it is the liquid that is in the can of beans. Instead of washing it down the drain when you open and rinse a can of beans, you can use it as an egg replacer. It makes an amazing meringue that will never fall and can be used in many baking applications. If I am opening a can of beans, I simply store the liquid in a container in the freezer to pull out and defrost when I need it. You could portion it out into tablespoon sized portions via an ice cube tray if you wish.
Nut and Bean Pulp
If you make your own non-dairy milk, you know that there is some waste left behind. The solids left from making soy milk can be given as a treat to your dog--we give about a tablespoon at a time. You can use nut pulp to make crackers in the oven or the dehydrator. Again, many recipes can be found online.
Wine
Have you ever opened a bottle of wine that no longer tastes good? You can turn it into vinegar by placing it in a mason jar, cover with a piece of cheesecloth and secure with a rubber band. Place in a cool/dark place and in a few months, you will have some tasty vinegar. Sniff and sip every few weeks to check on the progress. You can also use wine to brighten up soups by adding a splash just as the soup is finished.
I hope these tips are helpful. I strongly believe it is important for all of us to use what we have and try to produce less waste. These are easy ways for us to do our part and what better way to do this than to create delicious and nutritious food.