Food Upcycling
RECIPES WITH FOOD SCRAPS
Beet Greens with Nutmeg and Orange
Your beets are more than just the root. All your beet greens need to steal the show is some good seasoning. Gather your fleet of ginger, garlic, and citrus to make your beet greens the talk of the dinner table.
Uses up: oranges and beet greens Makes: 10 servings
Ingredients:
¼ cup vegetable oil
3 cloves garlic, crushed
2 inch piece ginger, minced
1 fresh red chili, thinly sliced
1 lemon zest, finely chopped
1orange, zested and juiced, divided
beet greens from about 2 bunches beets, chopped
½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
salt and freshly ground black pepper
DirectionsSeparate beet stems from leaves. Rip leaves to bite size. Chop stems finely.
Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add garlic, ginger and chili and cook, stirring constantly, until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add stems and saute about 5 minutes.
Add lemon and orange zest and greens. Season with 1 teaspoon salt. In batches, stir in greens, covering pan to wilt between each addition. Add nutmeg and orange juice. Season more with salt and pepper before serving.
TIPS: Crush your ginger with the side of a knife before mincing. Keep the stems on your beet greens! They add a little crunch to the sautéed greens. ½ teaspoon nutmeg is about 10 gratings on a fine rasp grater. Most recipes call for navel oranges. You can use 2 clementines instead.
Credit: adapted from Joel Gamoran, Sur La Table National Chef and Host of Scraps
Your beets are more than just the root. All your beet greens need to steal the show is some good seasoning. Gather your fleet of ginger, garlic, and citrus to make your beet greens the talk of the dinner table.
Uses up: oranges and beet greens Makes: 10 servings
Ingredients:
¼ cup vegetable oil
3 cloves garlic, crushed
2 inch piece ginger, minced
1 fresh red chili, thinly sliced
1 lemon zest, finely chopped
1orange, zested and juiced, divided
beet greens from about 2 bunches beets, chopped
½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
salt and freshly ground black pepper
DirectionsSeparate beet stems from leaves. Rip leaves to bite size. Chop stems finely.
Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add garlic, ginger and chili and cook, stirring constantly, until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add stems and saute about 5 minutes.
Add lemon and orange zest and greens. Season with 1 teaspoon salt. In batches, stir in greens, covering pan to wilt between each addition. Add nutmeg and orange juice. Season more with salt and pepper before serving.
TIPS: Crush your ginger with the side of a knife before mincing. Keep the stems on your beet greens! They add a little crunch to the sautéed greens. ½ teaspoon nutmeg is about 10 gratings on a fine rasp grater. Most recipes call for navel oranges. You can use 2 clementines instead.
Credit: adapted from Joel Gamoran, Sur La Table National Chef and Host of Scraps
Cilantro (or Parsley) Stem Green Sauce
The star of your next grill out starts here. Cilantro stems are tender, flavorful, and — most importantly — edible. Chop them up right along with the leaves to add to recipes or whip them, like in this one here. This green cilantro sauce is best when served up at cookouts, right along with whatever you're throwing on the flame.
Uses up: cilantro and cilantro stems (or parsley) Makes: 1 cup
Ingredients:
1⁄4 cup red wine vinegar or freshly squeezed lemon juice
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1⁄2 cup fresh cilantro stems (from 1 bunch of cilantro) - or parsley
1⁄2 cup olive oil or neutral oil, such as olive oil or grapeseed
1⁄2 tsp ground cumin
Directions: In a blender or the mixing cup of a small food processor or immersion blender, combine the vinegar and a pinch of salt and pepper. Swirl a few times to dissolve the salt. Add the stems, olive oil, and cumin — puree. Adjust the seasoning to taste.
Serve immediately or cover and refrigerate for up to 3 days.
CreditAdapted from “Eat it Up!” by Sherri Brooks Vinton
The star of your next grill out starts here. Cilantro stems are tender, flavorful, and — most importantly — edible. Chop them up right along with the leaves to add to recipes or whip them, like in this one here. This green cilantro sauce is best when served up at cookouts, right along with whatever you're throwing on the flame.
