food waste - Related Content

Ingredients:

1/4 C extra-virgin olive oil

1 large onion or another allium, diced

3 carrots, diced

About 2 C chopped mushrooms of your choice (or more, you can really use as many as you like)

4 to 6 garlic cloves, chopped

2 T tomato paste or ketchup

2 T soy sauce

1/2 C dry red wine

3 C diced vegetables, from broccoli to celery to eggplant

4 cups chopped tomatoes (fresh or canned is fine!) or tomato sauce or a combo

1 C stock, milk, or water

Kosher salt and fresh ground pepper

1 to 2 tsp sugar (optional)

Instructions:

Heat oil in a large heavy-bottomed pot, such as a Dutch oven, over medium-high heat. Add the onion, carrots, and mushrooms and cook, covered, until the mushrooms release their liquid, about 5 minutes. Remove the lid and continue to cook until the vegetables are softened and starting to brown, about 10 minutes. Stir in the garlic, tomato paste, and soy sauce into the vegetables and let cook until the mixture starts to darken and caramelize on the bottom of the pan, 2 to 4 minutes.

Add the wine to the pan and use a wooden spoon to scrape up the browned bits from the bottom of the pan and stir them into the vegetables. Let the mixture cook for a minute or two, then add in the remaining vegetables, tomatoes, and stock or water. Season with salt and pepper, reduce the heat to medium-low, and cover. Cook for at least 20 minutes, until all the vegetables are tender, or leave it to simmer on the stove (or in a slow cooker) and make your kitchen smell amazing for an hour or more.

Taste again and season with more salt and pepper, and possibly a teaspoon of sugar or two, if you feel the sauce could use a bit more sweetness. Store leftovers in an airtight container for up to a week or in the freezer for a few months.

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Story:

Buying seasonal produce is great for nutrition, for farmers and the planet. Without good planning, leftover food often can often be on the verge of going in the trash.  This "All the Veggies" Bolognese-sauce from "fills the kitchen with tantalizing smells AND helps clear the fridge of random produce.   It is pictured above and on their Food Waste Feast website.

Households in the US produce 37% of the food waste in the country.  Other high-income countries add their share.  This is not only financially unsound, but contributes to climate change!  And we can address it!

Project Drawdown is one of the world’s leading resources for climate solutions. They report that “roughly 1/3 of the world’s food is never eaten.  Reducing loss and waste can reduce the need for land and resources used to produce food as well as the greenhouse gases released in the process.”  They continue:  “Shifting diets to eat lower on the food chain and ensuring what’s grown gets eaten is a powerful combination that lowers farming inputs, land clearing and associated emissions.”  It also greatly serves the 10% plus of our brothers and sisters experiencing food insecurity in the US and can alleviate hunger globally.

Take a look at our own kitchens.  Siblings Mei and Irene Li wrote a cookbook subtitled: “A Totally Achievable Approach to Zero Food Waste”.  They were recently interviewed on WPR’s "Food Fridays" and they offer recipes and practical habits for reducing waste and our carbon footprint.

"How you like it Savory Pancakes"is a Li sisters’ recipe for using leftovers similar to our April 24, 2023 post for Japanese Okanomiyaki.  It is based on the Japanese concept of mottainai, an expression of regret that something has been not used to its full potential, loosely translated to “What a waste!”  Sounds like a Franciscan value!

1. Look up “Hero Recipes” from their book "Perfectly Good Food" that use tasty combinations of leftover fruits, vegetables and other foods in your kitchen.  Find the book in your local library.  (Yes, Winding Rivers in the La Crosse area.)
2. Check out their website "Food Waste Feast" for more recipes for using up dairy, meats, seafood, eggs, bread and grains, fruit, fresh herbs, beans, veg, etc.
3. Use good meal planning and shopping skills.  “Failing to plan is planning to …?” 
4. Practice good pantry habits.  Rotate first purchased or older cooked foods to the front of the shelf (First In, First Out-FIFO) to prevent gems from being lost out of sight until the nose finds them!
5. Create a “Use ME First” box or front section of your fridge where half a tomato, part of a pear, etc. can more easily be added to a sauce, dressing, stir fry, soup, smoothies, popsicles, egg rolls, slaw or other salad.
6. Make an effort to “swap” leftovers with a friend or neighbor.
7. Keep scraps from veggies in a freezer bag and create flavorful stock.
8. Make your own compost pile or partner with a gardener neighbor.

