Cooking from Root to Stalk

It has been awhile since I have written. Life gets busy but that hasn't stopped my food recycling life style. Sometimes there are failures but sometimes you find a gem in the rough.

   Have you ever wondered if any of the food that you buy and throw or compost is actually edible? I have often wondered that myself and that question started a learning journey for me. How many times have you peeled the outer leaves off a cauliflower to get to the florets, or cut off the greens on a radish and put them to compost. Things like Broccoli stems, Cauliflower leaves, Radish leaves, Carrot tops, any skins from lemons, limes, oranges, etc. 

                                                            

Infused Beverages

   I have been on an infused water kick lately. I have some glass pop bottles and cork bottle plugs that are great for drinking out of. I use my loose tea bags and fill them with all kinds of herbs, and flavorings. Lately my favorite is to use rosemary, dried orange zest, rose hips, and carrot greens. Things like carrot greens and orange zest tend to get thrown to the side but they are amazing for their health factors as well as a way to get the full use of your produce. 

I have made carrot top pesto and dried it for my tea. With Orange peels I have candied them, dried them for tea, infused water, and orange infused sugar. I have also put them in white vinegar and made a cleaning solution. 

Greens

   I am always seeing ways that I can get the most out of my money and waste the least of what I buy. I kept looking at my cauliflower head bunch of radishes and it was getting harder and harder to throw away what felt like half of the vegetable I had purchased. That is why I researched the greens on the vegetables I buy. I found that Cauliflower greens are delicious sauteed, same for radish leaves. I use the stems from Broccoli too. The more I can get out of my vegetables the happier I am and the extra nutritional value is a bonus. It also helps my budget because if I am eating the whole vegetable, I will be buying less. 

   What ways have you used up your vegetables from root to stalk?