Let me preface this post by saying I am not a chef. I am not a certified dietician or nutritionist. Most of these recipes have been inspired by or adapted from someone else’s. I’m more of an eye-baller in the kitchen than a measure-er so I’ll do my best to share these recipes accurately.

I would also like to note that this post is titled “Low Waste” because I shop and cook with nutrition and Whole Foods in priority as well as packaging & impact. I buy loose vegetables. I shop from local small produce stands. I source foods from local farmers who grow things themselves. I take advantage of all bulk bins available. I purchase staples in cardboard, glass or aluminum instead of plastic. I shop at local farmers markets. I use reusable produce bags and grocery totes. I pick my own fruits at local farms. I source food from my own garden. I build awareness on what products are “green” but really not. So while I can’t tell you how to shop or ensure what your grocery store, markets or produce stands offer, I can suggest that you mindfully shop and source your foods.

 

From the ‘Grill’…

 

Carrot Dogs

 

These carrots are marinated, grilled and served like a traditional hot dog and they are GOOD. I could eat one everyday.

Ingredients:

(Yields 4-6 dogs)

6-8 (loose/bulk) carrots

1-2 tablespoons of Liquid Smoke (this will intensify the flavor so play around with it, if you’re not into a grill/smokey/strong flavor, tone it down)

1 tablespoon of sesame seeds or sesame oil

1 tablespoon of maple syrup

1 teaspoon of garlic powder

1 teaspoon of onion powder

1/4 c. of coconut or Liquid Aminos

1 tablespoon of Apple Cider Vinegar

Salt and Pepper

1 tablespoon of EVOO for cooking

 

Method:

1. You can peel the carrots or leave the skin on. Cut the stems off. Boil the carrots until soft (soft enough to stab a fork through, not too soft where it flops off the fork) - roughly 6-10 minutes.

2. While steaming, mix all your spices and seasonings with your liquids (with the exception of the EVOO). Once the carrots are finished, use a fork to transfer them from the steam pot to the marinade. I personally marinate them in a small shallow dish but a bag could work also - hopefully a reusable one if you’re going that method?!

3. Let cool with the lid off and once cool cover/seal up and refrigerate for at least 2 hours but up to 12. Obviously, the longer you marinate them, the stronger the flavor will be from your marinade. While marinating I usually give them a stir, flip, toss, whatever to ensure the marinade is evenly distributed.

4. When you’re ready to cook, coat your pan with oil (I use a cast iron skillet) and throw your carrots in. Cook to desired crispiness/char on the outside. They won’t take long to warm up or “cook through” (you softened them enough while boiling to bite through so this step is to heat them up). While cooking, roll them around to cook evenly. If you want to, you can throw the remaining marinade on top to create more flavor and char on the outside of the dogs.

5. Remove from the pan, toss into a bun or whatever vessel (or no vessel!) you prefer and dress as you would your favorite hot dog or sausage link.

A few notes:

• Sometimes I put 2 to a roll depending on their size.

• In desperate times I’ve eaten these cold (after cooking) and they we’re still good

• I’ve never tried to grill these before and my concern is that they would stick to the grate - but you’re welcome to try! I’m no grill master so I cannot offer any advice

• I’ve reused leftover marinade for a second batch and it worked just fine

 

Jackfruit “Pulled Pork” BBQ

 

Ingredients:

(Yields 2 bigger sandwiches or 3 smaller ones)

1 can of Jackfruit in water

2-3 tablespoons of your favorite BBQ sauce (plus more for topping)

1 teaspoon of chili powder

1 teaspoon of garlic powder

1 teaspoon of onion powder

1 teaspoon of smoked paprika

1-2 teaspoons of liquid smoke

1 tablespoon of maple syrup or brown sugar (if you like it sweet!)

1/4 c. of water or veggie broth

Salt and Pepper

 

Method:

1. Drain jackfruit and add to a bowl. Shred the jackfruit and add the chili powder, salt and pepper, paprika, onion powder and garlic powder. Stir to coat evenly.

2. Add to a heated skillet (medium high heat) and top with the BBQ sauce. Stir to coat. Add water or broth and stir well to create a thin sauce to coat. Stir well.

3. Reduce heat to low and allow the water or broth to cook down. Stir occasionally and break down jackfruit as it cooks.

4. Once cooked down, remove from heat.

5. Add to your favorite bread, salad or plate. Top with additional BBQ if you prefer.

A few notes:

• Pulled pork is commonly paired with Cole slaw if making some of that fancies you.