Small steps are part of the journey, say Li and Mai.  “Zero waste is an idea and an inspiration, not a state of being.  Small mindful changes can make a big difference, and all of it adds up to saving more food, more money, and more landfill space.”

It’s more than joining the “clean your plate” club.  With information and mindful choices, we can make a difference.

Food WASTE is different from Food LOSS:  Food WASTE happens at the end of the food chain and is an issue mostly in wealthy contries.  Food waste is food produced for human consumption but then discarded or not consumed by humans in households, restaurants,  and cafeterias or discarded by retailers.  Cutting global food waste in half by 2030 is one of the UN's top priorities.  The World Food Program USA offers us ways to reduce food WASTE.

Food LOSS happens at the production, post-harvest and processing stages of the food chain.  It is a huge issue in underdeveloped and developing countries.  For example, Africa's small-scale farmers lose up to 40% of all the food they harvest due to severe weather, rats, insects or mold.  Watch how the UN World Food Program helps small farmers (mostly women) reduce food LOSS.  Solutions such as education on drying grains and providing air-tight food storage containers are making a difference!

Ways To Reduce Food Waste At Thanksgiving

Thanksgiving is often celebrated with a feast that is expansive in gratitude and in the food served as seen in the photo above from TIME magazine. Turkey leftovers are often as valuable as the meal itself! 

In November,  2022, TIME magazine's Emily Barone described the humanitarian and environmental value of reducing food waste all year long.

There’s no better way to give thanks for our food by making sure none of it goes to waste irresponsibly. By wasting less as you plan, prepare, and enjoy the holiday, you’ll reduce the 40% of food that gets wasted in our country. It’s also a great way to build new habits and get your family and friends involved in the issue.

Some advance planning tips from the authors of "Purple Kale Kitchenworks", "Food Waste Feast" and "Perfectly Good Food"” can keep food from being put in the garbage, create great left-overs and help ease the food waste toll on the environment!

1. Get help in estimating how much food you will need to keep your guests full and happy, using the Guestimator from Save the Food.com.  They provide recipes, too!
 

2. Choose recipes that “fit” together.  Carefully examine ingredient lists so you can choose recipes that will use up whole vegetables, containers of broth, etc. So, if stuffing calls for one and a half onions, look for a gravy recipe that will use up that other half an onion. Suggested by Ronna Welsh, of Purple Kale Kitchenworks.

3. Plan ahead for “special” ingredients.  If a holiday recipe calls for unique or expensive, ingredients, (like buttermilk, cream, or fresh herbs), the items might not be used up in one dish or fit with any other dish in the meal.  Plan ahead for these ingredients by finding out how to store them for the longest period of time (freezing, canning, drying) or coming up with recipes in which they can be used.

4. Transform extras into (almost-)ready meals.  Take a moment while you’re cooking or packing up leftovers to prep and stash unused items for use later on.  For example: Sauté an onion to use later.  Create an almost-finished soup to freeze.  Have extra broth on hand, since many foods freeze better in liquid.  Put some veggies, shredded cooked turkey and extra fresh herbs in with some stock and freeze in a container or resealable plastic bag. Later, reheat, adjust seasonings and simmer until the flavors are blended; top with cheese, croutons or other leftovers for a quick and easy meal.

5. Don’t trash scraps.  Consider mashing potatoes with the skins on, or toss the peelings with a little olive oil, salt and pepper and bake at 375ºF for 15-20 minutes until crisp.  Use the “chips” as a snack or to garnish other dishes. Peelings and trimmings can be reserved for other uses. Homemade stock is an easy way to use vegetable peels and poultry or meat bones.  Stock can be frozen for months to enjoy later.

6. Promote smaller portions.  Guests may be inclined to load up their plates with far more than they’ll actually eat in one sitting. Some hosts set out smaller serving spoons, if the meal will be family-style.

