Cooking with scraps

An effective way to reduce food waste is by creating delicious recipes with peel, seeds, ends, and leaves.

Carrot top pesto

A delicious alternative to the basil variety, this carrot top pesto recipe from Fork In The Road is a fantastic way to use up the green tops of carrots. It can easily be made plant-based by using dairy-free parmesan or nutritional yeast. This is also a very good reason to go and buy carrots with their tops intact from your local greengrocer, rather than the pre-cut supermarket variety. 

Crispy potato peelings

These spicy potato peel crisps from Vegan On Board are SO moreish and delicious, you’ll be making them all the time and wondering what to do with all the leftover peeled potatoes you end up with.

Make sure the spuds are scrubbed thoroughly!

Banana peel sandwich – yes banana peel!

Believe it or not banana peel recipes such as this pulled pork-style sandwich are actually pretty yum, and nutritious! Don’t fancy eating it? Banana peel can also be used as a hair mask, attracting butterflies and for cleaning houseplants!

Make sure the peel is washed thoroughly before eating!

Stock from vegetable food “waste”

It’s surprisingly easy to make a batch of homemade vegetable stock using cooking scraps you’ve collected over a few days. This recipe from Oh My Veggies is really simple and you can mix up the scraps you use depending on what you have. Also, this tastes SO much better than the shop-bought variety.

Roasted seeds

Whether it’s from a pumpkin, a butternut squash or a melon, most seeds can be tossed in oil and seasonings, then roasted into a tasty snack, or to be used to sprinkle on risotto or pasta dishes or as an addition to homemade cereal bars.  

We love this recipe from The Spruce Eats for roasted watermelon seeds, and these sugar and spice roasted squash seeds from Teaspoon of Spice. Seeds are also nutritional powerhouses, containing loads of good-for-you macronutrients and vitamins. So don’t throw them, roast them! 

Most seeds can be tossed in oil and seasonings and be roasted into a tasty snack, or to be used to sprinkle on risotto or pasta dishes or as an addition to homemade cereal bars.  I love this recipe from The Spruce Eats for roasted watermelon seeds, and these sugar and spice roasted squash seeds from Teaspoon of Spice. Seeds are also nutritional powerhouses, containing loads of good-for-you macronutrients and vitamins. So don’t throw them, roast them! 

Aquafaba – magical chickpea water

Aquafaba is a great egg alternative that can be whipped to create beautiful meringues or meringue cream, and chocolate mousse. Or if you’re more of a savoury fan, you can use it to make delicious egg-free mayonnaise and quiche! Food blogger Let’s Eat Smart has some amazing ideas on her site – well worth a look.