3 Recipes To Minimize Waste & Get The Most Out Of Your Veggies

After the recent report showing how much food we waste in this country, we set out to find the best ways to make a delicious home-cooked meal while still incorporating all elements of the ingredients.

We consulted food waste expert Wen-Jay Ying of Local Roots NYC for her best recipes that minimize food waste and help you get the most out of your veggies. "I personally love utilizing stems of any green because they are super easy to cook with," says Ying. "You can pickle kale or chard stems and add them to any salad or sandwich or cheese board. Tops of root veggies are also commonly underutilized but can either be eaten raw, sautéed, or made into a pesto."

Directions:

1. Strip leafy greens from rainbow stems and set aside. Trim off as much green as possible from the stems, then separate into colors, yellow and pale stalks, and pink and orangy stalks. Slice stalks no more than ¼ inch thick, and place in heatproof containers, keeping the colors separate.

2. In a small pot, combine vinegar, water, sugar, salt, and mustard seeds, and bring to a boil. Carefully pour over each container of chard stalks, splitting the pickling liquid equally and reserving 1½ teaspoons for your dressing. Allow pickles to cool, at least 30 minutes. This can be done ahead of time as well.

3. In a small food processor, combine tofu, oil, soy, mustard, and reserved pickling liquid, and blend until smooth.

Your greens should yield about 4 to 6 cups. If you have too many greens to handle, throw some in the freezer and add to smoothies, pizzas, soups, and stir-fries later.

1. Add the tahini, lime juice, apple cider vinegar, sea salt, and cumin to a bowl, and whisk to combine. 

2. Slowly drizzle the olive oil into the tahini mixture while whisking. This will create a cohesive, emulsified dressing. 

3. Adjust seasonings to meet your flavor preferences. 

Directions:

1. In a food processor, pulse the garlic, Parmesan cheese, and roasted walnuts until coarsely chopped.

2. Add the radish tops a couple of handfuls at a time, and pulse until coarsely chopped.

3. Add honey, lemon juice, and zest, and pulse a few more times to incorporate.

4. Pour in the oil slowly while the food processor is running until you reach your desired consistency. You may need to add more or less depending on what you prefer. Add salt and pepper to taste.