7. Get clever with leftovers.  There are ways other than simply reheating leftovers to transform holiday dishes into new ones. Bake stuffing on a rimmed baking sheet at 375ºF until it’s dry and crisp, then use the new croutons within a week (or freeze for another day). Use stuffing as a base for an egg strata.  Add other leftovers to a good egg frittata. Blend extra mashed potatoes with broth to make creamy potato soup and add garlic or other herbs. Mix or mash together any complementary foods (turkey and mashed potatoes; green beans and stuffing) and use to fill savory hand pies with store-bought pie-crust dough. Wrap “pies” well and freeze.  Later, bake in a 350ºF oven until golden brown.

8. Be generous!  Offer to transfer leftovers from a guest’s plate and/or extras of other dishes that are left for guests who’d like them to be packaged up and taken home.

9. Still have leftover food?  If you fry your turkey, check into cooking oil recycling in your area. The City of La Crosse, for instance, collects cooking oil at Isle La Plume waste collection site.  In the winter months, call the Recycling Department (608-789-7508) to schedule a drop off. Uncooked veggies and vegetable scraps can be composted. Search your city cite for compost options near you or try  findacomposter.com.

If you’re interested in doing more to reduce food waste at home, take a free, 4-week "I Value Food" Challenge"  provided bt "Sustainable America".  You will learn easy ways to waste less food, save money and challenge your friends, if you choose!  They also offer a Toolkit to help with meal planning, shopping, recipes, use of leftovers, food storage, expiration dates and more!

To learn more about food waste and its impact on the planet, visit the USDA Food Waste Facts page. 

Story:

Appreciating food and its origins is an aspect of gratitude that can deepen our spirituality at dinner and in every aspect in which food touches our lives.  It is common to offer thanks for the plants, creatures and hands that bring food from farm and forest to table.  Beyond a meaningful mealtime grace, we can make a conscious effort to acknowledge with warmth and courtesy all who serve in food supply jobs from check-out clerks to those who legislate state and federal food policy.  It is a sacred activity to feed the hungry, especially where good food is scarce.

Curiosity about food cultures and where foods originate or exploring a favorite food or cuisine can add to our appreciation of food.  Giving back, sharing meals, wasting less express our appreciation for the gift of food. 

Ingredients:
Clean, dry seeds.  (See below for tips on preparing seeds for roasting.)
Olive oil or your favorite vegetable oil.
Salt
Seasonings of your choice.  Suggestions include:
•    acorn squash (with olive oil and salt)
•    butternut squash (with olive oil, fennel seed and salt)
•    delicata squash (olive oil, coriander seeds, curry powder and salt)
•    spaghetti squash (olive oil, red chili flakes, and salt)
•    kabocha squash (allspice, cardamom, and cloves)
•    Create your own favorite spice and herb mix such as pumpkin pie spices, Italian spice, taco seasoning!

Directions:
Start with clean dry seeds.  This is the most time consuming, but kids can help!
•    Cut the squash in half from stem to bottom. (For a pumpkin that will be carved, cut a circle in the top!)  Use your hands or a large spoon to pull out the seeds into a large bowl   Try to squeeze the seeds out of this substance, leaving as much of the pulp behind as you can. There are pockets of seeds in the cavities of the pulp, so be sure to root around in the corners.
•    Fill the bowl with cold water and use your hands to squish the seeds together to remove the slimy pulp. The seeds will rise to the surface. Skim them off and spread them out to dry.
•    You can also put the seeds in a strainer and using your kitchen sprayer to loosen the pulp.
•    Turn seeds out onto a clean absorbent dishcloth and pat them dry.
•    If a little pulp sticks to the seeds, it will cook away during roasting.

Boil (optional):  If the seeds are particularly tough, such as pumpkin and kabocha seeds, you can boil them in salted water for about 10 minutes. This can help soften the outer shells slightly and make them easier to roast.
Dry the seeds:  Spread the cleaned seeds on a clean kitchen towel to dry. Allow them to air-dry for a few hours or use a towel to pat them dry.
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. 
Coat and Season:  In a bowl, toss the dried seeds with a small amount of olive oil or vegetable oil. Use enough oil to coat the seeds lightly but not so much that they become greasy.  Add your choice of seasonings and salt to the bowl. Toss the seeds to evenly coat them with the oil and seasonings.
Roast:  Spread the seasoned seeds in a single layer on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat.  Roast the seeds in the preheated oven for about 15-20 minutes, stirring occasionally to ensure even roasting. They will start to "pop’". Keep a close eye on them to prevent burning.
Test for doneness: The seeds are done when they turn golden brown and have a crispy texture. Taste a few seeds to make sure they are cooked to your desired level of crunchiness.
Cool: Once the seeds are roasted to your liking, remove them from the oven and let them cool completely on the baking sheet. They will become even crunchier as they cool.
Store:  Once the seeds are completely cooled, transfer them to an airtight container. Properly stored, roasted squash seeds can stay crispy and flavorful for several weeks.

