Submitted by Merleanne Rampale, IFSCC Board of Directors, ICAW Chair, Committee Member and SWALCO Programs and Education Director
The US discards more food than any other country in the world. Americans throw out nearly 60 million tons every year (that’s 120 billion pounds). Much of this comes from our own households. It’s nearly half of the entire US food supply. According to the US EPA, in 2019, 349 pounds of food waste per person left the human food supply chain.
There are parts, pieces, bits, and bobbles of fruits and veggies that many Americans typically discard when prepping, cutting and using their produce. And there are times where we all find we have fruit or veggies that are over-ripe. How many of us have made banana bread when faced with over-ripe bananas? In addition to throwing older fruit into a smoothie, here are a few recipes I enjoy– some I’ve been making for years, that have been handed down or found. And many of these “unsung heroes” not only cut down on waste if used, and stretch your budget, but many also contain a lot of great health and nutritional benefits. Let’s have some fun with food scraps!
Watermelon Rind Pickles
A rind is a terrible thing to waste. This pickled watermelon rind recipe is for quick pickles, also known as refrigerator pickles. I make a few different types of refrigerator pickles, and this is a favorite. This type of pickle is fast to make and stored in the refrigerator, versus preserved with canning equipment, although you could find a recipe for canning these too.
SUPPLIES
- 1 wide-mouth pint canning jar (or more)
INGREDIENTS
- Water for the brine
- Watermelon rinds with a little pink left on them
- Lemon slices – remove seeds – some use vinegar too
- Sugar to taste
- Salt to taste
- Cinnamon sticks, clove, and coriander — or your favorite spices (ginger is nice – change it up)
DIRECTIONS
Grabbing all the ingredients and chopping the rind are the hardest parts. Once you’re past these hurdles, making pickled watermelon rind is a breeze.There are variations of this with different spices and herbs. For this one, Here are the basic steps:
- Cut rinds into cubes. Leave a little flesh on the rind for color and taste. It makes a nice rainbow look for the slices, and also adds a little sweetness to the delicious taste.
- Combine remaining ingredients to create the brine. Heat the brine to a quick boil and then simmer the rind pieces until tender. Boil the rind in the brine for about 5 to 10 minutes. Test to see if they’re fork tender. You want them a little tender.
- Place rind cubes into the jar(s). Pour in the brine and top jar(s) with lid(s). Tap the jar(s) on the counter to release any air bubbles.
- Wait until they cool (about 1 hour). You can eat immediately, or store in the fridge!
These can be stored in the refigerator for up to 1 month though they are usually gone sooner than that!
And check these poems out: Reflections on a Gift of Watermelon Pickle… and other Modern Verse – Wikipedia; Reflections on a Gift of Watermelon Pickle Received From a Friend Called Felicity (John Tobias) | Oklahoma Agriculture in the Classroom
Candied Orange/Citrus Peels
One of my favorite treats, candied orange/citrus peels have a long culinary history and have been eaten for centuries. I’m sharing a video from one of my all-time favorite chefs, Jacques Pépin. His mother owned a restaurant in France when he was growing up and they were always extremely conscientious about using up everything they could and throwing out very little. He is one of the scrappiest chefs out there and certainly knows how to use up all the bits and pieces – check out his video series! Jacques uses a variety of citrus – orange, grapefruit, and lemon – for this candied citrus peel with chocolate recipe. (And peels and citrus juice are great in homemade green cleaning recipes.)
Image source: Citrus Peel and Chocolate – Jacques Pépin Foundation
INGREDIENTS/SUPPLIES
- Orange (my favorite), grapefruit, and/or lemon peels (zest only)
- Water (for boiling the peels and to make simple syrup)
- Sugar (for simple syrup and for coating)
- Melted chocolate (for coating)
- Foil lined trays for cooling peels in the refrigerator
DIRECTIONS
“Watch the recipe” here: Citrus Peel and Chocolate – Jacques Pépin Foundation
Sauteed or Stewed Beet Greens
Beet greens are a real “unsung hero.” The leafy green part of beet plants offer numerous health benefits. They are nutrient rich. Beet greens are packed with essential vitamins and minerals, including vitamin K, vitamin A, vitamin C, folate, iron, magnesium, and potassium. They are also a good source of protein and have anti-inflammatory properties. This is a really nice side dish that will go great with many main dishes. Or, you can add bacon or ham and make it your main. If you prefer to do a stew, just add broth or water. Many other greens that often get discarded can also be sauteed.
INGREDIENTS
- 1 bunch beet greens
- 1 teaspoon extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 garlic clove, finely chopped
- Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
- 2 tablespoons golden raisins
- Lemon wedge, for squeezing
- 1 tablespoon chopped pistachios, walnuts or other
DIRECTIONS
- Separate the stems from the beet greens. Finely chop the stems and coarsely chop the leaves.
- Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the garlic and the beet stems and cook, stirring, for 1 minute. Add the beet greens, a few pinches of salt, and several grinds of pepper. Sauté, tossing, until just wilted. I sometimes add a pinch of fresh-grated nutmeg in as well, as I do.
- Turn off the heat, add the raisins, and squeeze with lemon juice. Toss to combine. Transfer to a platter, top with the nuts, and season to taste with more salt and pepper as you like.
Hydrating Face Mask (For Dry Skin)
Juice pulp is packed with fiber, antioxidants, vitamins, and minerals, and can nourish your skin in ways that store-bought beauty products cannot. In addition to culinary creations in the kitchen, you can also use scraps for health and beauty creations. There are various pulp facials but here are a couple that are particularly hydrating.
