One popular cookbook author is dead serious about not letting any single piece of food go to waste. That includes lemon seeds that you might mistakenly think you have no need for after you've juiced a lemon.
The scoop
Carleigh Bodrug, a plant-based chef, shared her latest example of zero-waste "Scrappy Cooking" on her Instagram account (@plantyou).
The first move is to stop throwing away lemon seeds. Bodrug explains they can be transformed into a key component of a delicious and healthy jam.
"Lemon seeds actually contain a lot of pectin, which is the perfect thickener for homemade jam," she reveals.
She uses a tea infuser or cheesecloth to gather the seeds. The next move is combining the seeds with your fruit of choice, lemon juice, and maple syrup to simmer on the stove.
Bodrug has her seeds stowed in a tea infuser and uses blueberries, her personal favorite, which she mashes in to form a scrumptious-looking jam. To really top it off, Bodrug mixes it with vegan cream cheese and puts it on a bagel.
How it's helping
Reducing waste and saving money is a winning combination. Despite rising food insecurity in America, some 80 million tons of food, representing around a third of all food, goes to waste annually, per ReFED.
More than half of that comes from residential homes. While lemon seeds are a smaller culprit, they represent an important category in food scraps. Food scraps are easy to just toss in the trash can and send on their way to the landfill.
Still, the impacts of that waste grow once they're out of our homes. Wasted food in landfills can generate methane, a potent gas. Finding ways to repurpose food scraps or compost them helps minimize this trend.
Bodrug's hack also reveals how homeowners can save on store-bought goods if they're willing to work. Quality blueberry jam can get pretty pricey at the grocery store, but if you're willing to be resourceful and put in some time, you can make your own for a fraction of the cost.
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Many of Bodrug's 5 million-plus Instagram followers were big fans of the tip.
"So cool didn't know this!" one reacted.
"I can't explain how much I love these videos!" another wrote. "Looks so delicious."
"Okay I'm totally trying this the next time I make some jam that's so cool!" an inspired viewer wrote.
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