Uses:

• Serve as a healthy snack, as an appetizer or as part of a cheese or “charcuterie” board.
• Add to a fall salad as you would use nuts or croutons.
• Garnish a fall soup with roasted seeds, especially if the soup contains squash.
• Add to granola or trail mix.
• Bake them into seedy crackers or breads.

Story: 

Roasting seeds from winter squash is a good way to use as much of this "sister" as possible, reducing food waste.  Sue Moran says “For some people, it’s a cherished fall ritual. Usually, it’s after the family jack-o-lantern gets hollowed out for carving and everybody gets all excited to roast the seeds… only to be super disappointed at how tough they can be! Turns out all the other winter squash have much better seeds for roasting.”  

Sue reminds us, "Farmers markets and roadside stands are great sources for different varieties of winter squash ~ and all of them (and their seeds) are edible. Delicata, butternut, acorn, even spaghetti squash seeds can be roasted.  These seeds are smaller, and more tender and flavorful than pumpkin seeds which are more fibrous."

As mentioned in last week’s story about “Three Sisters’ Soup”, most summer and winter squash are indigenous to the Americas.  Squashes are one of the oldest known crops–10,000 years by some estimates of sites in Mexico. Squash was first used in its wild form.  Since squashes are gourds, they most likely served as containers or utensils because of their hard shells.  The seeds and flesh later became an important part of the pre-Columbian (before the arrival of Columbus!) Indian diet in both South and North America and has become one of the world’s most cultivated crops.  

Knowing where our food comes from can help us to appreciate how the earth provides and our responsibility to use it with gratitude.  As we read about how humans nurtured a variety of foods for our table, we are invited to reverence and use them well.  It is my hope that awareness of the culture of Indigenous Peoples challenges white people to learn more about Native values, to risk relationship (encuentro) with Native Americans and to join their work of bringing justice, peace and unity between all members of the human and other than human family.

Moran of The View from Great Island relays:  "For some people, roasting squash seeds is a cherished fall ritual. Usually it’s after the family jack-o-lantern gets hollowed out for carving and everybody gets excited to roast the seeds… only to be super disappointed at how tough they can be! Turns out all the other winter squash have much better seeds for toasting.

"Farmers' markets and roadside stands are great sources for different varieties of winter squash, as seen in the picture above by Sue Moran .  She says, "and all of them (and their seeds) are edible. Delicata, butternut, acorn, even spaghetti squash seeds can be roasted…these seeds are smaller, and more tender and flavorful that pumpkin seeds which are more fibrous."

Enjoy!
 

Ingredients:
For Fruit Galette:
2 C fruit of your choice in small pieces or wedges (even grapes!)
¼ C sugar
1 T cornstarch, plus more, as needed
Small squeeze of lemon juice
Dusting of grated lemon zest
Pinch of kosher salt
¼ C jam or sweet sauce (optional)
1 home-made or commercial pie crust or puff pastry, thawed if frozen and unrolled, kept cool.
1 egg, lightly beaten with a splash of water or milk, for brushing on crust.  Use leftover egg for small bit of scrambled snack.

For Vegetable Galette:

1 small onion or large shallot, chopped
4 garlic cloves, chopped
3 C vegetable combo of your choice:
    Hearty greens of your choice (kale, spinach, collards) cut in bite-size pieces (about 8 C will cook down for filling.
    Summer Veggies: about 3 pounds of cubed veggies, such as:  peppers, tomatoes, eggplant &/or summer squash
    Root Vegetables: About 3 pounds of veggies, such as: onion, carrots, parsnips, beets, winter squash cut into 1/8" to ¼" slices to ensure quick cooking in crust
Olive oil to brush on pastry crust

