Save those food scraps!

One of my most popular classes and demos at the farm markets is my save those food scraps class! It's a really good way to get you to think about how to use things that we would normally throw away. Of course, you can always compost most of these things and/or feed to your homestead animals. I prefer to throw most things in the freezer and either dye with them later on (avocados, onions) or use them to make stocks (veggie stock, fish stock, beef stock, chicken stock). Anyway. I am sharing my slides from my PowerPoint presentation below with ideas on how to use things. And also will give you some of my favorite ideas below. Most of these recipes are from the book Cooking Scrappy by Joel Gamaran.

Some of my favorite recipes, which you can see me demo at the Eastside Sunday Farmers' Market on July 16, are:

Green Tomato Jam:
Ingredients
1.5 pounds of underripe green tomatoes
1 cup sugar
1 teaspoon ground coriander
½ teaspoon salt

Instructions:
Simmer tomatoes, sugar, coriander, and salt in a medium pot over medium-low heat until thick, about one hour, stirring occasionally. Cool to room temp before serving. Store in a tightly closed container in the refrigerator for about one month.

Preserved Squeezed Lemons:
Ingredients:
¾ cup sea salt
Spent lemon halves
2 tablespoons coriander seeds

Instructions:
Put 2 tablespoons of salt into pint jars. Put 1 tablespoon of salt into the spent lemon half and pack into jar, one at a time. Top with coriander, or other spices using, and enough hot water to completely cover lemons. Seal the jar with lid and set on a tale to cure for 3 days, turning and shaking the jar on occasion. Put in the refrigerator after the 3 days and let them sit until the lemons are softened and meaty, about 3 weeks. Use anytime over the next year.

Breadcrumbs:
Ingredients:
Bread
Olive oil (optional)

Instructions:
Cut stale bread into small cubes, and then chop until fine crumbs in a food processor
Can toast the breadcrumbs first. Spread cut bread onto a baking sheet, dowse with olive oil. Bake in a preheated, 350-degree oven for about 6 minutes or until browned and crisp. Stir about halfway through baking process.
Breadcrumbs will last in the freezer for up to 2 months.

Spent Coffee Salt Rub:
Ingredients:
1 cup Epsom salt
1/4 cup ground coffee
1/3 cup sunflower oil
Essential oils: lavender works well here

Instructions:
Using about 1 cup Epsom salts to 1/2 cup coffee grounds mix together. Add in enough almond oil to coat the coffee and salt but do not drench it.
Add 10-15 drops of 1 or 2 essential oils for a delicious scent. Store in airtight container. This is not to be used on the face, but makes great gifts!!

That's it friends! It's that easy. All we need to do is start thinking of creative ways to use our food scraps. And if you want to know where I'll be next, click here.

'til next time
-k
xoxo