I've been interested lately in the idea of a more sustainable style of cooking. It's no secret that we are exceedingly wasteful people but what to do about the problem? I began to wonder if I could start working on the challenge right at home. Was I wasting valuable food at home? The answer was yes, and it was coming in ways that I didn't realize.
It started by realizing that there's a lot of valuable liquid that is wasted. Every time you steam or boil vegetables, some of the flavor and nutrients are lost in the liquid, which always goes down the drain. What if that liquid were preserved and used in the future in place of water in recipes? Many recipes leave wonderfully flavorful broth behind when they're done cooking - check out the bottom of the slow cooker. This is useful for marinades or more cooking broth (but beware of a high fat content). Then I read online about making your own vegetable broth at home - old veggies that are about to expire can be tossed into simmering water for an hour or so and you've got a pot full of beautiful, dark, tasty, and salt-free broth.
Next, I realized that a lot of wonderful things can be made at home. Of course, any time you find something pre-made at the store, it can be made at home for cheaper. They sell grilled, sliced chicken for salads at the grocery store, yet grilling and slicing chicken at home is really easy. I found dried chilis for very cheap at the Hispanic market behind our office and discovered that a little bit of work and an inexpensive coffee grinder can turn out some great chili powder, which is useful for more recipes than you might think. Plenty more ground spices can be made this way. I also discovered that I could substitute for a lot of salt by making my own mild seasoning blend based on garlic, onion, and Italian seasoning. I also make a great deal of salsa at home, which is very inexpensive and simple.
This is probably just the beginning. What other ideas do you have for more a more sustainable kitchen at home?
No comments:
Post a Comment