When it comes to food waste, it's often about vegetables that have been left too long in the drawer, but even without us realising it, we also throw away vegetables that aren't needed at all. We use the florets of cauliflower and broccoli and throw away the stalks and leaves. What a waste! Get more out of your vegetables with these tips! These are the vegetables you can use much more of than you think, and how to make something really delicious out of them.
Why do we actually throw these parts of vegetables away?
When you walk around the supermarket, you mostly see the perfect picture. Tight heads of broccoli without leaves, carrots without tops and cauliflower already neatly trimmed of anything sticking out. Much of the vegetable is already offered ‘cleaned up’, meaning we almost forget there was more to it. What we don't see, we also don't learn to use. At home, we effortlessly copy this. We take the florets off the broccoli, cut the white core out of the cauliflower and the carrot tops are removed as standard. That's how we learned it, that's how it's in recipes and that's how it feels logical. Anything outside of that, we quickly label as cutting waste.
That is a shame, as we unknowingly waste a portion of our food this way, while growing, transporting and cooling vegetables requires a lot from land, water and energy. Furthermore, we also think those parts are tougher, stringier or less flavourful. We think a core is tough or leaves are bitter. So we don't give it a chance and it automatically disappears into the bin. While it often has a different texture, with more bite or even more flavour. Sometimes it just requires a different preparation: stewing for a bit longer or slicing thinner, but it's rarely ‘not tasty’. And honestly, convenience doesn't help either. We cook quickly, follow a recipe and use exactly what's mentioned in it. What isn't in it, we simply don't use.
Broccoli before it is harvested.
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Wasting vegetables? These parts you can simply use
Good news: you really don't need to be a chef to get more out of your vegetables. Often it's a matter of cutting them differently, cooking them a bit longer, or just giving it a try. Below you'll find vegetables that we usually throw away a part of, plus ideas to make something delicious from them. Tip: preferably buy organic, unsprayed vegetables. That's a smart idea anyway, but even more important if you're going to use more of your vegetables, such as the leaves.
- Broccolistronk: Peel off the tough outer layer and slice or dice the stalk thinly. Delicious in a stir-fry, grated into a salad, or cooked in soup. Also great for making ‘broccoli rice’ in a food processor.
- Cauliflower leaves and stalk: cut the thick core into pieces and roast or simply cook them along with the rest. The leaves become surprisingly crispy in the oven with a little oil and salt, almost like savoury vegetable crisps.
- Sorrel leaves: chop them finely and use them as a herb instead of parsley. Make pesto from it or stir it into a soup or salad for a fresh, slightly spicy flavour.
- Radish leaves: perfect for pesto or lightly sautéed in a pan with garlic and olive oil. The fresher the leaves, the less bitter they are.
- The dark green part is a bit firmer, but ideal in broth, stews, or finely chopped in a quiche or savoury tart.
- Beetroot leaves: treat them like spinach or chard. Briefly sauté with some garlic and you'll have an extra side dish.
- Fennel fronds: chop finely and use as a herby topping for soup, pasta or salad. It adds a subtle anise flavour.
- Pumpkin seeds: rinse them clean, pat dry, and roast them in the oven with some herbs. Nice as a snack or as a topping over a salad or soup.
- Potato peel: wash potatoes well and leave the skin on for extra flavour and fibre. Loose peels can also be roasted until crispy in the oven.
Wasting vegetables? Make broth from them
Here's another tip we're happy about! We received this from our followers: save your vegetable scraps in a bag or container in the freezer. Think broccoli stalks, the green parts of leeks, carrot peelings, onion ends, fennel bases, and herb stems. Every time you cook, add them to the bag. Once the bag is full, it's time to make broth. Put everything in a large pot, add enough water to cover it all, and let it simmer gently for at least an hour. Strain it, and you'll have a fragrant vegetable broth to use as a base for soup, risotto, or sauce. Practically free, packed with flavour, and a lot less food waste. It can be that simple.
Wasting less food starts on your chopping board
Anyone who sees vegetables differently will suddenly see opportunities everywhere. What was once cutting waste turns out to be perfectly edible. It doesn't require complicated recipes or hours in the kitchen, just a small shift in how you look at and cook. So, wasting less food doesn't start with perfect planning, but with simply making use of what's already on your cutting board. Speaking of that chopping board, read this too! Do you have a smart tip to get more out of your vegetables? Let us know, we’d be happy to share it.
Sources: Nutrition Centre. Photo credits main image: stockphotoartist, Pexels (left), Rahimegul, Pexels (right). Other: Karen Laårk Boshoff (broccoli).
