If you happen to have read yesterday’s article, you know that, in response to requests by readers, I am moving the Frugal Kitchen, Yard and Garden tips to the front of this Blog. This will add dynamic and useful content to our regular postings. Let’s begin with an overview of two favorite kitchen tricks.
Hold on to those bits and pieces
If you are in the habit of composting leftover bits and pieces of the vegetables you use in recipes, hold on. Do not stop composting, but do set aside such parts as celery leaves, vegetable peels, the outer layers of onions and carrot scrapings. Speaking of scraping, also scoop out the food mill, sauce maker, juicers or any other small appliance after use. Place all of these bits and pieces in a freezer-safe food container or bag. Next time you have soup bone on hand, throw everything in the pot for a tasty soup stock.
Better than butter in batter
Butter is used in baking to add moisture and proper consistency. Here are some healthy and fat-free alternatives that will not only add flavor, but also provide yet other ways to use other foods you use in the course of preparing meals. To add moisture to batter, try using puréed bananas, pumpkin or potato flesh and other puréed produce (experimentation is part of the joy of baking!) or yogurt. You can easily make your own purée with a food mill or sauce maker.
I like kitchen tricks that take waste into account. The compost pile is great and deserves care and attention, but in these practical times it seems to make sense to take full advantage of the nutritious content of the foods and produce we bring to the table. This also makes our time in the kitchen far more efficient and it saves money too.
Also Read:
Seeds of Wisdom from The Yard & Garden & Kitchen
7 Ways Dehydrated Food Saves Money
#1 by thekalechronicles on 05/09/2012 - 12:45 pm
Yogurt is a really good substitute in quick breads that call for a cup of oil (Yikes!) like pumpkin bread, banana bread, zucchini bread and poppy seed bread. Save the oil for pesto and use the butter in croissants.
#2 by Granny on 05/09/2012 - 12:52 pm
I might have to quote you on this some day! And Yikes! indeed. I tend to turn the page and close the book as soon as I come across a recipe that lists anything like a cup of oil, a cup of butter, a cup of sugar… Yikes! Yikes!
#3 by thekalechronicles on 05/09/2012 - 12:54 pm
Moderation, moderation. It is the young who seem to live on rich cookies and cakes. I say choose the best of them for treats and don’t eat them everyday.
#4 by Granny on 05/09/2012 - 2:10 pm
Good point.
#5 by Just A Smidgen on 05/09/2012 - 8:53 pm
Excellent post today Granny:) I am sometimes uncertain of what can be substituted to save on calories and spare myself some unhealthy fat. I love the idea of adding purees to baking.. and yogurt as well, Sharyn! xo Smidge Hope you’re having an awesome day!!!
#6 by Granny on 05/10/2012 - 10:09 am
Thank you Smidge. I hope you are having an awesome day as well.