On the Plate: Small changes add up to a big difference

Several recent articles and events have really focused my attention and thoughts on what each and every one of us needs to do – must do – to contribute to reducing waste and addressing the whole recycling debacle.

I often find myself asking “How have we arrived at this ridiculous impasse?” How is it that those whom we have empowered to effectively look after the processes of dutifully dealing with household, and commercial, waste have allowed huge stockpiles of junk to fill anonymous warehouses in our neighbourhoods? Who are the people in the know and empowered? Who’s been turning a blind eye or putting these practices into the “too-hard basket”?  But at the same time each one of us is responsible and therefore we’re now charged with the responsibility to make drastic changes.

Let’s all do our little bit to make a change, to effectively chip away at this mountain of waste we create every day, week, year. Let’s change the way we shop, eat to reduce or ultimately eliminate the 34 per cent of household food that is sent into landfill. Once it is in landfill, global food waste pumps 7.6 million tonnes of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere each year – a massive contribution to the greenhouse effect. Ooooh, I’m feeling like flailing about in the supermarket aisle to demonstrate to shoppers – please think about what’s really on the menu for the next few days, or the week – whatever time frame you’re shopping for- and not buy on impulse. Really folks, it ain’t rocket science.

And I haven’t even touched on what total dollars we’re tossing down the drain on wasted food every week.   I hardly want to even calculate that figure.

So, what’s the solution? I’ll wager it involves several simple changes in your routine. And it’s impressive that there are many initiatives now coming into play to help us all reduce the scary figures in terms of dollars and environmental impacts.  It’ll be something like turning a massive ship around in the ocean, a long hard slow slog – but it’s a start.

Let me begin with use-by-dates or best-before dates. Hmm, a contentious starting point. Everyone I know has their own opinions, but can I suggest these are recommendations by the the producer, and understandably they err on the side of extreme caution. Puh-lease – use you own sense of smell and taste before ditching food down the sink or into the rubbish bin.  I’ve had food items well within their “best before” date that have in fact not been consumable because of poor shop storage, or transport temperatures not being ideal – and have had to ditch them.  But believe me, just cos the date has expired, it doesn’t necessarily mean the product is “off”. Sniff it! You’ll be amazed and will save many dollars and ingredients if instead of discarding the item, use it creatively to cook up a soup, a casserole, a frittata, use up milk into a cake or muffin mix – or last resort – toss it into the compost at the very least.

The crisper or vegetable drawer of the fridge can often be a scary combo of wilted, somewhat less than appetising produce – right? It’s amazing what a rinse off in cold water and some judicious trimming will do. The worst of it – into compost, no question.  But generally I can cook up a hearty soup by combining whatever veggies I’ve unearthed, and combine them with lentils, some spices and herbs – chilli and garlic are your magic ingredient helpers.

I applaud the innovation of farmers who’ve had to really invest in finding new markets for the “ugly” produce – meaning that which doesn’t comply with supermarket specifications. Do please buy up the “odd bunch” produce, the loose cloves of garlic etc now being seen on the shelf, thus showing that as customers we will buy these items, indeed let’s create a demand for them.

Recently I wrote about green banana flour – another example of innovation borne of not wanting to simply take truckloads of bananas to landfill.  The pre-cut salads and vegetables are also an example of wonky carrots etc being resurrected into a convenience product for time poor people.  Rugby Farm is but one sterling example of a hugely successful family business that is growing at an incredible rate. Sure, the idea of home grown is best is something to aim for, but realistically this is simply not achievable for everyone.

So, here’s a beaut cake you can bake from the apple and banana that’s looking less than it’s best, and do you like my “upcycled” basket made from a lemon bag, string, cello punnet container? I feel a whole new range of natty uses of “all that pesky packaging” coming on!

So, let’s all make it a firm resolve to truly change our habits, and encourage everyone in your tribe to do their bit to not waste.

Best Used-By Banana-Apple Cake

INGREDIENTS

125g butter
1/2 cup castor sugar
2 eggs
1 banana – mashed
1 apple – grated
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon mixed spice
1 teaspoons bi-carb soda
1 1/2 cups SR flour
2 tablespoons EVOO
1/2 milk, or yoghurt thinned with water

METHOD

Preheat oven to 180C.   Grease a loaf tin, and line base with baking paper.  Soften butter by gently warming in microwave. Cream butter and sugar together until light, add eggs one at a time.  Add 1/2 dry ingredients and spices, mix together adding in the milk, EVOO.  Add rest of flour, mix until smooth.  Bake 45 minutes, or until a skewer inserted into centre of the cake comes out clean.  Allow to cool in the tin 5 minutes, the cool on a wire rack.  Can be dusted with icing sugar, or a lemony icing using up the zest and juice of one lemon (or a sad orange).