Best Pulp to Use: carrot, cucumber, aloe vera, or watermelon pulp
INGREDIENTS
- 2 tbsp fresh juice pulp
- 1 tbsp honey (natural humectant)
- 1 tbsp yogurt (contains lactic acid for gentle exfoliation)
DIRECTIONS
- Mix the juice pulp, honey, and yogurt in a bowl until well combined.
- Apply the mixture to your face, avoiding the eye area.
- Leave on for 10-15 minutes.
- Rinse off with lukewarm water and pat dry.
Benefits: can hydrate the skin, reduces redness, and improves skin elasticity.
Extra: You can make a variety of DIY health and beauty products from food scraps — Used coffee grounds can make a nice facial scrub if mixed with coconut oil (1.5 tbsp freshly used coffee grounds with 1 tbsp oil)!
Juice Pulp Cucumber Face Mask #2
Take the pulp from cucumber-apple juice and combine it with aloe vera, honey, and rose oil. Cucumbers are anti-inflammatory, full of antioxidants, and very hydrating. Not only that, when used topically, cucumbers can brighten and tone your skin. This mask has the consistency of a good mud mask, so apply the mask, put your feet up, and sip on your juice.
INGREDIENTS
- Cucumber-apple pulp
- 2 tbsp aloe vera (from a leaf or aloe juice)
- 2 tbsp honey
- 3 drops rose oil
DIRECTIONS
- Mix cucumber-apple pulp with the aloe vera, honey, and rose oil in a bowl.
- For an extra-refreshing treat, refrigerate the mask for 5-10 minutes before applying.
- Apply the mask, put your feet up, and sip on your juice.
Stir-Fried Rice
Leftover rice plus whatever vegetables are fading fast equals dinner. A great way to use up leftovers or older veg that may not be as fresh, and perhaps even getting a little wilty, but is still good and safe to eat. Get the pan hot, stir-fry your veg, add garlic if you like, add the rice (break up any clumps), push it to the side and scramble an egg or two in. You can add soy, but my preferred add in,is liquid coconut aminos, with green scallions or chives, and a little sesame seed sprinkled on top to finish it off. Almost any vegetable you have can blend happily into fried rice. A great” clean-out-the-fridge” meal. You can also add in sauteed or grilled chicken, shrimp, or salmon.
Berry-Honey Lemonade
This is a great way to use up over-ripe berries. You can use strawberries or any berry or combination you like. You can always puree and freeze them too (in ice curb trays, etc.) for future, happy scrappy berry recipes. I love to pull berries that I’ve frozen from my summer garden (most get eaten sooner though!) or CSA out in the wintertime to use. And if you haven’t tried coconut nectar, you can always use that in place of honey. Coconut nectar is slightly less sweet than honey, so you may wish to adjust to your taste.
INGREDIENTS
- 1 pound fresh strawberries, hulled (or other berries you have or even a combination)
- 1 1/2 cups fresh lemon juice
- 1 cup honey
- 5 cups water
- Lemon slices, for garnish
DIRECTIONS
- Place strawberries, lemon juice, honey, and 1 cup water in a blender; process until smooth.
- Pour mixture through a fine wire-mesh strainer into a pitcher. Add remaining 4 cups water to pitcher, and stir well to combine.
- Chill lemonade completely before serving, about 2 hours. Serve over ice; garnish with additional strawberries and lemon slices, if using. Can use any berries in place of strawberries.
Basic Strata Recipe (from Gale Gand)
I had the pleasure of doing a presentation with Gale, and working with her on some community projects.
This is her famous strata recipe from her cookbook, Gale Gand’s Brunch and she encourages everyone to use up their veggies, older breads, etc. in this recipe. Gale’s a James Beard award-winning chef from right here in Illinois! Thank you Gale for sharing this with our IFSCC readers and community.
INGREDIENTS
- 2 ½ cups cubed bread, any kind
- 1 cup grated cheese
- 5 eggs
- 2 cups milk
- ½ teaspoon each dry mustard, salt, pepper
Butter an 8 x 8 baking dish. Place bread cubes in the dish then top with grated cheese. In a bowl whisk together the eggs, milk, mustard, salt, and pepper. Pour the mixture over the bread cubes. Sprinkle the ingredients over and fold them in gently. Cover and chill for up to 24 hours.
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Uncover the dish and bake at 350 for 60 minutes. Tent with foil if the dish is browning too quickly. Let cool for 5 minutes before serving. Serves 4.
Variations:
- Monterey Jack cheese, ½ cup frozen corn kernels, ½ cup blanched broccoli florets, ½ cup pulled chicken, and a 4.5 ounce can of jalapenos.
- Sharp Cheddar cheese, strips cooked bacon crumbled, ½ cup sauteed slices white or shitake mushrooms, ½ cup chopped tomatoes
- Swiss cheese, ½ cup blanched asparagus, ½ cup cubed ham, ½ cup sliced caramelized onions
- Fontina cheese, 12/c up wilted or frozen spinach, 12/ up julienned Italian salami, ¼ cup roasted garlic cloves
- Crumbled Blue cheese (reduce the amount to ½ cup), ½ cup blanched celery root cut up, ½ cup sauteed zucchini, ¼ cup sauteed onions
I hope you’ll enjoy trying a few of these and discover some of your own. And we’d love for you to share your scrappy recipes too! Please email: mrampale@swalco.org. We may even collect these for a future book!
And, of course, if we find ourselves with other scrappy bits laying around, if we can’t reimagine it on the dinner table, we can always reimagine it as a rich amendment for our soil by composting! So here’s to getting scrappy, and as Jacques says, “Happy Cooking!”