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

  8 Bake the cake for 50–60 minutes, or until golden brown, firm to the touch, and a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean.

  9 Leave the cake to cool in the tin for 5 minutes. Turn out onto a wire rack, and allow to cool completely before serving. Store in an airtight container for up to 1 week.

  now zero-waste it!

  banana peel

  Swap the dried fruit and juice for 250g (9oz) topped, tailed, and roughly chopped ripe banana peels (about 4–6 peels). Whizz in a food processor or blender with 100ml (3½fl oz) water until smooth and dark. Combine with the syrup mixture and egg yolks at step 5.

  pineapple rings and cores

  Replace the mixed dried fruit with about 150g (5½oz) thinly sliced, skinned pineapple rings, with cores . Replace the orange juice with pineapple juice and omit the flax seeds. Put the rings at the bottom of the baking tin and pour the cake mixture on top. Serve the cake upside down with the baked pineapple on top.

  leftover nut milk pulp

  Swap the ground almonds for an equal amount of very thoroughly squeezed nut milk pulp , such as almond or hazelnut pulp (see below), and continue as per the recipe.

  Nut milk

  To make nut milk, soak 150g (5½oz) nuts overnight in double their volume of water, then drain and rinse. Place in a blender or processor with 750ml (1¼ pints) filtered water and whizz for 30–60 seconds. Strain the milk through muslin into a jug.

  Fruity cake

  Know when to throw: fruit and veg

  Learn when your fruit and vegetables can be rescued or when they are past the point of no return and destined for compost.

  Vile veg!

  Take a look at your vegetables. If they are a bit dry or limp they can be rescued but if they are mushy, slimy, or discoloured they are rotten and you should discard them. Some veg behaves differently when it goes bad.

  Lose that bruise

  While mushiness and wrinkles signal that your fruit is no longer good to eat, bruised fruit can be salvaged. Bruises are caused by damage in transport or handling rather than spoilage. Simply cut away the bruised part and then enjoy the rest of the fruit.

  Foul fruit!

  To check whether soft fruits can be saved you need to examine their skins. The skins of fruits like apricots, plums, and grapes should be smooth not wrinkled or peeling away.

  When fruit is going off it tends to start smelling bad, so ditch any fruits with a foul odour.

  Give hard fruits , such as melons, a squeeze. They should be quite firm with no squashy areas. Check the skin for any dark patches, which develop when the fruit is off.

  Save your greens

  Leafy greens can wilt within a couple of days but this doesn’t always mean you have to bin them. Soak stems in warm water for around 10–15 minutes. If this doesn’t revive them then pop them in the compost.

  Love your leftovers…

  Rice

  Treat your rice right and don’t let it end up in the BIN. With a little care you can reuse it in some of these TASTY DISHES .

  Cold rice

  Yes you can

  Reheat rice

  Worried about reheating rice? It is safe to heat up leftover rice the next day so long as you have kept it in the fridge and not left it out overnight. Once you have cooked rice you should chill it as soon as possible and keep it cool in the fridge until you want to use it.

  Perfect pudding

  Leftover cooked rice is perfect for rice pudding. Cover the rice with milk in a pan and stir over a medium heat until it boils, then reduce the heat. Sweeten with honey or maple syrup. Add more milk if you like your pudding less solid. Keep stirring until the rice is soft and you have the consistency desired.

  Rice salad

  Simple salad

  You can add pretty much anything to your chilled leftover rice to make a delicious salad. Try mixing with leftover roasted vegetables, tuna, or cooked beans for a quick and healthy lunch. Chop in some fresh herbs and add a squeeze of lemon juice to give it a lift.

  Tomato and dijon tart

  Crisp crust

  Cooked rice (shortgrain works best) makes a great alternative to a pastry for crusty toppings or bases for pies and quiches. Mix your leftover rice with some grated cheese and egg white then press together to form a crust. Or spray a pie dish with oil, and press the mix on to the bottom and sides of the dish. Bake in the oven until firm, then cool before filling.

  Stuffed peppers

  Get stuffed

  Try stuffing vegetables – such as peppers, courgettes, or large tomatoes – with your leftover rice. Slice the top off the peppers (keep them to use as lids once they are stuffed) and remove the seeds. Scoop out courgette or tomato flesh and chop it up. Mix it with the rice, some herbs, feta cheese, and seasoning before spooning the mixture into the veg. Roast the stuffed vegetables in a little olive oil for 20–30 minutes at 160°C (325°F/Gas 3).

  Arancini

  Risotto balls

  Use up leftover risotto by making arancini (fried rice balls). A gooey mozzarella centre is a must, so chop some into chunks. Take your chilled risotto and roll it in your hands to form a ball about 5cm (2in) across. Poke a hole in the centre, push in some mozzarella and any other fillings of your choice. Next, roll the ball in some flour, dip it in beaten egg, and coat with breadcrumbs. Fry the ball in olive oil until crisp and golden all over.

  Bread bin clear-out

  Bread is one of the foods we throw away most. Buck the trend by trying out some of these tasty tips.

  Oh Crumbs!

  Fresh bread is not good for making breadcrumbs but older, dry bread is perfect. Avoid bread that is truly stale as it will make stale-tasting crumbs.

  1 Make your breadcrumbs in a food processor or use a grater. Simply cut off the crusts then blitz or grate the bread into crumbs. Breadcrumbs made in a food processor are usually finer and more uniform in size than the grated ones.

  2 Freeze your breadcrumbs – put them into an airtight container in the freezer and they should keep for up to two months.

  3 Use your breadcrumbs to make everything from meatballs to veggie sausages, or mixed with cheese, herbs and spices as a tasty topping for vegetables or chicken.

