Every year, Veganuary inspires us to experiment with a whole roster of weird and wonderful diets. Vegetarianism and veganism are well established, but the newer players – flexitarian, climatarian and now even the reducetarian diet – all put more emphasis on the impact our food choices have on the health of the planet.
And it’s not without reason.
In the UK alone, we annually waste 9.5m tonnes of food , costing us £19bn a year . The land that is needed to produce the amount of food we waste is the equivalent to an area larger than Wales. Hard-hitting stuff!
But let’s face it, knowing how to eat for the planet can be hard work. A recent study found that Brits usually only manage to adopt a plant-based diet for a grand total of 12 days before slipping back into old habits. So, is there a better way?
Yes - it turns out there is, and it's far simpler than adopting a whole new diet. The answer is to eat what's in season, buy more UK-grown produce and reduce the food miles on your grocery shop.
More than that, what if it was possible to use every last scrap of that seasonal veg, so that nothing – not even those nutrient-rich carrot tops – needed to end up in the bin?
Jordan Moore, Chef at recipe box Gousto, highlights the UK’s winter fruit and veg heroes and offers some top tricks to reduce food waste, so you can help to save the planet by eating seasonally and eating everything.
Winter hero #1 – Brussels Sprouts
A Christmas special but often not a crowd-pleaser. Gousto believes that Brussels sprouts have an important place on the dinner plate rather than just with a festive roast. Read on for some fun ways to cook them. From sautéing with bacon or par-boiling them, you can also squash and roast them to reveal their crispy side. They’re a great source of Vitamin C and K, as well as iron and potassium, making them incredibly nutritious. If you’re lucky enough to buy them on the chunky (and very tasty) stalk, don’t throw it away - it’s as delicious as it is nutritious!
How to store
The best way to store sprouts is unwashed, with the stalk still on. However, a lot of the time we don’t see Brussels sprouts with stalks, so store your loose sprouts in a Tupperware container with some paper towels. They’ll keep for at least a week, if not a little longer. If you blanch them, they’ll last in the freezer for 12 months; a good way to get-around wasting half a bag if you live in a household of sprout-haters.
See below for some recipe ideas from food box service Gousto…
If you’re in the mood for some nutritious goodness, have a go at this fibre-rich winter warmer ‘ honey roasted winter veg & herby chicken’ recipe. Or, if you’re wanting to break away from traditional roast flavours, why not use up your sprouts in this ‘ brussels sprout & garam masala tart ’ ? Experiment with mashing sprouts in this ‘ pork belly, sprout mash & spiced red cabbage ’ , perfect for if you’ve always wanted to learn how to cook a pork belly perfectly.
Winter hero #2 – Carrots
Often undervalued with a simple boil, carrots can also be glazed in honey or shaved into noodles to bring out their full glory. Adding them to a smoothie is even a great way to get Vitamin C and K in without having to subject yourself to a green spinach smoothie – you’re welcome!
One of the biggest faux pas is putting the nutrient-rich carrot tops straight into the food waste. A great source of Vitamin A, C and K, along with calcium and iron, the tops can be blended into a pesto for a flavour-filled pasta dish. There’s also no need to peel your carrots, as the skin is a nutritional goldmine. Simply rinse and scrub until clean, then prepare as usual.
Here’s Gousto’s top 3 ways to prepare…
How to store
You can freeze carrots for up to 12 months. If they feel a little limp, save them from the bin by simply submerging them in water for 5 minutes and they’ll quickly become crunchy again.
If you’re keen to give this a try in your own online food order , read on. At Gousto, we’re always keen to provide diners with plenty of inspiration. We all love a new and inspiring dinner recipe. A great way to blend up every part of the carrot is to make Gousto’s incredibly moreish ‘ Carrot & Bean Patties with Sesame Sauce ’. Another way to use up carrots is to grate them into a punchy pickle and serve with Gousto’s ‘ meat-free mince bulgogi & rice’. Or, if you’re looking for something sweet, try making a ‘ blood orange & carrot sorbet ’ . The natural sweetness of the carrot makes them an ideal base ingredient.
