Are you cooking at home more? We certainly are. It’s great to cook healthy food (or not, I love to bake) at home.
But do you get the most out of your food? What do I mean by that? Well, sometimes there’s a by-product of your cooking - scraps, grease, bones, etc. - that just goes in the trash (or compost) but you can still use some of it.
Got bones?
Roasting a whole chicken or turkey leaves behind all the bones. Don’t toss those right away, make stock!
Throw the bones in a big pot with water with an onion or two (quartered), big pieces of carrots, and boil for several hours. Strain and store in silicon storage bags in the freezer.
It’s great for soups and it’s practically free. Plus, it has way less sodium than store bought stock.
You can do the same with shrimp and lobster shells and then make a seafood stew. Yum!
What do you do with the top of your beets and carrots?
Lots of people toss them, we used to but wait, beet tops are great sautéed with other veggies for a healthy side dish. Or clean and freeze them, and add a little to your morning smoothie.
Carrot tops can be added to salads, turned into pesto, or used as a herb. Check out how here.
We hate to throw away cheese but what can you do with that parmesan rind?
Add it to soup or stew for extra flavor!
Grow green onions!
Green onion scraps can be used to grow more green onions in your kitchen! All you need are green onions, a jar, and water. Details here.
Mmmm, bacon...
When you cook bacon, there is grease in your pan that you probably throw out.
Instead strain in through cheesecloth into a glass jar, put it in the fridge, and use it as cooking oil.
Bacon fat is great for cooking - use it for roasting veggies, cooking up some eggs, or add it to your pan before you sear a steak.
These are just a few ways to get more out of your food. Google is a great resource to find more tips.
How do you get the most out of your food? Hit us up on Facebook with your tips!
Cheers!
Andrea