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One of my goals for 2021 is to establish more environmentally friendly habits in my daily life. Specifically, I want to be more mindful of food waste. Fortunately for me (and for you), the Safe Plates team is kicking off 2021 with an Avoiding Food Waste campaign. I can’t wait to see what tips and tricks they share on how to minimize food waste.

One strategy that I have begun implementing is making vegetable or meat-based stock from leftover food scraps that I was previously throwing in the trash without realizing their potential! Check out this basic vegetable stock recipe from Med Instead of Meds.

Stock is the base of many dishes in the kitchen. This Basic Vegetable Stock, shared with us by our friend Chef Ellen Clevenger-Firley, can be used in any recipe calling for stock. Make in advance and store in your fridge (up to 1 week) or freezer (up to 6 months) to have on hand when needed.

Pro Tip: Making broth is a wonderful way to use leftover vegetable scraps (i.e. the remaining pieces of raw vegetables after you cut them up for cooking, i.e. broccoli stalks, carrot tops, mushroom bottoms, etc). Consider saving your vegetable scraps in a sealed container in the freezer until you have enough to make stock. 

Serves 8
Serving Size: 1 cup
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 35-45 minutes
Total Time: 50-60 minutes

Ingredients:

• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 large onion
• 3 celery stalks, including some leaves
• 3 large carrots
• 3 leeks
• 8 cloves garlic, minced
• 8 sprigs fresh parsley
• 6 sprigs fresh thyme
• 2 bay leaves
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 2 quarts (8 cups) water

Other ingredients to consider including: mushrooms, eggplant, corn cobs, fennel (stalks and trimmings), bell peppers, pea pods, chard (stems and leaves), celery root parings, marjoram (stems and leaves), basil, potato parings . . . other vegetables as desired.

Directions:

1. Chop scrubbed vegetables into 1-inch chunks. Remember, the greater the surface area, the more quickly vegetables will yield their flavor.
2. Heat oil in a soup pot (3 quarts or larger). Add onion, celery, carrots, leeks, garlic, parsley, thyme, and bay leaves. Cook over high heat for 5 to 10 minutes, stirring frequently.
3. Add salt and water and bring to a boil. Lower heat and simmer, uncovered, for 30 minutes. Strain. Discard vegetables.

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Each year, around the world, millions of people make resolutions as they step into a New Year. These generally revolve around improving health, financial management, career goals, personal interests, etc. According to a Finder survey, close to 189 million adult Americans (74% of the population) made a New Year’s resolution for 2021. The not-so-good news is that a vast majority of these New Year’s resolutions will fail and only a very small percentage of individuals will actually achieve the goals they set for themselves in January.

There are many strategies that can be employed to help increase the success rate for these resolutions such as keeping them small and measurable, writing them down, sharing with someone for accountability, etc. It is obvious that achieving the goals we lay down for ourselves needs our will power as changing an existing or adopting a new behavior requires self-discipline, but I want to highlight a strategy that is even more important and makes a lot more sense to me personally. This is the why power i.e., listing ‘why’ a particular resolution or goal is important. Laying down the reason why our goal is important will help provide the motivation that is needed to make progress towards the goal. Our will power can get us started on the path towards our goal. The why power will make the goal truly meaningful and keep us going until we reach our destination.

So, take some time to think about the ‘why’ behind your New Year’s resolutions this year – it is not too late, and it may be the missing link between you and success! I would like to end with the following quote about why-power:

“Forget about willpower. It’s time for why-power. Your choices are only meaningful when you connect them to your desires and dreams. The wisest and most motivating choices are the ones aligned with that which you identify as your purpose, your core self, and your highest values. You’ve got to want something, and know why you want it, or you’ll end up giving up too easily.”
― Darren Hardy, The Compound Effect: Jumpstart Your Income, Your Life, Your Success

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