Uses up: cilantro and cilantro stems (or parsley) Makes: 1 cup
Ingredients:
1⁄4 cup red wine vinegar or freshly squeezed lemon juice
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1⁄2 cup fresh cilantro stems (from 1 bunch of cilantro) - or parsley
1⁄2 cup olive oil or neutral oil, such as olive oil or grapeseed
1⁄2 tsp ground cumin
Directions: In a blender or the mixing cup of a small food processor or immersion blender, combine the vinegar and a pinch of salt and pepper. Swirl a few times to dissolve the salt. Add the stems, olive oil, and cumin — puree. Adjust the seasoning to taste.
Serve immediately or cover and refrigerate for up to 3 days.
CreditAdapted from “Eat it Up!” by Sherri Brooks Vinton
Avocado Chocolate Mousse
Delightfully smooth and deceptively decadent, the cocoa powder covers up any avocado flavor in this healthful chocolate mousse. Even if you go wild with the toppings (and you should), you'll have a sundae to make your trainer proud. This recipe is very forgiving, and can even be made without milk.
Uses up: overripe avocado, fruit and nuts Makes: 4 servings
Ingredients:
2 large ripe or slightly overripe avocados (see Tip)
1/4 cup milk, milk substitute, or yogurt (optional)
1/2 cup agave nectar, maple syrup, honey, or superfine sugar (more if desired)
5 Tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder (more if desired)
1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
1/8 tsp salt
Optional ToppingsRaspberries, blueberries, sliced strawberries, Sliced banana, Shredded and toasted coconut, Candied citrus peel, Chopped nuts, Whipped cream (since the mousse is healthy, we say splurge here if you want)
Directions: Scoop avocado flesh into a food processor. Add the milk (if using), sweetener, cocoa powder, vanilla, and salt and process until free of lumps and velvety in texture. Taste and adjust sweetener or add more cocoa powder (just 1 tsp at a time) if you want a darker chocolate flavor. (Alternatively, if making by hand, mash the avocados with a fork first, then mash in the remaining ingredients.)
Serve plain or with a topping or two. The mousse will keep for at least 1 week in an airtight container in the refrigerator, but honestly it’s so delicious that the chances of it lasting that long are slim. Tip: If you have small avocados, blend them with 5 Tbsp sweetener, 3 Tbsp cocoa, 1 tsp vanilla, and a small pinch of salt. Taste, then add small amounts of cocoa and/or sweetener until you hit a balance you like.
Credit from “Waste Free Kitchen Handbook” by Dana Gunders, 2015.
Delightfully smooth and deceptively decadent, the cocoa powder covers up any avocado flavor in this healthful chocolate mousse. Even if you go wild with the toppings (and you should), you'll have a sundae to make your trainer proud. This recipe is very forgiving, and can even be made without milk.
Uses up: overripe avocado, fruit and nuts Makes: 4 servings
Ingredients:
2 large ripe or slightly overripe avocados (see Tip)
1/4 cup milk, milk substitute, or yogurt (optional)
1/2 cup agave nectar, maple syrup, honey, or superfine sugar (more if desired)
5 Tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder (more if desired)
1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
1/8 tsp salt
Optional ToppingsRaspberries, blueberries, sliced strawberries, Sliced banana, Shredded and toasted coconut, Candied citrus peel, Chopped nuts, Whipped cream (since the mousse is healthy, we say splurge here if you want)
Directions: Scoop avocado flesh into a food processor. Add the milk (if using), sweetener, cocoa powder, vanilla, and salt and process until free of lumps and velvety in texture. Taste and adjust sweetener or add more cocoa powder (just 1 tsp at a time) if you want a darker chocolate flavor. (Alternatively, if making by hand, mash the avocados with a fork first, then mash in the remaining ingredients.)
Serve plain or with a topping or two. The mousse will keep for at least 1 week in an airtight container in the refrigerator, but honestly it’s so delicious that the chances of it lasting that long are slim. Tip: If you have small avocados, blend them with 5 Tbsp sweetener, 3 Tbsp cocoa, 1 tsp vanilla, and a small pinch of salt. Taste, then add small amounts of cocoa and/or sweetener until you hit a balance you like.
Credit from “Waste Free Kitchen Handbook” by Dana Gunders, 2015.