Don’t throw away those scraps when you are chopping veggies or herbs! Don’t throw away that cheese rind or those old chicken bones! I am going to let you in on a little secret that is a GAME-CHANGER!
Instead of discarding these so-called waste products, consider transforming them into delightful dishes. Vegetable scraps& chicken bones can be simmered to create a robust and flavorful broth that can serve as a fantastic base for soups or sauces. Not only does this practice reduce food waste, but it also unlocks new flavors and textures in your cooking, allowing you to experiment with various recipes that your family will adore. So next time you find yourself in the kitchen, remember that those scraps might just be the key to your next culinary masterpiece and can also help you save money by making a whole other meal for the price of one!
Meal #1 – Easy roasted chicken + steamed broccoli
I have found that if I search my local Stop & Shop, they currently have 4 whole chicken quarters on sale (thigh & leg) for less than $5! This is a fantastic deal considering how versatile chicken can be for a variety of meals throughout the week. My kids love broccoli, and that’s super easy to make as well; I often steam it lightly to maintain its bright color and crunchy texture. Additionally, I enjoy experimenting with different seasonings for the chicken.
- Set the Oven at 350 degrees and get out a glass baking dish. Drizzle some olive oil on the bottom of the dish.
- The secret to getting the skin crispy – you use your fingers to separate the skin from the meat and brush olive oil evenly over the top.
- Sprinkle salt, pepper and any other seasonings you like, I used Italian seasoning.
- Pop that dish in the oven on the top rack for 1 hour (cooking chicken on the bone takes a lot more time, but it is inactive cooking which is great! I usually put this in the oven and dinner is getting ready while I help my kids do homework).
- Next, boil some water and add a steamer insert on top, chop and wash the broccoli and add to the steamer and put the lid on (if you were planning to throw out that broccoli stalk, think again!! Save that in a ziplock baggie; more to come on that…)
- Once the broccoli is fork-tender and bright green, toss it in a bowl with olive oil, salt and pepper
Dinner is served in 1 hour and only about 15m of that was active cooking! And the chicken and broccoli only cost a little over six bucks at $6.12!!!
TIP: If you add a little extra water and salt the water you can boil pasta in the pot while you steam your broccoli on top! This saves time and uses less pots for easier cleanup!
Meal #2 – Chicken noodle soup
I have been using this hack for about 15 years now and I will never stop!!! I always save the following items that most people throw away and I keep it in a ziplock bag in the freezer to make a super tasty broth later!
- Carrots: I always buy the big bag of carrots for less than $2 instead of buying pre-made carrot sticks for my kids. I peel the carrots and chop them into sticks and save the peelings and the ends of the carrots that you don’t normally use..
- Celery: I always buy the celery bunch with leaves and all. I cut off & save the leaves, the root & hearts of the celery.
- Onions: Whenever I chop onions I use the outermost skin in my garden compost, but the layers just after that (the ones you normally throw away) and the root I save
- Broccoli: I save the broccoli stems and stalks
- Mushrooms: I love to buy the Baby Bella mushrooms but I like to take the stems off the mushrooms since the texture is usually too chewy.
- Herbs: I pluck the leaves off my rosemary, thyme, parsley and I save those stems
- Kale: I buy the bunch of kale instead of paying for the kale that is already washed and chopped. I de-stem the kale and save the stems
- Corn: I always save corn cobs!
- Chicken: Any bones, skin, fat, etc. Any of the parts you usually throw away. Cooked or raw scraps, doesn’t matter.
- Cheese: Any hard cheeses I always save the rind!!!
- Any of these veggies or herbs that I have in the fridge that are about to go bad soon I also throw in the freezer bag
So I always have a gallon-sized freezer bag in my freezer and I am constantly adding these scraps to it. Once the bag gets full, I follow the below steps to make a broth!
- Empty your freezer bag of scraps into a large pot and add enough water to barely cover.
- Bring the water in the pot to a boil.
- Once the water comes to a boil, lower the heat and simmer for about an hour (the house will smell amazing!!!).
- Turn the heat off and allow the mixture to cool enough for you to handle
- Use a strainer set over another large pot (I use a spatula to press the veggies into the strainer to release even more liquid)
- Add salt to taste
- Throw in some leftover pasta, chicken and any veggies I want!
You can make an entire separate meal out of scraps and leftovers but your family doesn’t see it as boring leftovers, it seems like a whole new meal!
If you don’t want to make soup out of the broth right away or you have some broth left over, freeze it in ice cube trays!
HOW TO FREEZE FOR FUTURE USE:
You need to skim the excess fat because it can cause any sauces to break or separate.
First, put it in mason jars in the fridge. When the liquid goes in the fridge it will become gelatinous and the fat will rise to the top which makes it super easy for you to remove.
After the broth has become gelatinous and the fat has been removed, transfer the brot h into ice cube trays and freeze
Transfer the broth ice cubes into a freezer-safe ziplock bag and label so you know what it is
WAYS TO USE WHEN FROZEN IN CUBES:
When i am making rice, couscous or pasta I’ll throw an ice cube of broth int here with it. Also if i am ever heating up leftovers and need to add some liquid to re-hydrate i use some of my broth cubes instead of water to add a little more flavor