This new cookbook turns scraps into delicious plant based meals!

April 3, 2024

Hey there, we’re here with a new cookbook alert!

Did you know 30 to 40% of the entire United States' food supply ends up in landfills, much of which stems from household waste?

We learned this reading the intro to the new zero-waste cookbook PlantYou: Scrappy Cooking! It’s a book written by our friend, NYT bestselling author Carleigh Bodrug, who’s the face behind PlantYou (and one lovely human!).

Scrappy Cooking has over 150 recipes that show you how to make the most of the food you already have in your fridge or pantry while eating healthier, saving money, and reducing food waste.

Every recipe in the book is vegan and focuses on whole, plant-based foods. We love the cute infographics that show all the ingredients you need (see the photo above!).

How to get it? You can order it here. Or, call up your local bookstore to place an order (it’s a great way to support local).

Carleigh has also provided us with a sample recipe from the book, below! Big thanks for Carleigh and congratulations on launching Scrappy Cooking into the world.

Lemon Peel Pesto

What happens when you replace the basil in my favorite vegan pesto recipe with lemon peels? Magic—that’s what. This easy recipe utilizes the low-waste magic of pasta water (a.k.a. liquid gold) and two entire lemons to create the creamy plant-based sauce of your dreams. Quick enough for a weeknight meal and fancy enough for date night.

MAKES 4 Servings
START TO FINISH: 25 minutes

• 16 ounces fettuccine or gluten-free pasta of choice

• 1 1/2 cups raw cashews or sunflower seeds, soaked overnight or boiled for 10 minutes

• 2 whole lemons, preferably organic

• 3 cloves garlic

• 3 tablespoons nutritional yeast

• 1 1/2 teaspoons salt

• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper

Cook the pasta according to package directions. Drain, reserving 2 1/2 cups of the pasta water. Set the pasta aside.

While the pasta cooks, peel the lemons, discarding as much as the white pith as you can, as it is bitter. I like to use a potato peeler for this.

In a blender or food processor, add the cashews, lemon peels, juice of the lemons, garlic, nutritional yeast, 1 3/4 cups of the reserved pasta water, salt, and pepper. Blend until a smooth sauce is formed, adding more pasta water as needed to thin the sauce.

Add the pasta back into the pot it was cooked in, and pour the sauce over top, as well as the remaining pasta water to thin if needed. Toss gently with tongs over medium heat until the sauce is evenly dispersed and the pasta is warm.

Serve with chopped parsley, vegan Parmesan cheese, and black pepper, if desired.

Up the Veggies: Sauté 1 head of broccoli, 1 cup of cherry tomatoes, and 1/2 cup of green peas for 5 minutes over medium heat while the pasta is cooking and mix them into the pasta with the sauce at the end. This is also delicious with baked tofu. Storage: Store in a sealed container for up to 4 days.