How to practice zero-waste cooking

From excessive packaging to discarded leftovers, cooking can sometimes feel like it's filling the trash can more than the refrigerator. You might already be using a reusable shopping bag and buying food with little to no packaging.
By Health First
2 min read
Comment pratiquer la cuisine zéro déchet

From excessive packaging to discarded leftovers, cooking can sometimes feel like you're filling the trash can more than the fridge. You may already be using a reusable shopping bag and buying food with little to no packaging. Take it up a notch by making more use of the food you buy. Zero-waste cooking is a plant-based method of using the entire vegetable. Not only can it save you money and reduce your ecological footprint, but it can also enhance the flavour of your dishes. Here are some ways to use whole vegetables (and fruits!).

1. VEGETABLE BROTH FROM VEGETABLE SCRAPS

When preparing meals, save vegetable scraps for broth. Keep a bag or container in the freezer to store the scraps. Put herb stems, onion ends, carrot ends, vegetable peels and any other vegetable you would put in a soup (broccoli and cauliflower tend to make a funkier broth) in it. When you've collected a large resealable bag, add the scraps with cold water to a saucepan, let the vegetables simmer for 1 ½ hours and voilà! You've made homemade broth!

2. HOMEMADE VINEGAR

Fruit peels and scraps can be used to flavour the cooking liquid for oatmeal or used in flavoured syrups or vinegars. Keep a bag or container in the freezer to store them until you're ready to use them.

3. CITRUS ZEST

Before juicing citrus fruits (hello grapefruits and oranges!), zest the peels first to store them in the freezer. Add this zest to your recipes for a brighter flavour.

4. VEGETABLE STEMS

Usually, we throw away the stems of root vegetables. However, they are quite delicious and often nutrient-dense! Beet greens can be sautéed with garlic, but they can also be incorporated into any recipe as a substitute for kale or spinach. You can even add them to your afternoon snack in a smoothie.

Whole Beet Smoothie

Ingredients:
¼ cup beet greens
1 beet, diced (about ⅓ cup), medium-rare cooked
½ cup frozen blackberries
1 ½ tsp lemon juice
1 scoop Vega® One All-in-One Shake, Chocolate
2 tbsp coconut butter
1 cup coconut water

Directions:
Combine in a high-speed blender until smooth.

Carrot tops are also excellent sautéed, and you can use them in pesto instead of basil for a refreshing take on the classic sauce. Turnip and radish greens are also edible (and delicious).

5. HERB STEMS

Herb leaves are often picked from flavourful stems that are then discarded. In reality, the stems are full of the same flavour as the leaves. Add chopped tender stems (like those of cilantro) to recipes requiring herbs and keep harder stems (like those of thyme) for broth or soups to naturally add flavour.