Trash to Dinner!

It has come to my attention that some of the so called 'food scraps' we've been throwing away or hopefully composting for ages aren't quite as useless as we thought!

A post from LifeHacker sent me this handy resource list which I've added to:

At Your Disposal
First and foremost any and all vegetable scraps (minus some bitters like cabbage/brocoli which I only use in small ammounts) can be saved in a freezer bag to make vegetable stock. my 1lb bag hangs out in the freezer collecting odd ends of veggies/fruit before being boiled into tasty stock in my slow cooker but the pressure cooker would offer a faster version. Simply toss vegetable skins, onion peels/ends, lettuce, corn cobs, garlic skin you name it. Into the freezer bag, when she's full it's time to cover in x4 filtered water, toss in some pepper corns, celery seed (or celery), limp carrots or whatever other vegetables you feel could improve the flavour.

I haven't gone wrong yet, my stocks are all unsalted so I add soy sauce/braggs or salt to the dishes I use them in. But you could also add it directly to the stock. Or seperate your scraps to make specific broth, corn broth is pretty magical just boil your corn cobs. I find the longer you cook stuff the better for stock, but 1 hour is minimal. Strain and squeeze your scraps and use the broth as usual.
  
Before you throw away your vegetable trimmings, consider some alternative uses:
CARROT, CELERY AND FENNEL LEAVES Mix small amounts, finely chopped, with parsley as a garnish or in salsa verde: all are in the Umbelliferae family of plants. Taste for bitterness when deciding how much to use.
CHARD OR COLLARD RIBS Simmer the thick stalks in white wine and water with a scrap of lemon peel until tender, then drain and dress with olive oil and coarse salt. Or bake them with cream, stock or both, under a blanket of cheese and buttery crumbs, for a gratin.  I've also done kale stocks, again they are a bit tougher so cook them longer.
CITRUS PEEL Organic thin-skinned peels of tangerines or satsumas can be oven-dried at 200 degrees, then stored to season stews or tomato sauces. Lemon can be zested or frozen to zest later on.
CORN COBS Once the kernels are cut off, simmer the stripped cobs with onions and carrots for a simple stock. Or add them to the broth for corn or clam chowder.
MELON RINDS Cut off the hard outer peels and use crunchy rinds in place of cucumber in salads and cold soups. Pickled rinds are also tasty
PEACH LEAVES Steep in red wine, sugar and Cognac to make a summery peach-bomb aperitif. (According to David Lebovitz’s recipe, the French serve it on ice.)
POTATO PEELS Deep-fry large pieces of peel in 350-degree oil and sprinkle with salt and paprika. This works best with starchy potatoes like russets. I usually just make my mashed potatoes etc with the peels. Slices small enough you don't notice them. Alternatively save them to bulk up stews etc
YOUNG ONION TOPS Wash well, coarsely chop and cook briefly in creamy soups or stews, or mix into hot mashed potatoes.
TOMATO LEAVES AND STEMS Steep for 10 minutes in hot soup or tomato sauces to add a pungent garden-scented depth of tomato flavor. Discard leaves after steeping.
TOMATO SCRAPS Place in a sieve set over a bowl, salt well and collect the pale red juices for use in gazpacho, Bloody Marys or risotto.
TURNIP, CAULIFLOWER OR RADISH LEAVES Braise in the same way as (or along with) collards, chards, mustard greens or kale.
WATERMELON SEEDS Roast and salt like pumpkinseeds.Same with squash seeds, great topings.
Onion/Garlic peels: make a great addition to homemade stocks.


plus many odds and ends can be sprouted at home and planted in window boxes.

Junk Food: Fries and Gravy

This is one of those meals that initially inspired this blog and title, the classic dinner of the university student: Fries and Gravy.

Bonus points on the junk food scale here for utilizing Frozen Steak Cut Fries baked at 450 as per-package.

The gravy utilizes some of my lovely dark onion/garlic based veggie broth and a simple gravy recipe.


Simpleton Gravy

• Homemade Veggie Broth
• 1/2 onion, diced
• 2 cloves garlic, smashed-n-minced
• fresh pepper, grey salt, paprika and cumin
• roux: Earth Balance and WW flour
• Corn Starch (if needed)

First melt your margerine in the pan over medium high heat, turning down to avoid burning. Sautee the onion with salt-n-pepper, adding the garlic, cumin and paprika once the onion is translucient. Cook until fragrant and add in your flour a little at time. Use a whisk to make the roux and cook until darkened.

Once the roux is cooked, slowly add the broth whisking as you go to ensure everything is mixing well. Continue to cook and add broth until you've reached the desired volume and thickness. If thickening isn't enough add a corn starch slurry and continue to cook.

Remove fries from the oven and plate with gravy and more salt/pepper.

