6 Ways to Cook Fruit and Vegetable Scraps

To become an anti-food waste champion takes practice. And even if there is no medal at stake, one thing is certain: Everyone wins! Ready to take another step for the planet and cook your fruit and vegetable scraps? Let’s go!

1. An Infusion of Strawberry Stems

The strawberry season is in full swing and to take advantage of it, use the berries in jam or to make the famous shortcake we all love to enjoy in the summertime. And with the stems that remain you can prepare < an infusion.

How To Do It:

• Add the strawberry stems to water or lemonade.
• Leave to infuse cold in the refrigerator for 2 hours.
• Strain the preparation before serving this refreshing drink in large glasses filled with ice cubes.

2. A Syrup of Watermelon Whites

Full of water, slightly sweet and refreshing, watermelon is very popular as a summer snack. Optimize what remains of the slices served by recovering the white part located between the rind and the pink flesh to make a syrup.

How To Do It:

• Using a peeler, remove the white part of the rind and add it to a base syrup recipe made with equal amounts of sugar and water.
• Cook the mixture in a saucepan, over low heat, for about 5 minutes.
• Refrigerate the mixture to allow the flavours to develop.
• Strain the syrup through a sieve and use it to enhance your cocktails or mocktails.

3. Candied Citrus Peels

To turn citrus peels into treats, you must first remove their bitter taste by boiling them a few times.

How To Do It:

• Place the peels, cut into strips, in a saucepan and boil them in water before draining.
• Repeat the procedure three more times.
• Put the peels in boiling sweetened water and simmer for 15 to 20 minutes.
• Once the rinds are drained and cooled, coat them with sugar and let them dry for at least 3 hours at room temperature.

4. A Broth with Vegetable Peelings and Trimmings

Every time you cook vegetables, collect the scraps and peelings. Store them in a freezer-safe container or bag until you have enough to make a homemade broth that can be used to make comforting soups.

Some examples of scraps to freeze:

• Onion and garlic skins;
• Fibrous and leathery parts of asparagus;
• Tomato skins and stems;
• Pepper tails and hearts;
• Broccoli and cauliflower leaves and stems;
• Squash skins;
• Eggplant tails;
• Parsnip, carrot and other root vegetable peels;
• Green part of leeks.

How To Do It:

• Place the vegetable scraps in a large pot filled with salted water (about 3 L of water for 2 L of scraps).
• Bring to a boil and reduce heat to low. Simmer for 3 hours.
• Strain the broth before using it in a recipe, or refrigerating or freezing it.

5. A Beet Leaf Pesto

We know about carrot top pesto, but the one made from beet tops has not yet made the rounds online. We use a classic pesto recipe to prepare the mixture and we can replace the pine nuts with other nuts, almonds or sunflower seeds. Note that radish leaves can also be made into pesto.

How To Do It:

• In the container of a food processor, chop the beet greens, pine nuts (or other nuts) with a clove of garlic and lemon juice.
• Drizzle in the oil until creamy.

6. Potato Peel Chips

Apart from the potato itself, the peels are now used to make chips. This method also works with the peelings of all root vegetables, including carrots, parsnips, and even beets.

How To Do It:

• In a bowl, toss the peels with a little oil and salt to coat them well.
• On a parchment-lined baking sheet, toast the peels in the oven at 400°F (200°C) for about 20 minutes.
• Serve with sour cream or dipping sauce, as desired.