Can You Eat It?

Can you eat all the parts of vegetables and herbs? What do you do with the inedible parts? The compost bin is a great place for food parts that are not usable or leftovers, but we can often make better use of many food parts that some of us were taught to discard. Can you use the stems of broccoli and cauliflower? Carrot tops or beet greens? Are these poisonous, or do people throw them away for no reason?

Here are some common food items that are good to know what you can do with

Can you eat the dark green part of the scallions?

 Absolutely. All parts of the scallion are edible. I use the white part as I do with onion. The green part I use is mostly raw, in salads, or mixed in at the end of cooking any dish. This cooks it lightly but still keeps the flavor. Add it to rice, shakshuka, cooked greens, beans, etc. 

Instead of throwing away the root part, why not plant it in rich soil? It will grow and regrow more green onions for you. 

What about the dark green parts of leeks?

These are very useful and rich in nutrients and flavor. They are very fibrous and not exactly edible, but they are great to add to your stocks. They will add a gentle onion flavor and greatly enrich your stock. 

How about the stems on herbs?

 Use them, but only some specific ones are good to eat. If the stem is soft enough, like cilantro, use it everywhere. It adds a nice little crunch to your guacamole. All other soft and thin stems, such as parsley, dill, or tarragon, are good for stocks. Woodier site

ms, however, such as rosemary and thyme, are good for stocks.

Can you eat mushroom stems?

 Yes, except for shiitake. Shiitake stems are tough and woody. For others, trim the end of the stem and chop it with the rest of the mushroom. I use the shiitake stems for stock. Boil the stems for 40 min, then remove the stems and use the water to make yummy rice or soup.

Can you eat the brown underside of portobellos?

 The portobello’s “gills” are completely edible. However, they can discolor light-colored sauces, so some chefs scrape them off for aesthetic purposes.

Can you eat celery leaves?

 Yes. Chop them and add them to stock, soup, stews, etc. Treat them like any herb. You can also fine-chop them and use them as a green decoration on rice or soups at the end of cooking.

Can you eat unpeeled carrots?

 The skin of carrots is completely edible and packed with vitamins and fiber. However, I recommend scrubbing them with a vegetable brush first. If the carrots are organic, I re

commend eating the skin, too.

Are carrot tops edible?

Of course. Chop them into your salad, or lightly sauté them with other greens. They go well in soups or mixed with cooked beans.

Is it safe to eat beet-greens?

For sure. Use beet greens the same way you would kale or mustard greens. They do give off a bit of reddish color, especially the stem. You may want to cook the stems apart in some water for 20 minutes, then discard the stems and use the water to make pinkish rice.

Can you eat artichoke leaves?

Yes, but not the entire leaf—just the whitish, meaty part at the end. It is easier to eat it if the artichoke is cooked, though I have eaten it raw as well (following my dad). You scrape the meaty part with your teeth and create a neat pile of stacked inedible leaf parts on the side. Some create dips for it, but in Israel, we just ate it as is.

Can you eat squash seeds like pumpkin seeds?

Yes. The next time you make an acorn or butternut squash, save the seeds. Rinse them, dry them, swirl them with some oil, add salt, and roast them. They taste very similar to pumpkin seeds.

Can you eat the peal of the Kiwi? 

Yes, you can eat a kiwi the same way you would an apple. Eat the apples with their peels (ideally organic, or scrubbed), and the same goes for pears.

Can you eat the liquid on top of the yogurt?

Yes, mix it in. It’s simply some whey that has separated from the rest of the yogurt. It’s rich in protein and low in fat. How often do you see those two things together?

Can you eat the seeds of peppers?

 Though the seeds are not the reason for the “hotness” of the pepper – it’s actually the white veins – I would discard them as they contain the “nightshade” part of the pepper. The part that is less good for us in terms of nutrition absorption.

What should I do with all the foodstuff that I am not eating?

Compost! Make it food for the earth. You will grow better food, whether in your garden or your pots on the balcony.

Enjoy your cooking journey and taste the bliss!