Turning garbage into dinner

It's broth day! I keep vegetable scraps that are too nice to compost in a freezer bag. When I have a gallon, I cover the whole mess with water, and boil until the water looks like broth.


This is a pretty good representation of what usually goes in the veggie broth- Can you spot onion trimmings and skins, broccoli stalks, green bean trimmings, parsley stems, carrot peels, celery leaves and heart, tomato skin, zucchini and yellow squash blossom ends? Also good are garlic cloves, bay leaves from other soup, potato peels, and little servings of leftovers.

After straining the broth, I compost the veggies. I like to split the broth into several jugs, like from juice or V-8, and freeze the whole bottles, keeping one in the fridge for using right away. The only problem is you have so much you can barely use it before it's time to make some more.

Happy Father's Day

By request, "Elvis" cupcakes (banana cake with peanut butter frosting) from Vegan Cupcakes Take Over the World. Witness the extent of my cake decorating skills- piling high with frosting.

The secret to home-made hummus

Once, I was buying pre-made hummus at the store, and a lady came up to me, saying "Don't buy that, it's so easy to make your own!" And I was all like, "You don't know me!" I felt personally insulted she couldn't tell that I was totally DIY, and simply chose not to make my own hummus anymore because it never turned out very well. Too chunky, too dry, and no manner of added oil or liquid could make it right. I shamefully bought my hummus and resumed trying every so often to make some that was any good.

I have since discovered the secret- skin the beans! This time I cooked my own overnight in the crockpot so they were super-soft, and then popped each little chickpea out of it's skin before processing it, adding olive oil, tahini, garlic, lemon juice, and some bean water to moisten. The result- smooth, creamy, delicious. It took me about half an hour to skin 3 cups of beans.

Another year or so later

While this blog has been gathering dust and cobwebs, I have had a move, a baby, a career change, and a drastic drop in craftiness. I have decided to start things up again (again) to share a magical food combo, which will also maybe get the ball rolling here.

Pesto and Pineapple- Truly a perfect combination of salty, savory and sweet, originally dreamed up as a pizza topping but since expanded to chocolate and now kebabs. More of an idea than a recipe, this one.

Pesto and Pineapple Kebabs

* Fresh Pineapple Chunks
* Marinated firm Tofu (I like to marinate in a soy sauce blend for color)
* Red Pepper slices
* Onion slices
* Prepared basil pesto (ours was frozen from last year's bonkers basil surplus)

Alternate food on skewers, and place on a medium-hot grill. Spread pesto over kebabs- it will drip through and catch on fire, which I think is necessary for flavorful vegetarian grilling. Grill until the first side is slightly charred and repeat on the other side.

Gigantic Fava Beans

From left to right: A quarter, a dried bean, a bean soaked overnight.

I'm hoping once they are cooked they will be the size of slices of bread and I can pick them up with both hands and eat them.

Watermelon Granita

Yesterday, I came down with a 24 hour ick which made me weak and grouchy. Luckily I was revived this morning with some watermelon granita which I had the good sense to start freezing before I got sick. I chose to make this over sorbet because I am lazy.


Final outcome of my watermelon surplus:
1/2 made into Watermelon Salad
1/2 made into Watermelon Granita
1 eaten daily for breakfast
1 made into a gallon of wine

The two remaining melons got yucky soft spots before I got around to them. We then created a new Olympic event, a biathlon composed of a watermelon toss and sprint. In this event, watermelons are chucked into the retaining pond of your complex and you sprint back home before your neighbors see you.

Picnic

One-half of a watermelon eaten today at a lovely picnic in the form of Cucumber and Watermelon Salad. Inspired by this recipe but with a drizzle of olive oil on top. Surprisingly delicious and refreshing on a hot day. With a loaf of fresh rosemary scented bread it was the perfect light lunch.