My Zero-Waste Kitchen: Easy Ways to Eat Waste Free (Dk) Read online

  1 Place the chickpeas, garlic, nut or seed butter, salt, lemon juice, and 2 tbsp of the olive oil in a food processor or blender and whizz until smooth. You may need to stop the motor occasionally and push the mixture back down with a spatula.

  2 Add more olive oil and/or water to reach the desired consistency, if required.

  3 Season with salt and pepper to taste, then drizzle with extra olive oil and sprinkle with herbs, paprika, and dukkah, if using.

  4 Serve with some crunchy vegetables such as pepper or cucumber to dip, or store your hummus in an airtight container in the fridge for 3–4 days.

  now zero-waste it!

  leftover avocado

  Add half a large avocado at step 1 and whizz with the rest of the ingredients until smooth.

  leftover beans

  Swap the chickpeas for an equal quantity of ready-to-eat beans , such as soaked and cooked butter beans that you haven’t used, or some leftover tinned cannellini beans.

  old tomatoes

  Add about 60g (2oz) old tomatoes or leftover tomato tops and bottoms at step 1, and whizz with the rest of the ingredients until smooth.

  Hero hummus

  Eggs

  Recipes often call for just one part of an egg but you can stop making your whites, yolks, and shells feel like spare parts by following these top tips. Soon you’ll be using up every last bit!

  .

  Eggshell powder

  Packed with micronutrients, eggshells are an awesome source of calcium! Use a small amount as a supplement – try adding ¼ tsp of powder to one large smoothie. You need about 20 eggshells to make half a small jar. Rinse well and remove any membrane before you start.

  1 Preheat the oven to 180ºC (350ºF/Gas 4). Bake the shells on a tray in the oven for 10 minutes.

  2 Once the shells have cooled, blitz them in a food processor or grind with a pestle and mortar.

  3 Keep grinding until you have a fine, powdery dust. Store in an airtight jar in the fridge for up to 3 weeks.

  Save-it Soup

  STALE BREAD, LEFTOVER GRAINS , or PASTA PIECES transform this hearty vegetable soup into a delicious zero-waste meal.

  SERVES 4–6

  1 tbsp olive oil, plus extra to serve

  1 onion, finely chopped, about 100g (3½oz)

  2 cloves garlic, crushed

  1 carrot, finely chopped, about 100g (3½oz)

  1 celery stick, finely chopped, about 75g (2½oz)

  1 tsp dried rosemary

  a generous pinch of chilli powder

  400g (14oz) fresh tomatoes, chopped, or 400g can chopped tomatoes

  1 courgette, finely chopped, about 150g (5½oz)

  85g (3oz) kale leaves and stalks, finely chopped, tough stalks discarded

  1–1.2 litres (1¾–2 pints) vegetable stock

  salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

  50g (1¾oz) Parmesan cheese, shaved (optional)

  small handful basil leaves, to garnish

  first make the base

  1 Heat the oil in a large, lidded pan on a low–medium heat.

  2 Add the onion, garlic, carrot, celery, rosemary, and chilli powder, and cook gently for about 10 minutes with the lid askew, until the vegetables are soft.

  3 Add the tomatoes, courgette, kale, and stock. Bring to the boil, then reduce the heat and continue to simmer, uncovered, for about 10 minutes.

  4 Season with salt and pepper to taste. Serve with a drizzle of olive oil and Parmesan shavings (if using), and garnish with fresh basil.

  now zero-waste it!

  leftover beans and stale bread

  Add about 250g (9oz) leftover ready-to-eat beans , such as cannellini or borlotti, at step 3, and top with 100g (3½oz) diced, dried bread “croutons” , at step 4.

  parmesan rinds and leftover pasta

  Add 2–3 leftover Parmesan cheese rinds to the soup and 75g (2½oz) dried pasta at step 3, making sure you follow the cooking time of the pasta. Alternatively, add 225g (8oz) leftover cooked pasta towards the end of step 3 to heat through. Remove the rinds before serving.

  leftover grains or pulses

  Add about 250g (9oz) leftover cooked grains or pulses , such as buckwheat, brown rice, or lentils, to your soup towards the end of step 3. Heat through before serving.

  Save-it soup

  Cake tin clear-out

  What can you do with the contents of your cake tin when it’s starting to dry out ? From baking biscotti to shaking it up , try these ideas to give your cakes a second take.

  Cake shake

  Cake meets milkshake in this blended sweet treat. It’s a neat way of using up old cake as the moisture from the milk more than compensates for any dryness.

  1 Break up dry slices of cake, such as fruit cake , and crumble them into a food processor.

  2 Pour in a enough nut milk, such as almond milk , to cover the cake and blend until smooth.

  3 Add a little more milk if you prefer a runnier shake and blend again. Sprinkle on cake crumbs to serve.

  Cake shake

  Check it before you chuck it

  Knowing how to tell whether food is really OFF or whether it can still BE SAVED is not only VITAL FOR YOUR HEALTH but will also help you on your ZERO-WASTE quest!

