vegetables - any uses for the leaves?

jorichste

thanks for your ideas. I will use them up somehow!!
I have no borders, but would be great idea otherwise, my veggies are all growing in pots and bags on the balcony.

thriftlady_2

I'm not sure about carrot tops either but I use both broccoli leaves/stalks and celery leaves in my freezer veg hash. Description here.

Primrose

Beetroot leaves can be cooked as a substitute for spinach. No need to boil, Just wilt them down in a saucepan with a couple of tablespoons of water. I've never tried cooking carrot leaves before so don't know whether they would be very palatable.

WelshWoofer

Do you know anyone with small furry animals? Guinea pigs etc
I'm sure they'd love them if you can't be bothered with the faff of making something!

kafkathecat

There is a recipe for carrot top soup here:

http://www.fatfree.com/recipes/soups/carrot-top-soup

and I know I have recently seen a recipe for carrot tops finely chopped and cooked in a pancake but I can't for the life of me think where.
My flippant side wants to say 'Get a guinea pig, they eat everything' but of course they produce even more waste.

jorichste

thanks for more ideas. I used some celery leaves in tonights curry, it all went rather green but tasted fab! I think I might just chuck it all in the next soup/pie/curry/salad or whatever. I was worried that I might end up poisoning the family, but now I know its all ok to eat it defo won't get wasted!! Thanks again x

clutterydrawer

If you have an animal shelter nearby they would appreciate them for their smaller creatures

I nibble the broccoli/celery leaves raw while im waiting for the real dinner to cook *face of shame*

Quasar

Never discard broccoli leaves, as they are the most beta-carotene rich part of the plant. I just cook them in with the florets. I agree with Caterina about the celery - just had a stalks with leaves and all right now as a munchie-beater.

I think carrot tops are better put in compost or given to rabbits or other animals as suggested by clutterydrawer.

liz545

I bought a cauliflower to go in a veggie curry, and it's got tonnes of leaves on the outside. I hate the thought of wasting so much, but I don't know what I can do with them to make them tasty! Does anyone have any ideas?

ceridwen

Chop them up small and use as part of a stirfry perhaps?

I shall follow this thread - as I suspect other ideas for the bits people normally waste will crop up in the course of it:D

I'll add in the first thought on that - not many people seem to know that one can eat radish leaves. Yep - I've made pesto with them before now (ie using them in place of basil) and I'm contemplating trying out a recipe I found for sauteing them for a minute or so with a bit of garlic and olive oil.