Waste not... How to get the most out of your produce

I was inspired, today, by a couple of wrinkly, sad-looking red peppers sitting in my fridge.  Being an impulsive pepper-purchaser, I had just brought two new ones home from the store, but I didn't want to see the not-so-fresh ones go to waste!  Statistics show that about 40% of all food grown and produced in the United States is thrown away.  As in, wasted.  Surprising?  Next time you clean out your refrigerator to make room for new groceries, take a good look at how much you end up throwing out and you will be surprised no more.  We are, all of us, guilty of either buying too much at one time or another.

The good news is, when you start paying attention to creating a minimal-waste environment in your home, you might find that you'll save a lot of money!  No matter who you are or how much time you have, there are most certainly ways for you to cut down on your waste, and here are a few I'd like to share:

Lemons

Lately, I've been buying Meyer Lemons like they're going out of style!  Meyers are one of my favorite winter fruits because they are incredibly useful and have the most delightful flavor.  However, if you use lemons in a recipe you might find that often times, you tend not to use the whole fruit.  Sometimes you just need the zest, sometimes just the juice, or sometimes only half a fruit.  Here are some things I like to do with the remnants:

1.  Leftover Juice:

- Store it:  Once you've grated all the zest you need off the lemon, squeeze the juice (straining the seeds, of course) into a tupperware or glass jar and keep it in the fridge.  If you won't be using lemon juice that week (although I can't imagine going a week without using lemon juice...) stick it in the freezer and keep it as long as you like!
- Slice it up:  After zesting the fruit, slice the rest of the lemon into thin rounds and put in a small tupperware.  Throw a slice in while you are brewing tea, or squeeze it in a glass of water.  Delicious!

2.  Leftover Rind or Zest:

- Store it:  I have been trying to drink more mate and tea (as opposed to coffee) lately, and I love throwing a little leftover lemon rind in the cup as it brews, adding a hint of lemony goodness to each sip.

- Dry it out:  if you ever have a recipe that just calls for fresh lemon juice, always zest the lemon first.  Not only does this make it easier to squeeze, but you can air-dry the zest and keep it in a closed container to use the next time you need it.

Peppers

How many of us have bought peppers, only to subject them to a slow, shriveling death in the fridge?  I tend to buy peppers impulsively and with reckless abandon, so this has happened to me before.  Luckily there are a few ways to make your peppers last if they are about to go bad!  Use these tips when you see those wrinkles start to form:

1.  Roast 'em!  There are a number of ways to do this, most of which are entirely acceptable.  The goal is to get the skin a little blackened, allow to cool, then peel away the skin to reveal that marvelous-tasting pepper flesh.  You can blacken them by grilling, roasting, pan-roasting, foil-roasting, or even scorching them over an open flame (if you have a gas stove, that is).  Just make sure you use high heat to acheive the blackened effect, otherwise they will be very difficult to peel and won't have the same lovely flavor.

2.  Freeze:  Once you've roasted the peppers, add a little vegetable stock (or water) and puree in a blender or food processor.  You can use pureed peppers for a million different things, including dressing, soup, hummus, pepper pesto, and tomato sauce.  Once frozen, pepper puree will stay good for quite a while.

3.  Preserve them:  Roasted peppers will basically last forever if you have the equipment necessary to jar and preserve them.  I also found a fantastic article from UC Davis that will give you more information on preserving and storing peppers than you could possibly need to know!  http://postharvest.ucdavis.edu/datastorefiles/234-12.pdf

Winter Vegetable Risotto

The wonderful thing about risotto is that you can take a few humble vegetables, stock, and arborio rice and you end up with an elegant, one-pot meal.  True, if you are not a well-practiced cook it might take a few tries to get it right, but once you know the basics you can make it a thousand different ways with excellent results.

There are a few things worth noting before you get started.  First, the dish needs a lot of supervising, so I like to have other projects going in the kitchen to keep myself busy, while having to constantly stir the pot.  For instance, you can clean and put away the dishes, bake something, or read a good book.  Just don't forget to keep stirring!  Second, keep an eye on the pot.  It is OK to walk away for a minute or two when you have liquid protecting the rice, but once you get to the stage when most of the stock is absorbed, that's when it is very important to keep stirring.  Otherwise, the ingredients will stick to the pot and make an unpleasant mess to clean up.  Lastly, once the risotto is ready you want to serve it right away.  I usually turn the heat off as soon as the rice is on the chalky side of al dente (soft enough to chew, but still a little "raw" in the center).  As I take a few minutes to get the table set, the rice has a chance to reach al dente perfection! 

