What Can You Make With Your Fall Food “Waste?”

Apple core photo by Stacy via Flickr/Creative Commons

With so many fruits and vegetables in season, it’s all too tempting to make daily runs to the farmers’ market. But before filling up yet another bag with squash, why not take full advantage of money already spent?

We found seven recipes using common scraps. Go ahead, eat “junk” food.

1. Apple Core Agrodolce
via The Splendid Table

This Italian sweet and sour sauce adds a dash of fall flavor to vegetables, salads, noodles, or meats. Just save up a few apple cores—seeds, stems, and all. Use honey in place of sugar for an even healthier accent.

2. Celery Leaf Salad
via Bon Appetit

Celery leaves are incredibly versatile. Just toss them into any soup, sandwich, or salad to add vitamin C, calcium, and celery flavor. This recipe uses them as a topper for warm Sea Island peas.

3. Roasted Squash Seeds
via All Recipes

There’s no reason pumpkin seeds shouldn’t share the limelight. Squash seeds make a healthy, protein-packed snack that’s easy to make and even easier to grab on-the-go. Sprinkle them with cinnamon for a sweeter fall taste.

4. Banana Peel Sautée
via Ruchik Randhap

Don’t knock it until you try it—a banana’s peel actually contains far more fiber than its flesh. This curry-banana recipe uses a generous amount of spice to complement the peel’s distinctive taste.

5. Sweet Potato Skins
via Pinch of Yum

While potato skins are usually associated with deep fryers and melted cheese, their baked form is actually an excellent (and low-fat) source of iron and B vitamins. Make it a meal by adding guacamole, chicken, or other veggies.

6. Beet (or Carrot) Green Smoothie
via Incredible Smoothies

Don’t throw out the leafy heads of beets and carrots. These dark green stalks are full of energy-building iron, so purée them with fruit to make juice, or blend them with papaya.

7. Chilled Pea Pod Soup
via Chocolate & Zucchini

If you’re going to put in the work of shelling peas, you may as well get some mileage out of the waste. Aside from the pods, you likely have the majority of this soup’s ingredients in your pantry already.

Bonus: Citrus fruits like grapefruits and oranges can make perfect organic seedling pots. Once you’ve eaten the fruit, just fill with potting soil, add any extra seeds, and water.