  Test your eggs

  To check an egg for freshness pop it into a glass of water. If it is fresh it will drop to the bottom and rest on its side. Standing on one end at the bottom means it’s a bit old but fine to eat. However, it the egg floats to the surface you should throw it away.

  Test your meat

  Smell meat to check whether it’s safe to eat. Fresh meat should have little or no odour – if it smells putrid don’t eat it! Check the texture. If meat is slimy or sticky, bin it. Colour is not a good guide as meats vary – changes in shade don’t always mean that the meat is off.

  Test your flour

  Flour should have no smell at all. If your flour smells slightly sharp or bitter then it has gone off and you need to throw it away.

  Test your oil

  Most rancid oils have a grassy or paint-like scent. Olive oil is an exception and smells like crayons when spoiled.

  Test your butter

  To check whether your butter is fresh, cut a small slice from the block and look closely at the colour. The colour should be the same inside as on the outside. If the inside of the butter looks lighter it has oxidized and should be thrown away. You can always freeze butter if you aren’t going to use it in time.

  Mould matters

  If you can see mould on the surface of food it means tiny fungi have penetrated deep inside. What you can see on top are only the spores, but their microscopic, threadlike roots will have spread throughout the food. Just scraping mould off the top will leave these roots behind. In general, this means you must throw the food away as some fungi can make you ill. However, there are a few exceptions, which are shown here.

  Waste-free Frittata

  Make a meal out of your leftovers. This recipe breathes life into veg peelings , smoked fish or leftover roasted veg.

  Serves 2–4

  1 tbsp coconut or olive oil

  1 onion, about 85g (3oz), finely chopped

  3 garlic cloves, crushed

  50g (1¾oz) spinach, tough stalks removed, chopped

  100g (3½oz) broccoli florets, stem, and leaves, finely chopped

  50g (1¾oz) peas, fresh or frozen

  6 eggs

  150ml (5fl oz) milk, nut or dairy

  2 tbsp fresh chopped herbs such as parsley, dill, chives, or thyme

  75g (2½oz) cheese, such as feta or Cheddar, crumbled or grated (optional)

  salt and freshly ground black pepper

  first make the base

  1 Heat the oil in a medium, non-stick, ovenproof frying pan over a medium heat.

  2 Add the onion and garlic, and cook slowly for 3–4 minutes until soft.

  3 Add the vegetables and cook for a further 4–5 minutes.

  4 Whisk the eggs a
nd milk together. Stir in the herbs and cheese, if using, then season with salt and pepper to taste.

  5 Preheat the grill on a medium setting.

  6 Level out the vegetables in the pan and gently pour the egg mixture over them. Reduce the heat to low–medium and continue to cook the frittata for 10–15 minutes, without stirring, until the underside is cooked.

  7 Place the pan under the grill for about 5 minutes to set the top of the frittata.

  8 Remove the frittata from the grill and allow to cool for 2–3 minutes before serving.

  now zero-waste it!

  veg peelings

  Replace the spinach with 100g (3½oz) mixed vegetable peelings , such as carrot, beetroot, parsnip, or potato, and add to the frittata at step 3 with a splash of water. Increase the cook time at step 3 to 10 minutes.

  smoked fish

  Add 150g (5½oz) of leftover ready-to-eat smoked fish , skinned and broken into bite-sized pieces, at step 6.

  leftover roasted veg

  Replace the spinach, broccoli, and peas with around 300g (10oz) leftover cold roasted vegetables . Chop into small cubes if necessary, and add to the frittata at step 3.

  Waste-free frittata

  Tops and Tails

  Don’t bin those leftover bits of vegetables . Use them to add flavour to soup or make stock – in fact the possibilities are endless!

  Shred and stIr

  • Finely chop broccoli stalks, beetroot ends, and celery leaves, then add them to your stir-fries.

  It’s a wrap

  • Use up tough outer leaves of red cabbage by boiling them until they soften. They are great for wrapping food parcels or dumplings.

  Mash it up

  • Chop and sauté the tops of spring or green onions and add them to mashed potato for a big flavour boost.

  squashed!

  • Boil up any squash flesh trimmings, then whizz into a pur é e for a side to serve with fish.

  • Roast pumpkin seeds discarded from fresh pumpkins and use them as a nutritious garnish on salad.

  Mind that rind

  • Watermelon rind can be added to smoothies or chopped up and added to stews to help bulk them out.

  Herbalicious

  • Herb stems – such as basil, coriander, and parsley – make a tasty addition to smoothies, or chop them finely into soups and stews.

  .

  Tip top Carrots

  • Use green carrot tops in pesto , or as a pretty garnish.

  Top smoothies

  • Add strawberry tops to your smoothies for extra vitamins and fibre!

  Add some crunch

  • Liven up salads by adding crunchy raw broccoli stalks or cauliflower.

  Lemons and Limes

  Are you tired of wasting the parts of your lemons and limes that your recipes don’t call for? Think beyond adding a slice to your drinks, here’s how to make the most of these flavoursome fruits...