Winter Hero #3 – Apples
Sweet and crunchy, apples are many people’s go-to healthy snack. Try mixing things up and using them in some savoury meals; they add a fantastic crunch to salads and a sweet bite to casseroles and pies. If you have too many, an easy way to revive your apples is by peeling, cutting into chunks and then soaking in cold apple cider or juice in the refrigerator for around 30 minutes.
How to store
Apples can be kept frozen for 3-6 months. The best place to store them is in the fridge, specifically in the salad drawer. That is, unless you’re planning to eat them within 2-3 days, in which case you can keep them out on the kitchen counter or in a fruit bowl.
An unusual, but delicious way to use up apples is in a warming, savoury ‘ oven-baked normandy chicken & apple casserole ’, served up with green beans and crusty ciabatta to mop up the delicious sauce. A lighter option could be this classic Austrian dish of ‘ chicken schnitzel, apple and potato salad ’ . Combining sweet with savoury is a treat for the tastebuds - try adding shredded or sliced apple to a salsa, as part of Gousto’s ‘ mexican-style pork chilli with apple salsa ’ recipe. A stand-out dish, every time.
Recipe that heroes sprouts
Brussels Sprout & Garam Masala Tart
Ingredients
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200g Brussels sprouts
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160g puff pastry
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20g mango chutney
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50g lamb's lettuce
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300g waxy potatoes
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1 brown onion
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2 garlic cloves
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40g cheddar cheese
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5g coriander
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1 tsp ground turmeric
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1 tsp garam masala
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1 tsp nigella seeds
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1 red chilli
Method
Step 1
Preheat the oven to 200°C/ 180°C (fan)/ gas 6
Boil a full kettle
Add the waxy potatoes to a pot of plenty of boiled water with a pinch of salt and bring to the boil over a high heat
Once boiling, cook for 12-15 min or until fork-tender, then drain and allow to steam
Step 2
While the potatoes are boiling, peel and finely dice the brown onion
Peel and finely chop (or grate) the garlic
Cut the red chilli in half lengthways, deseed (scrape the seeds out with a teaspoon) and chop finely
Step 3
Heat a large, wide-based pan (preferably non-stick) with a drizzle of olive oil over a medium-high heat
Once hot, add the diced onion, chopped garlic, and half the chopped chilli (can't handle the heat? Go easy!) with a pinch of salt and cook for 5-6 min or until softened
Step 4
Meanwhile, trim the ends from the Brussels sprouts, then finely slice
Once the onion has softened, add the ground turmeric, garam masala and a splash of water and cook for 1 min
Add the sliced Brussels sprouts to the pan with a knob of butter and cook for 7-8 min further or until softened
Step 5
While the sprouts are softening, grate the cheddar cheese and chop the coriander finely, including the stalks
Once softened, add the mango chutney, grated cheese and half the chopped coriander (save the rest for garnish!)
Season with a pinch of salt and a crack of black pepper and give everything a good mix up – this is your Brussels sprout & garam masala tart filling
Step 6
Dust your work surface with a generous sprinkling of flour
Unwrap the puff pastry and roll it out to approx. 0.5cm thickness with a rolling pin and cut into 2 squares
Transfer the pastry squares to a baking tray lined with non-stick baking paper and score a 1cm border around the edge of the pastry with a knife
Top the centre of pastry squares with the Brussels sprout & garam masala tart filling
Step 7
Add the drained potatoes to a baking tray and crush gently
Add a drizzle of olive oil, the nigella seeds and a generous pinch of salt – these are your nigella smashed potatoes
Put the Brussels sprout & garam masala tarts and nigella smashed potatoes in the oven for 15-20 min or until caramelised and golden
Wash the lamb's lettuce, then pat it dry with kitchen paper
Serve the Brussels sprout & garam masala tart with the nigella smashed potatoes and lamb's lettuce to the side
Add a drizzle of olive oil and a grind of pepper to the lamb's lettuce
Top the tart with the remaining chopped coriander and chopped chilli (not a fan of spice? Just add a little!)
Enjoy!
