13 Great Uses for Those Rinds and Peels You Normally Trash
No one likes it when food goes to waste. Seriously, is there anything more cringe-worthy than throwing something out that could have been put to good use? *Facepalm!* Thus, our obsession with food scrap recipes. Before you start chompin’ on food scraps, though, you’ll want to ensure that your food isn’t covered in pesticides and other yucky chemicals. Luckily, there’s an app for that! Check out some techy ways to learn what’s really in your food, and once you’re ready, get cookin’. Here are 13 tasty and innovative ideas to inspire you.
1. Kiwifruit Wheatgrass Green Smoothie Bowl: Kiwi peels are a little intimidating because, well, they’re fuzzy — no one wants to feel like they’re eating a beard. But the peel of a kiwi is a keeper, folks! It offers up tons of fiber, and preserves a lot more of the vitamin C content. The good news is they blend extremely well for smoothies, so you won’t even notice them fuzzies. (via Honey and Figs Kitchen)
2. Japanese Simmered Cauliflower Greens: Cauliflower has been trending in recipes for quite a while now, so we can only imagine how many mounds of cauliflower greens could have been put to good use but were instead thrown out. Low in calories, fat and carbs, these “scraps” make a great side dish or addition to a hearty stew. (via Diversivore)
3. Roasted Carrots With Carrot Top Pesto: Many root vegetables get their tops tossed into the compost or, worse yet, the trash. What many people don’t realize is that most veggie tops are edible — they even make for a great pesto! So quit trashing those greens and start cooking from root to tip. (via Thriving on Paleo)
4. Watermelon Rind Pickles: No, you’re not seeing things. That right there is an inviting charcuterie board complete with cured meats, soft cheeses and, yes, pickled watermelon rinds. They’ve been common in Southern cuisine for quite some time. Stop chucking your rinds and start collecting canning equipment for one heck of a tasty project. (via Watermelon.org)
5. Upland Cress Soup With Baby Turnip Greens: Is there anything you can’t incorporate into a soup somehow? The great thing is you can pack SO many nutrients into a soup and get a huge dose of feel-good in just one bowl. Baby turnip greens are put to great use in this one. (via Rooting the Sun)
6. Banana Peel Thoran: Some of you may have already heard of the many uses a banana peel has to offer — teeth whitening, splinter removal, shoe polish — but did you know you could eat it too? Like most peels, the banana peel contains high concentrations of nutrients such as potassium, magnesium and fiber. It also contains trytophan — the same happy hormone you find in your holiday turkey. There are, however, mixed opinions on whether or not consuming the peel is actually good for you. Read up and decide for yourself! (via Veg Recipes of India)
7. Homemade Candied Citrus Peels: Sour Patch Kids, you may see yourselves out. Citrus peels are the real treat we’re after. At least we’re getting high levels of vitamin C with this sweet and sour treat. (via The Cookie Writer)
8. Roasted Lemon Peel Powder: DIY spices and dressings are amazing, and everyone should be making them. Why not avoid additives where you can? Not to mention, you can use up fruit peels to create flavored powders for cooking. It’s a win-win situation, really. (via Chocolate and Zucchini)
9. DIY Flavored Sugar: If you like to bake and often find yourself sprinkling a little extra sugar on top of your confections, flavored sugar is another great reason to save your citrus peels. You can up your garnishing game by adding extra sparkle, sweetness *and* flavor. (via Design Mom)
10. Potato Peel Crisps: We’ve *all* had a sink full of potato peels at some point — some of us have even clogged the garbage disposals with them (guilty). Next time, peel your spuds over a bowl and save those skins. They make delicious crisps, and hey — who doesn’t love a frugal and nutritious snack? (via The Way to His Heart)
11. Christmas Market Style Mulled Wine: No need to mull over uses for your lemon and orange peels any longer — just make mulled wine! This warm and comforting drink is a holiday staple. The more peels you keep, the more batches you can make, right? (via Lauren Caris Cooks)
12. Vegetable Broth from Veggie Scraps: Next time you’re prepping a veggie dish and end up with a bunch of scraps, shove them into a freezer bag and store them for soup season. The cool weather will be here sooner than we care to admit, and you seriously can’t have enough broth. (via It Doesn’t Taste Like Chicken)
13. Homemade Italian Wedding Soup (With Parmesan Rind Broth): Italian Wedding Soup isn’t complete without that salty and pungent Parmesan. If you love parm as much as we do, save those rinds and keep them handy for an intensely flavored soup that will leave everyone begging for more. (via Teaspoon of Spice)
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