• You can add a splash Apple Cider Vinegar to cook down with if you like your BBQ tangy

• This is good straight up but can be treated and dressed up like pulled pork

Lentil Sloppy Joe

 

Ingredients:

(Yields 3-4 servings of Sloppy Joe)

1 cup of (dry) lentils cooked

1/2 yellow onion (chopped)

1 tablespoon of garlic

1 teaspoon of chili powder

1 teaspoon of smoked paprika

1 teaspoon of cumin

1 6oz. can of tomato paste

1-3 tablespoons of Worcestershire Sauce (get a vegan one - it’s normally made with anchovies)

1 tablespoon of coconut or monk fruit sugar

1 bell pepper (chopped)

1-2 tablespoons of EVOO to cook with

2-3 tablespoons of water or veggie broth

Salt and Pepper

Method:

1. Add EVOO, bell pepper, onion and garlic to a pan. Cook on medium high into translucent/soft.

2. Add lentils, tomato paste, cumin, paprika, chili, sugar, salt and pepper. Stir to coat. Add broth or water and stir to thin tomato paste.

3. Lower heat and let simmer on low to reduce liquid.

4. Once liquid is absorbed and everything is evenly coated, remove from heat and serve.

A few notes:

• This is good alone or served on a roll or bread of your choice

• Don’t be afraid to have fun with some toppings: pickled red onions, avocado, raw onion

• This is really good scooped with some crackers for a quick snack

• This makes a thick sloppy Joe so if you like it thinner or runnier, I recommend adding more broth or water. You could also omit the tomato paste and use tomato sauce instead

• This can also be eaten cold after cooking in desperate times

 

Black Bean and Lentil Burgers

Ingredients:

(Yields 10-12 burgers)

1 cup of cooked black beans (I like to DIY - less bloat that way and can start from bulk dry beans. If you’re going to the can route - 2 cans)

1 cup of cooked lentils

1/2 cup of shredded carrots

2 tablespoons of garlic

2 eggs (or flax egg)

1 onion (yellow or white)

1 cup of oat flour

2 tablespoon of chili powder

1 tablespoon of cumin

1 tablespoon of coriander

3/4 cup of veggie broth (optional)

Salt and Pepper

Method:

1. Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees fahrenheit.

2. Add cooked beans, lentils, carrots, chopped onion, eggs, spices and garlic to a food processor or blender. Pulse until chopped and combined. You want it to be able to stick together but not pulse it long enough to get mushy. Leave some chunk.

3. Add veggie broth reserving some for cooking with to add a little more flavor and moisture

4. Scoop the mixture out and form into patties

5. Line a baking sheet with your silicone baking mat or EVOO

6. Put patties onto baking mat or pan an inch apart. Cover with remaining veggie broth to promote more moisture within the burger

7. Bake 20-30 minutes. Keep an eye on them towards the end.

A Few Notes:

• I like to use the veggie broth to ensure they don't dry out but it’s not necessary

• I like to top my burger with blue cheese crumbles

• You can alternatively pan fry these on low in oil

• You can prep these by baking them and then reheating in a pan with oil

 

Sides ‘n’ Such…

 

Black Bean and Corn Salad

 

Ingredients:

(Yields 3-4 servings of Sloppy Joe)

1 cup of (dry) lentils cooked

1/2 yellow onion (chopped)

1 tablespoon of garlic

1 teaspoon of chili powder

1 teaspoon of smoked paprika

1 teaspoon of cumin

1 6oz. can of tomato paste

1-3 tablespoons of Worcestershire Sauce (get a vegan one - it’s normally made with anchovies)

1 tablespoon of coconut or monk fruit sugar

1 bell pepper (chopped)

1-2 tablespoons of EVOO to cook with

2-3 tablespoons of water or veggie broth

Salt and Pepper

Method:

1. Add EVOO, bell pepper, onion and garlic to a pan. Cook on medium high into translucent/soft.

2. Add lentils, tomato paste, cumin, paprika, chili, sugar, salt and pepper. Stir to coat. Add broth or water and stir to thin tomato paste.

3. Lower heat and let simmer on low to reduce liquid.

4. Once liquid is absorbed and everything is evenly coated, remove from heat and serve.

A few notes:

• This is good alone or served on a roll or bread of your choice

• Don’t be afraid to have fun with some toppings: pickled red onions, avocado, raw onion

• This is really good scooped with some crackers for a quick snack

• This makes a thick sloppy Joe so if you like it thinner or runnier, I recommend adding more broth or water. You could also omit the tomato paste and use tomato sauce instead

• This can also be eaten cold after cooking in desperate times

 

Black Bean and Lentil Burgers

Ingredients:

(Yields 10-12 burgers)

1 cup of cooked black beans (I like to DIY - less bloat that way and can start from bulk dry beans. If you’re going to the can route - 2 cans)

1 cup of cooked lentils

1/2 cup of shredded carrots

2 tablespoons of garlic

2 eggs (or flax egg)

1 onion (yellow or white)

1 cup of oat flour

2 tablespoon of chili powder

1 tablespoon of cumin

1 tablespoon of coriander

3/4 cup of veggie broth (optional)

Salt and Pepper

Method:

1. Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees fahrenheit.