Recipe that heroes carrots
Carrot & Bean Patties With Sesame Sauce
Ingredients (for 2 people)
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3 spring onions
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50g lamb's lettuce
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1 lemon
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25g agave nectar
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75g bulgur wheat
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2 tsp ground cumin
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15ml soy sauce
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10g coriander
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1/2 cucumber
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1 can of cannellini beans
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2 carrots
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30g panko breadcrumbs
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2 tbsp tahini
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10g toasted sesame seeds
Method
Step 1
Boil a kettle
Add the bulgur wheat to a pot with plenty of boiled water and a pinch of salt (the same as you would for pasta) and cook over a high heat for 10-15 min or until tender with a slight bite
Once done, drain and return to the pot and set aside until serving
Step 2
Top, tail, peel (or for a no waste way, leave the skins on) and grate the carrots finely
Meanwhile trim, then slice the spring onions finely
Zest the lemon
Step 3
Chop the coriander finely, including the stalks (keep the chopped leaves and stalks separate!)
Step 4
Drain and rinse the cannellini beans and add them to a bowl
Mash the cannellini beans with a masher until smooth
Step 5
Add the grated carrot, lemon zest, ground cumin, sliced spring onion, chopped coriander stalks, sesame seeds and panko breadcrumbs to the bowl of mashed cannellini beans
Add the juice of 1/2 lemon, 1/2 tsp salt and a pinch of pepper and give everything a really good mix up (clean hands is the best way!)
Divide the mixture into 6 patties
Step 6
Heat a large, wide-based pan (preferably non-stick) with a drizzle of olive oil over a medium heat
Once hot, add the patties and cook for 3 min on each side or until golden
Step 7
Slice the cucumber into discs
Meanwhile, combine the tahini, soy sauce, agave nectar and the juice of the remaining lemon with 60ml cold water
Give everything a good mix up – this is your sesame sauce
Tip: add a splash more water if your sauce is looking a little thick
Divide the bulgur between two plates, add the lamb's lettuce, cucumber and chopped coriander leaves
Drizzle with some olive oil and season with a pinch of salt and pepper
Top with the patties and drizzle over the sesame sauce
Recipe that heroes apples
Oven-Baked Normandy Chicken & Apple Casserole
Ingredients (for 2 people)
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250g British diced chicken thigh
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11g chicken stock mix
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2 ciabattas
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21g wholegrain mustard
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15ml Chinese rice wine
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5g chives
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50g soft cheese
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80g trimmed fine green beans
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2 garlic cloves
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1 apple
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1 brown onion
Method
Step 1
Before you begin...
This recipe takes around 5 min to prep, so get your casserole dish and all your ingredients ready, then wash your fruit and veg
Note: Make sure your dish is oven-proof and safe to use on the hob. Don't have one? Start cooking in a large, wide-based pan then transfer to an oven-proof dish
Step 2
Now, let's get started!
Preheat the oven to 220°C/ 200°C (fan)/ gas 7
Boil half a kettle
Heat a large, wide-based, oven-proof casserole dish with a drizzle of olive oil over a medium-high heat
Chop the apple into wedges and remove the core
Step 3
Peel and chop the brown onion into wedges
Step 4
Add the diced chicken thigh to the dish with 1 tsp flour and cook for 30 secs
Crush the garlic cloves open by squashing them with the side of a knife and remove the skins
Step 5
Add the chopped apple and onion wedges with the crushed garlic and give everything a good stir
Add the chicken stock mix and 200ml boiled water
Step 6
Add the Chinese rice wine and stir through with the wholegrain mustard and soft cheese
Bring to the boil over a high heat, then put the dish in the oven, uncovered, for 30-35 min or until the chicken is cooked through (no pink meat!) – this is your Normandy chicken & apple casserole
Use this time to clear up, set the table, have a cup of tea or simply chill!
Step 7
Once the casserole is almost done, add the green beans to one side of a baking tray with a drizzle of olive oil and a pinch of salt (use tin foil to avoid mess!)
Add the ciabattas to the other side of the tray
Tip: Cooking for 4? Use 2 trays!
Put the tray in the oven for 5-7 min or until the beans are tender but retaining a bite and the ciabattas are warm and crustyTo serve, chop the chives and sprinkle them all over the Normandy chicken & apple casserole then season with pepper
Serve the crunchy beans and crusty ciabattas to the side
Tip: For extra indulgence spread the ciabattas with butter before dipping
Let everyone dig in!
