Happy Earth Day!

As the family cook, cooking instructor, and advocate of eating #mostlyplants, I celebrate Earth Day every day! Last night’s grain bowls illustrate many of my favorite ways to #reducefoodwaste.

Here are my culinary medicine tips for reducing food waste:
–Eat less meat– sustainable seafood like this teriyaki salmon or plant-based proteins are better choices for the earth and your heart.
–Make herb sauces or pesto– don’t let your herbs go to waste! I made a pesto of many different herbs to mix into the cooked grains and to drizzle on top for extra flavor. Herbs are much more than a garnish- they are full of flavor, fiber, vitamins, minerals and antioxidants.
–Love your leftovers– This very delicious grain bowl was really a way to use up leftover teriyaki salmon, bits and pieces of different vegetables and herbs that were no longer camera-ready but still full of flavor and nutrients, and orange spiced pepitas from a recent cooking demo.
-And what you can’t use, compost.

What are your favorite ways to reduce food waste? Please share in the comments!

PS This grain bowl was assembled from recipes in Spicebox Kitchen (yes, I cook from my own cookbook!)
-Orange Spiced Pepitas, p111
-Ten-Minute Teriyaki Salmon, p155
-Green Seasoning, p324