HERB STEMS: Did you cut the leaves off of an herb to use them in a meal? You can still use the rest of those stems! After we pluck the leaves from herbs like parsley, basil, or cilantro, the stems get tossed away most of the time. But there are other ways to use these flavorful bits. In addition to being used in homemade soup, herb stems are an excellent way to infuse oil and vinegar, and you can add them to pesto, chimichurri sauce, relish, tapenade, and stuffing.
CITRUS PEELS: Citrus zest can add a delicious kick to plenty of baking recipes. Even if you’re not using the spice right away, it’s worth keeping your extra peels in the freezer for when you need them. Whether you’ve got lemons, limes, or oranges, there are so many ways to give citrus peels new life. They’re also an intelligent way to infuse more flavor into poached chicken, stews, or sauces, not to mention making candied fruit with thicker-skinned peels. Pro Tip: Orange zest is delicious when added to chocolate chip cookies!
