Adventures in Sustainable Living Podcast

Episode 229

Nine Flavors You Should Never Pour Down the Drain

An amazing thing happens when you truly focus on zero food waste. Creativity and ingenuity takes over when you focus on using every little thing.  You start making new dishes, trying new sauces and creating flavors you never thought possible.

It is unfortunate that more often than not we throw away certain food items as a matter of habit, never realizing we may have been able to repurpose it into something else. By doing so, we are not only missing out on flavorful dishes we are also just being wasteful. 

If you want to learn a few tips on how to stretch your budget, and get a little more creative in your kitchen, then listen to this episode on Nine Flavors You Should Never Pour Down the Drain

Welcome back everyone to the Adventures in Sustainable Living Podcast. This is your host Patrick and this is E229 Nine Flavors You Should Never Pour Down the Drain. 

By now you all know how I love to talk about all the things we throw away and how much waste we produce. Well, this episode is going to focus on something a little bit different. What I want to do is give you some tips on how to repurpose some unlikely kitchen leftovers that are often discarded without any thought. 

Good News Story of the Week

But before we do that, let’s talk about the good news story of the week. One other thing I like to talk about a lot is how much food waste there is in the world in the face of widespread world hunger. Well, the well known motivational speaker, Tony Robbins, is working to help solve that problem. 

Robbins just recently celebrated providing his one-billionth meal to America through his Feeding America initiative. He decided to take that a step further with his 100 Billion Meals Challenge. His aim is to stem global hunger by uniting non-profits, philanthropists, and influential businesses to provide meals for people in countries around the world. 

The Robbins organization have already secured commitments that will make the first 30 billions meals a reality. For Robbins, food insecurity is a personal experience because that is what he knew when he was younger. Consequently, he understands the profound impact of a simple act of kindness. 

David Beasley, the former Governor of the World Food Program, speared headed the effort for the Robbins organization to win the Nobel Peace Prize. 

I wonder some times what the world would be like if every government pitched in to accomplish the same sort of thing that Robbins has done. So, this weeks round of applause goes to the Robbins organization for their efforts to end world hunger. 

And now let’s proceed with this week’s episode. 

You know after all the years I’ve lived off grid and focused on living sustainably I am still learning things. In fact, sometimes I kick myself when I realize after years of doing something the same way, I could have done it differently and saved myself time, money, and resources. 

Just the other day I was visiting with our newest neighbors that live across the valley from us. They bought their property and have been living off grid for about three years. We were having this long discussion about all the things we have changed as we gained more experience living off grid. We try certain things and it works for awhile. Then we learn something new or find a better piece of equipment. Then we kick ourselves because we should have been doing it the new way all along. There is definitely a learning curve. But as I’ve always said, the longer you live off grid the more you become friends with creativity and ingenuity. 

But in many respects, it is sort of the same process even if you live in the city or in a suburban area. If you are making your best effect to live sustainably and minimize your use of resources it can sometimes feel as if your life is constantly in a state of transition. 

Sometimes it a matter of getting rid of old habits which have a tendency to die hard. But I also know old habits die easier if you keep an open mind about continuously learning to improve your lifestyle, especially when it comes to all the things we throw away.

And speaking of throwing things away, over the past one to two months I have truly started to focus on zero food waste. This may sound a little odd, but I started thinking about how much food we waste after we got a new refrigerator. 

You see, when I first installed the solar array I focused a great deal of attention on being as efficient as possible. I purchased a chest style freezer and refrigerator. We had this same refrigerator for years and it was extremely efficient. However, the biggest challenge was the organization. Most of the food was stored in stable bins making it difficult to see and remember exactly what was there. Consequently, things were often forgotten, especially left overs, and would end up going to waste. But the new fridge was a standard upright. Now it is easy to see exactly what is there. At any rate, with this new fridge I was determined to reduce our food waste to zero. 

Now I save everything and make sure it gets used in a timely manner. That whole thought process was the inspiration for this episode. Since I cook a lot, I started thinking about the various things we typically throw away that could actually be repurposed. 

1) Potato water

Potato water, the liquid left over from boiling potatoes, can be used in several ways beyond cooking the potatoes.  It can be used to thicken sauces and soups, which will add a creamy consistency without the need for additional thickeners such as flour or cornstarch. It can also be used as a substituted for milk in bread recipes, which will enhance the moisture and flavor. If you are making sourdough bread, the potato water can be used as a substitute for some of the water typically used in the recipe. 

Potato water can also be used to make a gravy by mixing it with meat juices and the left over seasonings. It can also be used to start a vegetable broth which can then be used in soups. 

Outside of the kitchen, after the potato water is cooled it can serve as a natural fertilizer for plants by simply pouring it onto the soil. I would avoid this if the water has been salted. 

If you have a large quantity of potato water, you can store it in the refrigerator for one to two days. It can also be frozen in jars or ice cube trays.

2) Bean Broth

Bean broth is the left over water after cooking dried beans. Just like potato water, this broth has several uses. Depending on how you cook your beans, this broth is one of the tastiest ingredients in the kitchen that costs you almost nothing. It can add a lot of additional flavor and texture to other dishes with little to no effort. But, how you use the broth depends on how you cook your beans, salted or unsalted. 

First off, you can use it to cook more beans or to cook a different kind of bean. Additionally it could be used to cook lentils, rice, quinoa or even pasta.  If you are cooking beans to go into a soup or stew, save the broth as the soup base. If not then save it until the next time you make chili or minestrone. Use the broth instead of adding additional stock. 

