Root-to-leaf recipes: Delicious dishes from food scraps

If you’re looking for a simple way to trim your food costs and eat more produce, take another look at the fruits and vegetables you already have on hand. It’s likely easier than you realize to turn a pile of food scraps, ends, peels and cores into memorable meals.

So think beyond the broccoli florets. Consider the herb stems. Cook with a whole head of cauliflower. Use the apple cores and citrus peels one more time before composting. And taste the leafy tops of your favorite root vegetables. It’s almost like eating for free!

Apple Core Syrup

If you don’t have an excess of peels and cores from making applesauce or a pie, add them one at a time to a ziptop freezer bag in the freezer until you have enough. This syrup is thin but flavorful.

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Beet-Green Falafel Bites with Cucumber Yogurt Sauce

These falafel bites, served with a tasty and refreshing cucumber yogurt sauce, help to conserve excess leaves and stems that might otherwise go to waste. They're great for showing off ways you can be creative and mindful of food waste. 

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Kale Stems with Caramelized Onions and Bacon

This colorful salad uses a less-popular part of kale, and combines sweet and savory notes derived from bacon and maple syrup. The salad's vibrant colors and textures make it worthy of being the main entree. 

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Shaved Broccoli-Stem Salad with Chicken & Lemon-Avocado Dressing

Reserve leftover broccoli stems to make a full-flavored salad that pops. This colorful dish is also a feast for the eyes, featuring vibrant apples and sunflower seeds.

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Celery Leaf Walnut Pesto Sauce

This celery leaf walnut pesto sauce wonderfully embraces the concept of repurposed food waste. Highlighting leftover celery leaves, the sauce also incorporates zesty lemon with hints of nuttiness. The sauce also can serve as a great dip for Caulifower Buffalo Bites.

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Creamy White Bean and Cauliflower Soup

This creamy, full-bodied soup takes advantage of delicious cauliflower, from stem to florets. Make a batch for cold, wintry days or save for hot lunches.

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