  Citrus Dust

  Use up citrus peel with this zesty powder. It tastes great sprinkled over chicken or fish. You can use a dehydrator on its lowest setting and dry the peels for around 12 hours or preheat your oven to about 80ºC (175ºF). You will need: 150g (5½oz) leftover citrus peel, and a large pinch of salt (optional).

  1 Spread the peels evenly in a single layer on a baking tray and bake for 2–3 hours until crisp and dry.

  2 Allow the dry peels to cool completely on the tray – this takes a bout 10 minutes.

  3 Add the salt , if using, then whizz in a food processor or high-speed blender.

  4 Store the dust in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 months.

  Rescue-it Risotto

  Add cold cuts, leftover veg, or asparagus stalks to this store-cupboard risotto for a real supper saviour.

  Serves 2–3

  1 tbsp coconut or olive oil, plus extra to serve

  1 onion, finely chopped, about 100g (3½oz)

  1 garlic clove, crushed

  1 celery stick, finely chopped, about 75g (2½oz)

  225g (8oz) risotto rice, Arborio or carnaroli

  800ml–1 litre (1¼–1¾ pints) hot vegetable or chicken stock

  60g (2oz) Parmesan cheese, grated

  salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

  1 tbsp chopped parsley, to garnish

  ¼–½ tsp chilli flakes, to garnish (optional)

  first make the base

  1 Heat the oil in a large pan over a low–medium heat. Add the onion, garlic, and celery, and cook slowly, stirring occasionally, for about 5 minutes or until soft.

  2 Add the rice and increase the heat to medium–high, stirring constantly for 1–2 minutes.

  3 Add a ladleful of stock and stir until thoroughly absorbed into the rice.

  4 Repeat this process a ladleful at a time, until the rice is creamy and tender, but still al dente. Depending on your rice, this will take 15–25 minutes, and the amount of stock needed will vary.

  5 Remove the pan from the heat and stir in the Parmesan cheese.

  6 Season to taste with salt and pepper. Place the lid on the pan and set aside for 2–3 minutes before serving.

  7 Garnish with the parsley and chilli flakes, if using.

  now zero-waste it!

  asparagus stalks

  Use up the whole of your asparagus spears. Take around 150g (5½oz) asparagus ends and discard any parts that are very dry. Finely slice the rest into thin “coins”. Stir into the risotto with the last ladleful of stock at step 4.

  leftover roast chicken

  Shred about 150g (5½oz) cold, leftover chicken , discarding the skin if necessary. Add to the risotto towards the end of step 4 to heat through.

  leftover veg-drawer veg

  Use up around 200g (7oz) leftover mixed veg from your veg drawer, such as carrots, peppers, or courgettes. Chop, and then steam in a steaming pan until cooked through. Add to the risotto towards the end of step 4 and continue as per the recipe.

  Rescue-it risotto

  Grow it, don’t throw it: lettuce

  Don’t bin those LETTUCE ENDS! The bases can be used to grow your very own FRESH VEGETABLES – a great way to make the most of your “waste”. Follow these simple steps to get growing!

  1 Chop off any leafy parts of your lettuce that you haven’t already used so that just the root base remains. Pour a little warm water into a shallow bowl.

  2 Take the base of your lettuce and pop it into the bowl. Only the very bottom of the plant should be covered by water, not the cut-off top of your lettuce.

  3 Put the bowl in a sunny spot – your lettuce needs to get as much light as possible each day. In a few days you should see leaves growing from the base.

  4 Once you can see the leaves thickening and growing you can plant out your lettuce in soil. Plant it so that only the leaves are showing. Now watch it grow to full size!

  Pimp up your Pesto

  For a pesto that still packs a punch, swap the traditional basil and pine nuts for tired nuts or seeds, carrot leaves , or leftover parsley stalks .

  Makes about 160g (5½oz)

  2 cloves garlic, roughly chopped

  65g (2oz) basil leaves, roughly chopped

  50g (1¾oz) pine nuts

  1 tbsp apple cider vinegar

  4 tbsp olive oil

  salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

  first make the base

  1 Place the garlic, basil, pine nuts, and vinegar in a food processor and whizz until combined.

  2 With the motor running, slowly drizzle the olive oil into the pesto until combined. You may need to stop the machine occasionally to push the mixture down with a spatula.

  3 Season with salt and pepper to taste.

  4 Store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 1 week.

  now zero-waste it!

  tired nuts or seeds

  Swap the pine nuts for 50g (1¾oz) tired nuts or seeds , such as walnuts or pumpkin seeds. Whizz them in the food processor before adding the other ingredients, then
add an extra tbsp vinegar and an extra 2–4 tbsp olive oil. Adjust the oil as needed to get the right consistency.

  carrot leaves

  Swap the basil for 65g (2oz) thoroughly washed carrot leaves , plus an extra tbsp vinegar and an extra 2–4 tbsp olive oil. Carrot leaves are less juicy than basil, so adjust the amount of olive oil accordingly.

  leftover parsley stalks

  Swap the basil for 65g (2oz) leftover parsley stalks , plus an extra tbsp vinegar and an extra 2–4 tbsp olive oil.