Root to Leaf Cooking: How to Waste Less and Love More

Cooking root to leaf means using every edible part of food that we buy. Approaching cooking like this helps us waste less food while also saving money by making the most of every part of our purchased ingredients and enjoying it! Here are some tips on how to utilize root to leaf cooking with some veggies that can be found at Horton. 

Even the most well-intentioned shoppers sometimes end up with wilted greens or forgotten root vegetables in our fridge. Reducing food waste doesn't just save money; it helps us make the most of the hard work our farmers put into growing each crop. Our farmers put so much care, time, and work into growing delicious and healthy produce, so using every part of produce is a great way to respect and honour all that goes into farming. 

Not sure where to start when it comes to root to leaf shopping and cooking? Here are some ideas to get the ball rolling! 

Plan Before You Go
It's easy to get carried away by beautiful displays, fresh produce, and delicious baked goods (and by all means, we encourage it) - but it's also a good idea to check what you have at home before heading out to Horton to try and reduce your food waste. Check your fridge and pantry the Thursday or Friday before market day on Saturdays to try and limit doubling up on items, try making a seasonal meal plan for the week ahead to help make a list and eat what is freshest, and be sure to pack your market basket or reusable bags to bring to the market! 

Store Produce Properly
Different vegetables have different storage needs, and keeping them in the right environment can extend their freshness for days or even weeks! We've all made mistakes when improperly storing produce, but taking a few minutes to be mindful about storage practices can help limit our weekly food waste. Here are some tips for storing different vegetables: 

• Carrots, beets, and radishes: remove the greens ASAP (they draw out moisture from the vegetable and can make them soft and withered) and store the roots in a container of water in the fridge. 
• Herbs: keep parsley, cilantro, and basil in a glass of water like a bouquet, loosely covered with a reusable bag.
• Leafy greens: wash, spin, dry, and store in a cloth produce bag or an airtight container with a paper towel to absorb moisture. 

For example, if you buy a bunch of Swiss chard, store the stems and leaves separately. Use the leaves for stir-fries and the stems later in soups or pickled as a tangy snack. 

Use Every Part of Produce
Many "scraps" are actually delicious and full of nutrients, especially the leafy greens. Learning to cook with the whole vegetable can transform your food waste habits, can make the most of your money, and will respect the care, time, and work from the growers and farmers. Here are some ideas on how to use all parts of vegetables you can currently find at Horton. 

• Carrots: the leafy parts of fresh local carrots are so often overlooked. They make great additions to chimichurri sauce, can be blended into a pesto, or sauteed alongside other greens with olive oil and spices. 
• Broccoli and cauliflower: keep and use those stems, they're edible too! Peel and thinly slice broccoli stems to use in stir-fry or coleslaw (you can also do the same thing with kale stems). Slice the whole cauliflower into 3-4 cm sections for whole grilling, roasting, and enjoying. 
• Beets: chop off the greens and sauté with garlic, olive oil and lemon as a side dish, or add into omelettes. 
• Potato peelings: scrub your potatoes well before peeling, then toss your clean peels with olive oil, salt, pepper, and your favourite seasonings, then bake for crispy peel chips to snack on or use as garnishes. 
• Vegetable peelings: save them up in a resealable baggie in the freezer to use later to make vegetable stock or add to soups for extra flavour. 

We are only just scratching the surface when it comes to root to leaf cooking here, but you get the idea. Every scrap or leftover piece has a use when keeping the root to leaf method in mind! Have fun, experiment, and talk to our vendors for different ideas on how to use all parts of your market hauls - you'll discover there's so much more to love when you can use all the parts of delicious, local produce.