If you don’t salt your beans, you still have multiple options. Dilute it and use it to water plants or feed your compost pile. The unseasoned broth can also be used to replace some of the water content in quick breads, sourdough or other baked goods.

It can also be used as a binder when making sausage or meatloaf. Replace each egg with 3 tablespoons of bean broth to give your finished product a nice rounded flavor.  

Seasoned bean broth can also be sipped from a mug as a vegetarian alternative to bone broth. Whether it is salted or not, bean broth freezes well for up to six months. Pour it into pint or cup sized containers and save it for soup stock. 

3) Pan Drippings from cooking meat 

Pan drippings from cooking meat is also an all-too-often overlooked flavor powerhouse. Most people discard this liquid when it is packed with juices, fat, seasonings and umami which can give your dishes a boost of flavor. If you have ever roasted a chicken, sear a steak, or cooked any other kind of meat, the drippings is the liquid that accumulates in the bottom of the pan. Whatever you do, don’t throw away this concentrated meaty essence that can be used to make a gravy or even drizzle over some vegetables. 

Once your meat is cooked, use a splash of wine, broth, or water to deglaze the pan and loosen up those nice brown bits stuck to the bottom. This stuff contains natural sugars, amino acids and proteins from the meat that give it an incredible flavor. This is the base for your sauce.

Add some herbs, garlic, butter, or maybe even a bit of cream and simmer slowly into a sauce. I think you will be surprised at how this will add some complexity to your cooking without requiring any fancy ingredients.

Pan drippings can also be used to sauté vegetables or add flavor to rice or mashed potatoes. Best of all, these drippings can be used to add a fresh flavor to your left overs and give them an entirely new life.  They also store well in the fridge and can be frozen for several months. 

4) Vegetable Cooking Water

Left over water from cooking vegetables is packed with nutrients and can be repurposed in several ways. Using it to cook pasta, rice, or adding it to soups will give these dishes extra flavor and nutrients. This water can also be reduced to make a sauce. If you have a lot of extra it stores well in either the refrigerator or freezer. If all else fails and you are short on time, then use it to water the garden. 

5) Pasta Water

Pasta water is also something you should never through away. It is often referred to as “liquid gold.” It can be used to enhance the flavor of sauces. Use it to replace some of the water content in bread recipes. It can be used to cook rice or other grains. Use it to make minestrone or other soups. Add it to water that is used to soak beans. Unsalted, cooled pasta water is also great for watering house plants as well as the garden. 

6) Left Over Brines

Left over brines are just another thing that often gets thrown out because most people do not realize the potential uses. Most of us have several brines in our refrigerator. Any commercial pickled product such as cucumbers, jalapeños, cherry peppers, roasted red peppers, and olives are floating in a brine. This is often a combination of vinegar, salt and sugar. 

Any of these brines can be mixed with a little olive oil and used as a base for salad dressing. You can even add a little honey and hot mustard for some extra flavor. A very simple thing to do is cut vegetables into smaller pieces and place them directly into the brine making sure they are completely submerged. Refrigerate for about a week and you have a very tasty, healthy snack. Whenever I do this, I add a little crushed red pepper for an extra punch. 

These brines can also be used to marinade meat. Just place a cut of raw meat in the brine in the morning. By that evening it will be ready to cook. 

And speaking or brines, I just took a jar of pickled, spicy green beans out of the cellar. After eating those, I am going to save the brine and throw in some carrots. 

7) Leftover Whey

Left over whey can be used in much the same way as buttermilk and contains about the same level of acidity.  Whey is the liquid that is left over when you strain yogurt or certain types of homemade cheese in order to make them thicker. Use equal amounts of whey as you would buttermilk. It can be added to make pancakes, bread, soup, or even added to a pot of beans for a little tangy flavor. 

8) Leftover Oils

If you enjoy anchovies, marinated cheese, sun-dried tomatoes, or cured olives, you are going to have leftover oils. All of these oils are great for making salad dressings. You can also combine them with vinegar or leftover pickle juice for a little extra flavor. 

9) Sourdough discard

And finally my favorite, sourdough discard. 

When I first started making sourdough I followed the recipe to the letter and that included throwing out the discard. Sourdough discard is the portion of your starter that is removed during feeding. Now there are several valid reasons for doing this but doing this a few times I decided it was an incredible waste. Surely I could add this to a number of things to improve the flavor.  Turns out I was right and you can find plenty of recipes that include sourdough discard. 

The easiest thing to do is add this discard to pancakes, waffles, cookies, muffins, pizza dough, crackers, English muffins, brownies and buns. You can even add it to granola as a binding agent and reduce the need for sweeteners. 

As I shared with you earlier, we decided to upgrade our refrigerator a couple of months ago. This was when I zeroed in on our own food waste, which was never really out of control anyway. But every little thing makes a difference. But since I cook a lot, I commonly have left over juices, brines, and broths that can be repurposed. 

One thing that I have noticed. What I cook seems to be more focused on what is available in the fridge as opposed to what I might want at any given time. I also have to be very careful of the leftovers I produce. Consequently, I cook in much smaller portions. But since I try to use every little thing, at the end of the day I have found that I am actually cooking less. An additional benefit is that I am making much fewer trips to the supermarket which means I am saving money. 

Well folks I think that is about it for this week. I certainly hope you have found this episode to be helpful. I also hope you will join me again next week. Until then, this is your host Patrick signing off. Always remember to live sustainably because this is how we build a better future.