Save the Stalks!

So we know that Brussels sprouts are good for us and easy to cook. Today, let's talk about how we buy them and how to minimize food waste one step at a time.

Food waste is an ongoing battle everyone has to tackle as society, and thus agriculture, grows. Thanks to Belinda Chiu's A Healthy Blueprint, we've learned that lots of the vegetables we see at the market are only a small part of the entire plant it comes from, which can also be eaten. For instance, we normally eat just the beetroot but not the red stems and leafy greens that grow out of the bulb. Sometimes, we don't have a choice because that's just how some stores sell their produce. BUT. When you do see vegetables sold in more of their full form, TAKE ADVANTAGE!

Take these Brussels sprouts for example. Whether you shop at the grocery store or at the local farmer's market, more often than not, you've seen Brussels sprouts sold in packages. They're typically either sold in bulk in plastic bags or in smaller packages like the paper bowls wrapped in plastic. Plastic all around! But why? The stalks are perfectly edible!! You can even roast the whole thing in the oven instead of picking the sprouts off. My 5-Ingredients Roasted Brussels Sprouts recipe calls for the sprouts to be picked off, so but I can save the stalks, peel them, and roast them too! They are edible after roasting, but it's cold out so why not blend them into a nice, warm soup!

Feel free to share your experience with Brussels sprouts stalks!