2. Add cooked beans, lentils, carrots, chopped onion, eggs, spices and garlic to a food processor or blender. Pulse until chopped and combined. You want it to be able to stick together but not pulse it long enough to get mushy. Leave some chunk.

3. Add veggie broth reserving some for cooking with to add a little more flavor and moisture

4. Scoop the mixture out and form into patties

5. Line a baking sheet with your silicone baking mat or EVOO

6. Put patties onto baking mat or pan an inch apart. Cover with remaining veggie broth to promote more moisture within the burger

7. Bake 20-30 minutes. Keep an eye on them towards the end.

A Few Notes:

• I like to use the veggie broth to ensure they don't dry out but it’s not necessary

• I like to top my burger with blue cheese crumbles

• You can alternatively pan fry these on low in oil

• You can prep these by baking them and then reheating in a pan with oil

 

Sides ‘n’ Such…

 

Black Bean and Corn Salad

Basil Cashew (Hot or Cold) Pasta Salad

Ingredients:

(Yields 4-6 servings)

2 cups (dry) of cooked pasta (I recommend a short or bow tie pasta - check out what I use below in the A Few Notes disclaimer)

3/4 cup of basil

1 cup of cashews (pre-soaked)

1 cup of almond, coconut or dairy free milk

2 tablespoon of garlic

1 teaspoon of red pepper flakes

4 tablespoons of nutritional yeast

1 teaspoon of flour (to help thicken - can be omitted. I recommend coconut)

Salt and Pepper

Method:

1. Drain cashews and add to blender. Add basil, almond milk, garlic, red pepper, salt and pepper, and nutritional yeast. Blend until smooth.

2. Add that mixture to a pan and turn onto medium heat. Add flour and stir in to thicken. Reduce and let simmer to heat through and thicken.

3. Coat cooked (preferably) warm pasta, stir to coat and even out.

4. Serve warm immediately and it’ll be fine if it cools. If you want to serve it chilled, let it cool and then refrigerate. It will thicken in that case.

A Few Notes:

• Cashews get softer and easier to blend when presoaked. I usually heat water in my kettle and soak them in that boiling water to quicken the process (usually 30-60 minutes before prep). Alternatively, you can soak for a few hours or overnight with room temp water on the counter.

• This sauce is difficult to spread when it’s not warm so try to toss pasta with sauce immediately

• This gets a little funky after refrigerating a day or so texture wise. It won’t heat up the same either. It will still taste fine but it’s definitely best fresh.

• I like to use Jovial pasta. It’s brown rice pasta that is gluten free. They use literally two ingredients: brown rice and water. Their packaging is made from post consumer recycled materials and their little window that allows you to see into the box is at home compostable. WIN WIN.

 

Cold Chickpea Salad

Ingredients:

1 can of chickpeas (can be refrigerated before)

1/2 cup of mayo (I use Primal Kitchen, really clean and well sourced ingredients. You could alternatively use a yogurt here instead)

1/2 cup of mustard

1/4 cup of chopped celery

1/4 cup of chopped onion

1 teaspoon of Apple Cider Vinegar

1 tablespoon of relish (optional)

1 teaspoon of Old Bay (optional - if not using I recommend some paprika instead)

Salt and Pepper

Method:

1. Drain and rinse chickpeas and add to bowl

2. Top with onion and celery and stir to combine

3. Add mustard, mayo, optional relish, vinegar and seasonings. Stir well to coat and combine.

4. Use a potato masher or a strong fork to mash everything down to create a spreadable texture. It can be left chunky or mashed down to be really smooth.

5. Chill for 30-60 minutes before serving if chickpeas we’re not previously refrigerated.

A few notes:

• This can be served with crackers, over toast, on bread, over greens, in romaine lettuce cups or whatever you’re feeling

• You can get creative here with your add ons or take away something you don’t love

• This is a good substitute for tuna or chicken salad

• It’s good topped with pickled onions

 

Sweet Stuff…

 

Chia Seed Pudding

Ingredients:

(Yields 2-4 servings)

1 cup of homemade coconut milk

1 can of full fat coconut milk

1/3 - 1/2 cup of chia seeds

A pinch of sea salt

Optional:

Maple Syrup to sweeten (1-2 tablespoons to the chis seed mixture)

Collagen to add some extra protein and health benefits

Raw Cacao to make it chocolatey

Your favorite berries for toppings/to create a sauce with (I used 1 cup of strawberries and about 3/4 cup of blueberries for the entire batch)

Coconut for topping

Method:

1. In a large mixing bowl, add the canned coconut milk. Add the homemade coconut milk. Stir to combine. Add the salt and chia seeds and stir to combine. If you’re adding maple syrup, add that now and stir to combine.