  Waste-not Want-not Muffins

  Choose tired sweet potato , beetroot, or courgette , and add wilting herbs to make these muffins your own.

  serves 12

  115g (4oz) coconut or olive oil, plus extra for greasing

  285g (10oz) chickpea, buckwheat, brown rice, or wholemeal flour

  1 tbsp baking powder

  ½ tsp salt

  2 eggs

  235ml (8fl oz) milk, either nut or dairy

  2 tbsp finely chopped parsley

  2 spring onions, including green tops, finely chopped (about 3–4 tbsp)

  freshly ground black pepper, to taste

  150g (5½oz) carrot, grated (about 2 carrots)

  50g (1¾oz) cheese such as Cheddar, feta, or Parmesan, grated or crumbled (optional)

  first make the base

  1 Preheat the oven to 200ºC (400ºF/Gas 6) and grease a 12-hole muffin tin with a little oil.

  2 If using coconut oil, melt it in a saucepan over a medium heat, and set aside to cool.

  3 Combine the flour, baking powder, and salt in a mixing bowl, then set aside.

  4 Lightly whisk the eggs and milk together, then stir in the parsley and onions. Add the oil and season with pepper to taste.

  5 Pour the egg mixture into the flour mixture and stir until thoroughly combined, then fold in the carrot and cheese, if using.

  6 Divide the mixture evenly between the muffin holes and bake for 15–20 minutes until golden brown and a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean.

  7 Leave the muffins to cool in the tray for 5 minutes, then run a knife round each muffin to loosen before turning out onto a wire rack.

  8 These muffins are best eaten warm, but can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 1 week. Reheat in the oven at 150º
C (300ºF/Gas 2) for 5 minutes before serving, if desired.

  .

  now zero-waste it!

  tired sweet potato and thyme

  Swap the carrot for grated sweet potato (with skin on), and the parsley for thyme, or any other wilting herbs that need using up.

  tired beetroot and coriander

  Swap the carrot for grated beetroot (with skin on), and the parsley for coriander, or any other wilting herbs that need using up.

  tired courgette and mint

  Swap the carrot for grated courgette (with skin on), and the parsley for mint, or any other wilting herbs that need using up.

  Waste-not want-not muffins

  It’s more than Food!

  Think beyond leftovers and veg peelings – you may waste more than just food in your kitchen. From FOIL and FOOD WRAPS to PLASTIC BAGS and PACKAGING , here are some tips to cut your non-food kitchen waste.

  Kitchen sponge

  Zap it!

  Don’t bin your old kitchen sponges. Revive them and kill any lingering bacteria by soaking them and zapping them in the microwave for a couple of minutes. Don’t attempt this with sponges that contain any metal, such as heavy-duty scourers.

  On tap

  Don’t buy bottled water when you can drink water from your kitchen tap. Use glass bottles or jugs if you prefer your water chilled from the fridge. If you are concerned about water quality in your area, consider investing in a counter-top filter.

  Foiled!

  There’s no need to use disposable aluminium foil, when there are reusable alternatives. Try silicone baking mats instead of foil sheets. If you do use them, clean aluminium foil wrap and trays can usually be recycled.

  Courgette ribbons

  Gadget addict

  Think before you buy the latest kitchen gadget – do you really need it and will you use it? For example, spiralizers are great fun but your vegetable peeler produces similar results.

  Rice

  Bulk up!

  Buying large quantities of food, such as dry goods like rice and flour that you can store, reduces packaging overall. This works out cheaper so is easy on your pocket and it means fewer shopping trips, saving you time! Look out for shops that specialize in bulk buying, allowing you to bring your own reusable containers to fill with food.

  Food cover

  It’s a cover up

  Avoid clingfilm by making your own reusable cloth covers for jars, plates, and bowls. You can use old cotton shirts or sheets to make these truly zero-waste! Simply cut circles out of the cloth, making sure they are around 5cm (2in) larger in diameter than the items you want to cover. Then gather the edge and stitch in some elastic. Now you’re covered!

  In the bag

  Ditch wasteful plastic carrier bags and replace them with durable fabric totes. To avoid getting caught short, keep your reusable bags by the door, in the car, or pop a fold-up mini shopping bag in your pocket or handbag.

  Grow it, don’t throw it: potatoes

  Did you know that you can grow your own potatoes from old spuds and the scraps that you usually throw away? Follow these simple steps and you’ll be harvesting spuds for months to come!

  1 Check over your old potatoes and pick out some that have two or three good “eyes” on them.

  2 Cut your old potatoes in half or trim scraps into pieces that are around 5cm (2in) across.

  3 Leave your potato halves or scraps out to dry, preferably overnight, or until they are dry to the touch.

  4 Plant the potato pieces about 20cm (8in) deep in soil with the eyes facing up. Leave around 30cm (1ft) between your potatoes.

  5 In a few weeks’ time you should see your potato plant start to grow!

  Acknowledgments

  Kate Turner has been creating deliciously healthy food for herself and her family for years. She has a degree in health sciences, is a recipe writer, magazine contributor, and author. Her DK publications include Energy Bites , Superfood Breakfasts , and Power Bowls . Kate shares ideas about food and family life on her blog homegrownkate.com .

  Recipe Writer and Food Stylist Kate Turner

  Writer and Editor Ruth O’Rourke-Jones

  Project Art Editor Harriet Yeomans

  Editorial Assistant Alice Horne

  Design Assistance Jade Wheaton, Alison Gardner

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  Photography Will Heap

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  First published in Great Britain in 2017

  By Dorling Kindersley Limited,

  80 Strand, London WC2R 0RL

  Copyright © 2017 Dorling Kindersley

  A Penguin Random House Company

  All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise without the prior written permission of the copyright owners.

  ISBN: 9780241296523

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  eISBN: 9780241303030

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