Foodie Weekender by Bronte Hogarth World Environment Day is coming up this Wednesday June 5th. The 2013 theme is all about food waste , which is a HUGE focus area for us at 1 Million Women. Data collected by the UN puts worldwide figures as high as 1.3 billion tonnes of food being wasted every year. With so many simple actions we can each take, this figure could easily be reduced. It's about thinking before we eat, and planning meals carefully to make sure they are no-waste meals.
Here are some great no-waste tips from our website:
- MENU PLANNING: A bit of organization can go a long way. Menu planning means fewer trips to the supermarket and less impulse spending. You can use leftovers more efficiently and it is easier to stockpile the freezer with your bulk buys.
- BE CONTAINER SAVVY: Keep lots of reusable airtight plastic containers and jars handy for storing food including leftovers in the fridge, freezer or pantry. And reuse glass jars for storage and bottles for tap water.
- MASTER PORTION SIZES: Make sure you have your own easy ways to calculate portion sizes. For example, a mug full of dry rice will feed four people when steamed or boiled. It’s basics like rice, pasta, bread and potatoes that often get wasted.
Here is a menu plan: 3 Days - 3 Meals - Using the key ingredient SLAW
Making up a batch of Slaw on a Monday night is a great idea, and can be used over 3 days in these great recipes.
SLAW
Ingredients:
1/2 head green cabbage, very thinly sliced
1/2 head red cabbage, very thinly sliced
3 carrots, cut into matchsticks
Directions:
- Mix all ingredients together and store in the fridge in a reusable airtight plastic container till needed.
BRONTE'S SLAW & CHICKEN TACOS
Ingredients:
1 1/2 cups Slaw (as made above)
2 medium to large boneless skinless chicken breast
1 Avacado, cut in squares
Sweet corn, 1 can (small)
3 limes
Jalapeños, optional
Marinate: 1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika (regular paprika works too)
Directions:
- Put Slaw in a bowl, cover with juice of two limes, mix and let it sit to pickle while cooking chicken.
- Place cumin, salt, pepper and paprika into a bowl. Stir to combine.
- Place chicken breast into a large bowl. Pour over the marinate, then squeeze the juice of one whole lime over chicken. Stir chicken around with seasonings and lime. You can marinate up 1-5 hours if desired.
- Cook chicken on either a grill or frypan until cooked through and juices run clear.
- Transfer chicken to a large plate and let rest for 10 minutes. Thinly slice chicken.
- Put Slaw, chicken, Avacado and sweetcorn inside your softshell taco. Jalapenos taste great with these too!
- Top with your favorite taco sauce.
Serves 4 -6
SLAW AND SOBA NOODLE SALAD
Ingredients:
3 cups Slaw (as made above)
1 pack uncooked soba (buckwheat) noodles
1/2 cup thinly sliced shallots
Dressing: 6 tablespoons rice wine vinegar
2 tablespoons sesame oil
4 tablespoons low sodium soy sauce
2 tablespoons brown sugar
1 tablespoon fresh ginger, minced
1 tablespoon asian/thai red chilli sauce or chilli paste
salt and pepper
Directions:
- Cook noodles according to package directions. Drain; rinse with cold water.
- Combine noodles, Slaw and 1/4 cup shallots
- Combine soy sauce, seasame oil, chilli sauce, rice wine vinegar, sugar, ginger, in a small bowl; stir with a whisk until blended.
- Add soy sauce mixture to noodle mixture, tossing gently to coat. Sprinkle with any remaining 1/4 cup green onions and peanuts.
Serves 4 - 6
ZESTY COLESLAW
Ingredients:
2 1/2 cups slaw
zest of 1/2 lemon
1/4 cup lemon juice
1/4 cup olive oil
1 tablespoon honey
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
Directions:
- Add slaw to a bowl, lemon zest, lemon juice, olive oil, honey, salt and black pepper. Toss to combine.
- Serve this right away for more of a salad, or store it in the fridge overnight for a slaw that’s more pickled.
Serves 4 - 6
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Want to know more ways to stop food waste? See all our no-waste tips here
We are daughters, mothers, sisters and grandmothers getting on with practical climate action to live better for us and the planet. Join the movement at www.1millionwomen.com.au