Happy Friday! It’s time for another edition of Food Waste Friday. Every Friday I link up with The Frugal Girl and/ or Simply Being Mum for Food Waste Friday. I’ve been environmentally conscious about food waste since I was in college and this is a great way for me to keep tabs on what we waste in our house.
Here is how we did this week:
Food Waste Successes
1. Roasted broccoli and cheese soup
My husband hates the stalks of broccoli so I try to cut the florets with very little stalk when I cook broccoli. I hate to admit that lots of times I buy the bagged precut broccoli just because it is the same price and I have less waste. This past week the fresh broccoli was $1 cheaper so I bought it instead and had this left over.
Since I’m still making my way through all of the free cheese I got for my House Party, I thought this would be a perfect time to make roasted broccoli and cheese soup. I had just the right amount of peppered gouda left.
Roasted Broccoli Cheese Soup
Prep Time: 15
Cook Time: 40
Keywords: soup/stew
Ingredients (2 servings)
- 2 C. of chopped broccoli (I use the stalks to avoid food waste, but the florets will work fine)
- 2 tbsp. olive oil
- 2 C. of milk
- 1/2 C. of cubed cheese (I use whatever we are trying to avoid wasting, gouda and cheddar work best)
- 1 tsp. salt
- 1 tsp. garlic powder
- 1 tsp. pepper
Instructions
Roast broccoli covered in olive oil on 400 degrees for 20 minutes, flipping halfway. Steam broccoli for another 20 minutes.
Transfer broccoli to a food processor and add 1 C. of milk, salt, garlic powder and pepper. Blend until smooth.
Transfer to a saucepan, add milk and cheese. Cook until cheese is melted, about 20 minutes. If it is too lumpy, put back in food processor until cheese is smooth.
Garnish with bacon or green onions.
2. Jam infused salad dressing
I mixed balsamic vinegar and olive oil in a used blueberry jam jar to make blueberry balsamic vinaigrette. I loved how easy this was and it was nice to use every last bit of the jam my cousin made me.
Losses
2. A little bit of cheese
I’m not going to point fingers, but I didn’t let this cheese go bad and I don’t think Robert did either.
It wasn’t much though.
3. One moldy strawberry
We did well with no moldy produce last week, too bad we couldn’t make it two weeks in a row.
After only one loss last week I was expecting to waste more this week. I’m okay with only two losses this week.
How did you do this week? Feel free to leave a comment or link up with The Frugal Girl or Simply Being Mum.
Whoa that broccoli cheese soup looks so easy- I might have to try that sometime soon! I’m lucky that my bf and I don’t mind the stalks– it was really recently, though, that I realized that we should eat the stalks. I’m embarrassed to admit that for a majority of my life (okay, the 5 years I was cooking for myself, haha) I thought it was just something you cut off when you bought fresh broccoli! Oops.
Don’t feel bad, the first time I realized I could use the stalks was this past year and I’m 47 :)
Me too! I was shocked when so many people told me that they eat the stalks. I’ve always been okay with them, but since my hubby didn’t like them I thought most people didn’t like them either. I guess he is in the minority. I’ll have to sneak some stalks into the mix next time and see if he notices.
Hey Hannah, thanks for commenting on my blog! I’m going to print your soup recipe, it sounds (and looks) delicious! I used my broccoli stalks to make slaw last year but I’m the only one who eats it. Nowadays I save all my veggie scraps and ends in the freezer and I throw them in the pot when I make chicken stock.
I also like your idea for using up the last of the jam. I use a rubber spatula to scoop up the last bit usually but this would be just as easy and delicious. I might try it when I finish the raspberry jam that is currently in my fridge.
I’m envious of your cheese bonanza, as we love cheese over here. I used to belong to House Party a few years back and got lots of great freebies from them too.
Good job on your food waste! I’m adding you to my Feedly :)
Great idea to add it to chicken stock!
The soup looks fab. I’ll drop my slow-cooked version in here also if that’s okay!
http://simplybeingmum.com/2012/11/14/simple-slow-cooked-broccoli-stilton-soup-recipe/
You did great this week. I lost two red onions :(
Thanks for the crock pot recipe! I’m always looking for other ways to use my crock pot. Can’t wait to try it out!
I make a soup every Sunday during the winter months. You can check out some of my recipes on my blog. I too, avoid wasted food at all costs. Before tossing anything, (like broccoli stalks) I think, can I use these in anything else. Just found your blog on Mom’s Small Victories link up. Glad someone else out their thinks food is to expensive and not to be wasted.
Looks great! Pinned! :)
Thanks so much! I’m so glad we were able to network and find each other in the wide world of blogging.
I’ve added reducing food waste as a goal of my live healthy on a budget challenge. Love your use of broccoli scraps in cheese broccoli soup. I’m pinning this one for future reference.
I love this recipe! Such an awesome way to cut down on food waste! I am totally making this! Thank you for sharing this at the #SmallVictoriesSundayLinkup!
I love Broccoli Cheese Soup! I have never tried to make it myself but now I have a recipe so I will try!
Love that broccoli cheese soup recipe. I never would have thought to try gouda! :)
Thanks Aimee! Being frugal has made me try lots of combinations that I’d never have done otherwise.
What a great idea to record your food losses! I think if all households did this, we would all be more aware about just how much food we waste. I have never eaten roasted broccoli before and to use the stem is a very good idea. Thanks for linking up at Mum-bo Monday
Thanks Kelly! I hope to keep linking up.
Hi Hannah,
I love your inventive ways with leftovers.If we all took a moment to reinvent healthy and delicious food from stems, odds and ends, we would all waste much less food. I especially love your jam-infused salad dressing.
Thank you for sharing these creative and frugal Food Waste Friday ideas with us at the Healthy, Happy, Green and Natural Party Blog Hop! I sincerely appreciate it. I’m pinning and sharing!