Posted by Danielle Downs on Jul.17, 2009

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Being “green” minded is about being careful with resources. Money counts as a resource too! Far too often we hear the excuse that natural products are expensive. Eating well doesn’t have to be expensive. Finding ways to incorporate and innovate will reduce food waste and save tons of carbon and cash. And here’s the trick: you don’t have to be a kitchen whiz to stretch your organic food budget further.

Bread Ends Two Ways

Hoagie rolls, French bread, and the heels of sandwich bread always seem to have odd bits left behind. Bread pudding is delicious and easy. The same egg mixture used for French toast can be stirred through mixed bread cubes and baked for a no-fuss pudding. Adding walnuts and dried fruit kicks it up. Want a savory salvage? Make croutons! Seriously. Slice bread leftovers into cubes or rounds and toss with olive oil and seasoning and bake to crisp. Lemon Pepper seasoning makes tangy croutons for summer salads. Mixed Italian blend herbs or any herb blend you have a surplus of will work splendidly.

Turn Veggie Scraps into Gourmet Stock

Vegetable peels are under utilized! Before composting, extract the flavor! Save onion, carrot, and potato peels in a freezer bag. Add to it daily as you cook. Throw in celery leaves, stems from herb bunches, and any other veggies scraps your daily cooking generates. Once the freezer bag is full, boil the plant matter to make stock. Generally a one gallon freezer bag full of veggie scraps will make 1 ½ gallons of stock. This is also a chance to empty out herb blends that are old or unused in the pantry. Stock freezes well in ice cube trays for a perfect tablespoon measure whenever you need it. Bones and parmesan cheese rinds make flavorful additions to stocks as well.

Befriend the Freezer to Stretch Seasonal Eating

Seasonal fruit is only a good bargain if you eat it all before it goes bad. Peaches, cherries, bananas, and mangoes all freeze well when peeled and seeded properly. Chunks can be used in smoothies, sauces, and baked goods straight from the freezer. Frozen grapes make a great alternative to ice cream for an after dinner dessert. Hard cheeses freeze well, allowing you to save by buying bulk. Frozen cheese can be mixed into sauces, casseroles, and soups without defrosting. Summer veggies freeze well for fall soups.

Go Global with Leftovers

Foods are often packaged such that half servings are left after the meal you intended to cook is complete. When you have a fridge full of left overs, look across the ocean for ways to incorporate these items into a meal without serving a buffet of left overs. A few pantry splurges will stretch the over-all grocery dollars. Indian Curry is a great way to “clean the fridge” while providing a fresh meal. Keep coconut milk on hand for a quick mild vegetable curry made from all the left over veggies from the week.

A frittata, a Spanish style omelet, can reinvent left overs. Chop left over cheese ravioli with a can of lump crab meat for a cheesy seafood frittata. Add tomato slices to the top and broil for the last 3 minutes of cook time. Or chop all the scraps from taco night and blend with eggs to make a rockin-taco frittata. Serve with salsa and sour cream.

A dinner of tapas will seem fun and trendy. Get out the nice dishes and have the kids help arrange things on tooth picks. Caramelized garlic, oil cured olives, tomato paste, and fresh lemon juice will add a Spanish flare to many left overs.

Some examples of how to turn leftovers into tapas:
1. Sauté veggies in caramelized garlic then squeeze fresh lemon over before serving.
2. Quarter left over burger patties. Make toothpick skewers with tomato, pickle, and cheese. Serve with mustard.
3. Place tortillas under broiler to form crisp flatbreads. Spread leftover pesto or pasta sauce then top with parmesan cheese for tapas pizzas.
4. Sauté carrots or other veggie with a teaspoon each brown sugar, soy sauce, and grated ginger.
5. Make croutons as directed above but use bread rounds instead of cubes. Top rounds with left over meats, cheeses, or spreads.

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Posted under Food, Nutrition & Recipes, Money Savers.