This dish, in particular, is a more wholesome take on the traditional Italian risotto.  I use olive oil instead of butter and there is no wine or cheese (although, a grating of parmiggiano reggiano on top would be a lovely addition).  I find that when the butternut squash starts to dissolve it adds a body and creaminess that replace the need for cheese, and this dish has so much flavor you won't miss the wine at all.  I also like to add a handful of crispy kale on top, for some color and crunch (not to mention nutrients!).  Either way, it is a very comforting and satisfying dish that will help keep you warm through all those cold winter evenings. 

Winter Vegetable Risotto
serves 6

4-6 cups of vegetable stock
2 T olive oil
1 large leek, sliced and washed
4 cups butternut squash (about 1/2 a small squash), peeled and large-diced
1 cup arborio rice
2 cups crimini mushrooms (about 8 oz), chopped
2 T fresh sage, chopped
Crispy kale (optional)

Add stock to a small saucepan.  Bring to a simmer over high heat, then reduce to low heat and keep warm on the stove.  In a large, heavy-bottomed saucepan, heat olive oil over medium-high.  Add leeks and squash and saute until vegetables are soft, about 10 minutes.  Add rice and stir to combine.

Add a ladle of stock (or about 1/3 a cup) to the rice and stir well.  Continue to stir as the liquid is absorbed and when most of the liquid is gone, add another ladle.  Repeat this process of adding liquid and stirring until most of the stock is gone, or the rice is al dente (20 minutes or more).  Add mushrooms and sage in the last couple of minutes, stirring well to combine.  Serve immediately with crispy kale on top, if desired.

Spaghetti with White Bean Sauce and Crispy Kale

This recipe was inspired by a recipe in Robin Robertson's "Vegan Planet" (an excellent cookbook for Vegans and Veggie lovers alike).  I make it with whole wheat spaghetti (though any wholesome pasta variety will do) and throw in lots of luscious, green kale for good measure.  The pureed beans have a slightly creamy texture which makes the sauce taste rich without adding any cream, cheese or butter. 

The other marvelous thing about this recipe is, it's cheap to make!  I buy dried white beans in bulk.  They are less convenient to use, but you save a lot of money versus buying cooked beans in a can (not to mention there's far less packaging involved, so it is better for the environment).  I also think dried beans taste a little better since canned beans tend to have that slightly "tinny" flavor.  Don't bother soaking beans overnight, especially if you have a pressure cooker.  Many people might tell you otherwise, but I literally never pre-soak my beans (and, BTW, Rick Bayless also recommends skipping this step!) because I try to eliminate uneccessarily time-consuming steps whenever possible.  If you don't have a pressure cooker, I would strongly recommend buying one.  It will be your new favorite cooking instrument!

Spaghetti with White Bean Sauce and Crispy Kale
Serves 6

3 T olive oil
1 yellow onion, chopped
4 cloves garlic, minced
2 cups cooked white beans
2 T chopped sage
1/2 tsp white pepper
4 cups vegetable stock or water
2 T white balsamic vinegar (optional)
1 lb. whole wheat spaghetti
6 cups chopped kale, stems removed
salt

Preheat oven to 350.  Toss kale with 1 T olive oil and a sprinkling of salt.  Arrange on a large baking sheet in a single layer, then bake until crispy, about 15 minutes.

Meanwhile, bring a pot of water to boil.  In a large saucepan, heat the rest of the olive oil on medium.  Add onions and garlic and saute until soft, about 7 minutes.  Add beans and sage and stir to combine.  Add stock, turn up heat to high and bring mixture to a boil for about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the liquid reduces slightly.  Reduce heat and puree with a hand blender until smooth.  Keep heat on low and allow to thicken until it reaches desired consistency, at least 10 minutes.

Cook spaghetti in pot of boiling water according to package instructions.  Drain in a colander and add to pot of bean sauce.  Add balsamic vinegar and toss well.  Serve spaghetti with a handful or crispy kale on top.

It's a brand-new blog!

Welcome, everybody!  I'm so excited to announce the start of my brand-new blog, Counter Culture Cuisine!  I am working with a new format and with some new goals in mind that I want to tell you about...

One reason I am starting a new blog is that when I started 365 Days of Good Dinners, I just couldn't think of a better name :)  Second, I really want to emphasize not just "good dinners" but the idea of a counter culture lifestyle of healthful eating.  It may seem odd to call it a counter culture, but just look at the facts...  Most Americans eat at fast-food restaurants more than once a week (and let me be the first to admit, I have at certain times in my life fallen into this category!).  Most grocery store conglomerates who will remain nameless don't offer the kinds of things that are good for you to eat.  Eating well also has the stereotype of costing more (which, believe me, it doesn't have to).  Also, and perhaps most importantly, so many of us just don't set aside the time to cook on a regular basis.  But you know what?  It isn't that hard! 

So my goal is this:  to show the world that eating healthfully is fun, affordable, and will help you feel great about yourself!  So join the food revolution, become a part of the counter culture and start eating right!  I promise, you'll love it.