How to cook, freeze or pickle plant scraps instead of throwing them away
[October 15, 2025]
By JESSICA DAMIANO
My beets were slow to grow this year, so I bought a bunch at the
farmers’ market. I was taken aback when the seller chopped off the
vegetable’s foliage and attempted to discard it after handing me a sad
sack of leafless roots.
“Wait! I’ll take those, please,” I blurted, catching him just before
they hit the trash bin, and explaining that they’re edible. He knew, of
course, but said that most customers don’t want them.
There are a lot of tasty and nutritious uses for secondary plant parts
that would otherwise be discarded or, at best, added to compost. Waste
not, want not!
A zipper bag of ‘scraps’
When I roast beets – homegrown or otherwise – I sauté their greens with
olive oil, salt, pepper and garlic for a tasty and nutritious second
side dish from the same plant.
Likewise, I have a gallon-size, zipper-top “scraps” bag in the freezer
to which I add (washed) carrot nubs and peels, onion skins, celery
leaves and parsley stems. When the bag is full, I empty its contents
into a stockpot with chicken and water, simmer it for a couple of hours,
and then strain it for a flavorful and nutrient-rich soup base or broth.
Young zucchini leaves are also edible. It’s OK to take a few from each
plant (cut stems at their base), but take care not to remove too many,
as they’re needed to produce energy for the growing crop. Scrape each
leaf’s surface with a sharp knife to remove any bristles, then rinse,
slice and sauté with the peeled, chopped stems. Mature leaves are too
thick and prickly for this treatment, but can be used to flavor soups
and stews, then removed before serving.
You can also stuff the zucchini leaves with rice and Mediterranean
seasonings in place of grape leaves. Go ahead and add chopped meat, too,
if you like.
Figs, flowers and watermelon
Fig leaves make a delicious tea-like beverage. Harvest them at the end
of the season, just before they turn yellow. Rinse, pat dry, then place
them in a food dehydrator, air fryer or oven set to 200 degrees
Fahrenheit for several hours, until crispy. Crumble them up, then store
them in a glass jar.
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This Oct. 8, 2025, image provided by Jessica Damiano shows hot water
being poured over dried fig leaves to make a tasty and nutritious
tea-like beverage on Long Island, N.Y. (Jessica Damiano via AP)
 Steep a heaping tablespoon in
boiling water for 10 minutes, then strain. You’ll swear you’re
drinking a sweetened coconut-vanilla infusion.
And if you’re growing untreated, chemical-free nasturtiums, pansies,
violets, roses or borage, elevate your beverages with floral ice
cubes! Add a single flower to each compartment of an ice cube tray
and fill with water before freezing.
You can also garnish salads with these edible flowers (nasturtiums
have a peppery bite; borage is reminiscent of cucumber) or use them
to decorate desserts.
And don’t toss those watermelon rinds. They can be pickled. Slice
them up, then boil for 5 minutes, drain and set aside. When they’ve
cooled, add them to a jar with a boiled (but cooled) solution of
water, cider or white vinegar, kosher salt, sugar and allspice (or
pickling spices for a savory snack). They’ll be ready to enjoy in a
couple of hours and will keep in the refrigerator for a couple of
weeks.
___
Jessica Damiano writes weekly gardening columns for the AP and
publishes the award-winning Weekly Dirt Newsletter. You can sign up
here for weekly gardening tips and advice.
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