Instructions:
Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
Make filling of your choice.
For fruit galette: Mix all ingredients (except jam) in a bowl.  Spread jam, if using, in the center of the crust, when rolled out (below) and put fruit mixture on top.  Proceed with instructions.
For greens galette: In medium skillet, add oil and soften onion on medium heat.  Add garlic and cook for about 1 minute more.  Add greens to the pan and stir until softened and wilted.  Add salt and pepper to taste, allow liquids to evaporate.  If greens have released lots of moisture in the pan, drain mixture in a colander before placing greens in the center of the prepared crust.  Continue with instructions.
For summer vegetable galette:  Place veggie mixture on a rimmed baking sheet.  Toss with oil and seasonings.  Roast for 30 minutes, watching so they don’t get too brown.  They will cook some more in the pastry.  Meanwhile, saute onion to soften and add garlic.  Prepare crust, as below.  Scatter cooked onion and garlic on the prepared crust, followed by roasted veggies. Continue with instructions.
For root vegetable galette:  Once the onion and garlic are sauteed, scatter them in the center of the crust.  Then layer the root vegetables on top in whatever arrangement you like.  You will brush both vegetables and crust with olive oil once the galette has been put together.
Line sheet pan with parchment paper or brush with oil (butter for fruit filling)
If frozen, thaw and then unroll pie crust or sheet of puff pastry.  Keep it cool in the fridge if it gets soft.
Roll out the crust into a rough circle and place on the prepared baking sheet.
Add filling as instructed above in the center of the crust, leaving about a 2 inch border around the edges.
Carefully fold the edges over the filling, making folds or pleats every 1-2 inches to make a circle of crust around the edges and a circle of uncovered filling in the center. 
Brush the exposed crust with either egg wash (for fruit galette) or olive oil (for savory versions).
Put the whole pan in the fridge if oven is still heating to prevent crust from getting too soft.
Bake for 25 to 40 minutes, until pastry is lightly browned and filling is bubbling a bit.
Let cool before slicing. 
Note:  Be creative with including a small portion of sauce to the savory galettes, you favorite seasoning, sprinkle with feta, goat cheese, etc. at the end!  Enjoy!

Story:

To prepare for a house-guest with special dietary needs, I vowed to clean the fridge in between processing garden produce.  Not my favorite chore, but a challenge.  Margaret and Irene Li's book "Perfectly Good Food" inspired me to put the mystery jars had accumulated in the back to good use. I added peppers to my omelet and black olives to our Italian salad.  Older bread became toasted crumbs to pop in the freezer and duplicate salad dressings fit in one jar and found a temporary place the new "use first" box meant to remind me to do just that.  

The Li sisters learned to be creative with unused food when they realized how much went in the trash in their first restaurant.   The "All the Veggies" Bolognese Sauce posted earlier this summer was from the Food Waste Feast blog that led to them writing Perfectly Good Food: A totally Achievalbe ZERO WASTE APPROACH to HOME COOKING, pictured above.  Their attitude is passionate, playful and practical.   "Small steps are part of the journey, say Irene and Mai.  “Zero waste is an idea and an inspiration, not a state of being.  Small mindful changes can make a big difference, and all of it adds up to saving more food, more money, and more landfill space.”  I appreciate their take on mindfulness in our choices and values around the gift of food.

Learn more from their Recipes and Tips to Feast and reduce waste:

How to make produce last longer
Their youtube videos on How to Cook more creatively and stop throwing away "Perfectly Good Food"!
Tips for Creating a Zero Waste Kitchen A one hour interview with Irene and Me Li moderated by the Conservation Law Foundation, creators of the “Slash Trash Challenge.”

A Mindful Self - Assessment

What food or beverage leftovers are in my fridge right now?
What meals could I fix tonight from what’s in my fridge, freezer and/or pantry?
What is in my fridge or freezer that I might say are “lost” or may never be used?
What do I typically do with leftovers to keep them from the trash?
How often does my fridge/freezer get a “clean out”?  Every month?  Every 6 months? 
What motivates me to do this often-unpleasant task? What causes delay?
Do I have a written (or mental) pantry list of foods I want to keep on hand for meals?  
What 5 things would be on such a Pantry List if I made one?
How often do I make a list when shopping? a meal plan for a week or so?
What edible or ecological way do I regularly use food scraps or leftovers?