Halifax Eats: Heartwood's new Bruch

Ok, so I've blogged about Heartwood a few times. But being the last remaining veggie place in Halifax (there is obviously Formosa's in Dartmouth), it's bound to happen.

Recently they've had a few ascetic make overs but best of all they have started serving Brunch! With an all new brunch menu from 10am-3pm on Saturdays and Sundays [Also they are now open Sundays!].

Over all exciting times.

I went with my Dad who was in town and my little brother Zane.

I did the classic tofu scramble platter: comes with fries and toast. Zane opted for the Wild Card Salad, brunch edition, which turned out to feature a tiny bit of everything they serve, so I was jealous. Dad went with the Kamut/Spelt Waffles topped with berry sauce and fruit salad.

Everything was super tasty and we lucked out with our fresh coffee and fresh mango/orange juice as the special of the day along with Banana Walnut Muffins.

As the platters were huge, I lucked out with leftovers so I have breakfast tomorrow too!

Halifax Eats: Sweet HereAfter

Greetings all, I figured since Halifax has been changing as usual it was time to bring back this series of posts on Halifax Eats. Sadly not all the places I've posted about still exist and some menus have changed. But thankfully some new places have opened as well.

One of which is The Sweet HereAfter Artisans cheesecake shack offering a daily vegan cheesecake of rotating variety and always tasty.

The shop is super cute with booths and tables for intimate desserts, parties or coffee/tea and cake with friends. Decor is amazing and they've added a fun little photo booth!

Plus I hear rumours about being able to order whole cheese cakes for your events! Score!!

Although they only offer one vegan cake a day, the flavours are awesome and they are always inventing more and love to talk ideas.

I've done the Oreo, mocha, peanut butter and a few other brilliant vegan varieties. The owners are super nice and great to chat with.


This beauty was my second piece after Alan and I ate  the last of that days Vegan Cheesecake they had just brought out the one for the next day (fresh out of the oven) to our table so I could see it. I decided to grab a piece to go for breakfast.

Coconut Lime Vegan Cheese Cake with Mango puree!

I love the coconut throughout and the crust seems to be a nut/shredded coconut combo with a good sweet crunch!

YUM!

VwaV stuffed peppers on a work night

Work today until 7pm, hit the store for student Tuesdays!

More exciting score was 2$ strawberries and coconuts are 1.99$!

Flour was on sale so I grabbed some as I have like 2 cups left and Almond Joy 2/5$

Shopping aside after being sick for a while I figured some simple home veggies were in order and mom had bought me two peppers! (Score!)

I halved the recipe and had everything on hand thanks to the pepper donation.
They were tasty as usual, VwaV keeps bringing me back.

I think YRR and VwaV are the two books I use most, followed by AFR.

Quick-n-Easy-Student-Smoothie

Something cheap and easy to throw together in the morning or the night before a busy day of classes.

Cheapest option is always to use what you have, Bananas are a great smoothie food and one of the cheapest foods around, but get creative with whatever you have.

Quick-n-Easy-Student-Smoothie

• 2 Bananas
• Chocolate Soy-milk
• Pea Protein powder
• hand full of spinach

Blend the spinach, pea protein and a splash of chocolate soy-milk until totally smooth. Add the banana in sections and blend until smooth.

Toss in a travel mug if you are supper short on time.

Enjoy!

Something Simple

Dinner tonight was something simple but a big venture from my week of stomach flu and crackers.

Grilled Cherry Tomatoes
Grilled YRR Portabellos
Mashed Potatoes (with skins!)
Blanched/Sauted Asparagus

Portabellos
Simple summer staples to start with the Mushroom caps and Cherry tomatoes were marinaded in Joanna's Yellow Rose Recipe Portabello marinade a lovely balsamic/lemon/garlic combo with my home made veggie stock from the other day. I let them soak for a few hours tossing and turning.

Heated the Gorge Foreman Grill for 5 minutes and seared for 4 minutes, rotate 90 degrees and sear some more. If you aren't using a two sided grill, you'll wanna flip them at some point.

For bonus points you can pour some of the marinade which escapes into the drip tray back over your plated mushrooms and potatoes.

Grilled tomatoes
The cherry tomatoes were skewed and added in the last few minutes to grill.

 Mashed potatoes
Standard far, wash, cut, boil in salt water until falling apart. Drain potatoes, return to pot with a spot of margarine, cracked pepper, grey salt and adding some of my home made vegetable broth (dark onion style, hence the colour) and mashing them together until fluffy.

Asparagus
Snap the hard ends into the composts bucket and toss them into the potato water for a few minutes then remove. Heat some margarine in a skillet over medium high heat and toss the blanched asparagus in the pan until it sears. Crack black pepper over top and toss in some grey slat. Shake and sear until you get things the way you like them.

And that's about it.