2. After a minute of stirring, everything should start to firm up. If you’re adding collagen or rw cocoa powder, here’s where you’ll add that. Powders have a hard time disintegrating in the coconut milk alone, especially collagen. Stir vigorously to blend into the chia seed mixture.

3. Refrigerate the chia seed pudding for 5-10 minutes to allow it to finish firming and to serve chilled.

4. In the meantime, if you’re going the berry route you can do it a couple different ways. The first being just using the fruit raw and sliced and decorating as you please. The second way is to create a sauce (see below)

Sauce Method:

I cooked my blueberries and strawberries separate for layering purposes but if you want to fuse the two you can do that.

1. Put fruit into a medium sized sauce pan on medium heat. After a few minutes you’ll notice the fruit starting to cook down, natural syrups leaving the berry, etc. This is when you take a potato masher or fork and start to smash the fruit down to create your syrup.

2. If you want to sweeten it further you can add 1-2 tablespoons of maple syrup or honey. Stir to combine

3. Reduce heat and let it simmer another 5 minutes to full release juices

4. Remove from heat and let cool before adding to chia seed pudding

A few notes:

• The chia seed mixture will be unsweetened in flavor unless you’ve added maple syrup to that. Your source of sweetness will be the fruit or fruit sauce. Just something to be mindful of if you don’t want it too sweet/need to step it up.

• You can leave your berries chunky when mashing or make it really smooth. That’s a personal preference.

• This can be made with coconut milk from the carton instead of homemade

• If you’re substituting almond milk, expect it to be thinner - you may need to add more chia seeds to thicken

• Give the pudding time to firm and cool before you decide it needs more chia seeds. The seeds will soak up moisture and expand. If you add too many, you’ll be left with dry and crumbling pudding.

• I portion mine out in individual jars rather than serving or storing in the big bowl because I like to grab and go. You can make it fun in a cake dish, trifle dish, clear bowl so you can layer the fruit, little mason jars, whatever.

A few Watermelon Cocktails…

All of these will be using watermelon juice as the base. You can simply blend watermelon, even on low, for 30 seconds in the blender to get a nice frothy watermelon juice. If you don’t have a blender, try your hand at smashing some melon with a potato masher. I also feel like I should add a disclosure on this that you must be 21 years of age to consume and create these cocktails. Failure to comply means that your brain will not develop properly and do we really want that? Don’t be that guy/girl. Lastly, DO NOT drink and drive. Seriously.

Watermelon Crush

Ingredients:

1/2 cup Watermelon Juice

1 oz. Triple Sec

2 oz. Vodka (if you’re really feeling it you can use a flavor of vodka that you like - I’ve used Watermelon Vodka by Rocktown and Orange Vodka here)

Splash of sprite (or soda water)

Method:

1. Fill glass with ice

2. Add vodka and triple sec

3. Add watermelon juice

4. Top with splash of sprite or soda water

5. Give it a stir with your reusable straw

6. Enjoy

 

Watermelon Mule

Ingredients:

1/3 cup of watermelon juice

3 oz. of vodka or watermelon vodka

Splash of Ginger Beer

Lime for squeezing and garnish

Method:

1. Fill glass with ice

2. Add watermelon juice, vodka and lime juice of half the lime. You can toss the peel of the lime into it for extra flavor. Shake or stir really well (you can use a shaker, you can swirl from glass to glass, nothing has to be too fancy)

3. Top with ginger beer

4. If you’re feeling fancy, garnish with lime and/or mint

 

Watermelon Mojito

Ingredients:

1/3 cup of watermelon juice

2-3 oz. of white rum

1 oz. of simple syrup (equal parts sugar and hot water, stir to combine, left with syrup)

6-10 Mint Leaves

1/2 Lime for squeezing and some for garnish

Method:

1. Muddle mint and lime in the bottom of your glass really well (don’t have a muddler? Use a bamboo or wooden spoon).

2. Fill with ice

3. Top with rum, simple syrup and watermelon juice

4. Shake (or stir extremely well) to combine

5. Garnish with lime and/or mint leaves

 

A few notes about all 3 cocktails:

• Most of these drinks are still very good if you play around with mixing and matching or taking away ingredients. I don’t like sprite in my crushes and can do without making simple syrup for my mojito.

• Watermelon isn’t a super sweet juice and it’s definitely a little different than expected if you’ve never drank it before. I recommend tasting it before you start mixing cocktails with it so you can adapt to what you like.

• These can all be made into mocktails by just omitting the alcohol. Ginger beer is non - alcoholic for the mule. For the crush you can just mix watermelon juice and sprite or soda water over ice. For the mojito you can repeat the same steps but leave out the rum.

Thank you for checking this out! I hope that you make and LOVE something from this. This post was a labor of love as I am not a food blogger, photographer or developer.

Thank you for being here and along for this journey!

Love,

Lizzie