Recipe
6 Recipes You Can Make Using “Expired” Food
Here at Spoon IU, we hosted a food waste cooking demonstration to learn how to make easy recipes when you have no idea what to do with the questionable edibles hanging around your kitchen. That old yogurt in the back of your fridge? Those stale chips in your pantry? Those brown bananas on your counter? Prime examples.
These recipes feature expired Greek yogurt, spotty vegetables, stale tortilla chips, expired tofu, and brown bananas found in the dumpster. But please don’t worry — they won’t kill you. You won’t even be able to tell the difference.
FYI: These recipes aren’t typical because they’re so adaptable. No measurements needed here, just throw in whatever you have. Be spontaneous and get crazy. No more food waste for you.
Fruit Smoothie
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 0 minutes
- Total Time: 5 minutes
- Servings: 1
- Easy
Ingredients
- 1/4 cup tofu
- 1/4 cup raspberries
- 1 pear
- 1/2 cup yogurt
- 1/2 cup coconut water
- 2-3 tablespoon banana jam
Photo by Natsuko Mazany
Step 1
Cut pear into large chunks, cutting off any parts that look bad.
Photo by Natsuko Mazany
Step 2
Put pear, raspberries, tofu, and yogurt into blender.
Photo by Grace Hwang
Step 3
Spoon in yogurt and add coconut water. Feel free to add more or less depending on how thick you prefer your smoothies.
Step 4
Blend mixture until smooth.
#SpoonTip: Most smoothie recipes call for silken tofu, but feel free to use whatever is on hand. And be sure to tweak the recipe to your personal fruit preferences — do whatever works best for you.
Labneh Dip
- Prep Time: 24 hours
- Cook Time: 2 minutes
- Total Time: 24 hours 2 minutes
- Servings: As many as you please
- Easy
Ingredients
- Non-flavored Greek yogurt
- Any seasonings available - we used oregano
- Olive oil
- Crackers
Photo by Natsuko Mazany
Step 1
Suspend any amount of non-flavored Greek yogurt in a cheese cloth over a mason jar in the refrigerator. Wait at least 24 hours.
#SpoonTip: The longer you let it sit, the creamier the cheese will become.
Photo by Natsuko Mazany
Step 2
Spoon out homemade cheese and mix with spices.
Step 3
Drizzle olive oil and serve with a side of crackers. Enjoy!
#SpoonTip: Replace the spices and olive oil with fresh fruit and honey if you’re in the mood for something sweet.
Cucumber Salad
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 0 minutes
- Total Time: 5 minutes
- Servings: 2-3
- Easy
Ingredients
- 1 cucumber
- 3 pinch salt
- 2 pinch pepper
- 2-3 tablespoon dill (fresh or dried)
- 2 teaspoon garlic
- 1/2 cup plain greek yogurt
Photo by Natsuko Mazany
Step 1
Dice cucumber into medium-sized chunks.
Photo by Grace Hwang
Step 2
In a bowl, mix the greek yogurt, salt, pepper, dill, and garlic until fully combined.
Photo by Grace Hwang
Step 3
Add cucumber to yogurt mixture and serve immediately.
#SpoonTip: The salt in this dish makes the cucumber sweat, so if you’re taking this to a party be sure to transport the sauce in a separate container so the salad doesn’t become watery.
Vegetable Frittata
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Total Time: 25 minutes
- Servings: 6
- Medium
Ingredients
- 6 large eggs
- Stale tortilla chips, crushed
- Garlic, minced
- Green onions, finely chopped
- Bell peppers, diced
- Tomatoes, diced
- Zucchini, diced
- Cauliflower, chopped
- Pimento cheese
- Fresh cilantro (stems and leaves), finely chopped
Photo by Natsuko Mazany
Step 1
Beat eggs in a large bowl. Add crushed tortilla chips and let them soak.
Photo by Grace Hwang
Step 2
Heat olive oil in a sauté pan over medium heat. Add garlic and green onions. Sauté, stirring occasionally, until soft and fragrant.
Step 3
Add in peppers, tomatoes, zucchini, and cauliflower.
#SpoonTip: If you have some older vegetables in the fridge that look a little sketchy, be sure to cut into them before throwing them out — the skin can be deceiving. If your veggies still look and smell fresh on the inside, cut off the brown spots and use them.
Step 4
Pour the egg mixture into the pan and stir, making sure the vegetables are incorporated evenly. Rotate pan and stir until the eggs are no longer runny. Cook until eggs have set up.
Step 5
Remove pan from heat. Dollop pimento cheese over the top and sprinkle with cilantro stems.
#SpoonTip: Feel free to use the pimento cheese you stashed away after your last potluck (or from when you had a random craving).
Step 6
Set oven to broiler setting. Put pan inside until the cheese gets slightly golden.
#SpoonTip: The broiler works fast, so keep an eye on it to avoid burning.
Step 7
Remove from broiler and carefully slide onto a plate. Garnish with cilantro leaves. Slice, enjoy, and save the leftovers for tomorrow.
Tofu Scramble
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Total Time: 20 minutes
- Servings: 4 servings
- Easy
Ingredients
- Tofu
- Tomatoes
- Red peppers
- Cauliflower
- Zucchini
- Cilantro stems
- Cumin, coriander
- Salt
- Pepper
- Salsa
Photo by Natsuko Mazany
Step 1
Chop tofu and vegetables.
Step 2
Sauté peppers, tomatoes and cauliflower until cauliflower is slightly soft.
Step 3
Add zucchini, spices, salt, pepper and cilantro stems.
Step 4
Last, add tofu and mix evenly with sautéed vegetables. Enjoy!
Banana Jam
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Total Time: 25 minutes
- Servings: However much your heart desires
- Easy
Ingredients
- Overripe bananas, mashed
- Sugar
- Lemon juice
- Fresh vanilla bean (or pure vanilla extract)
- Ground cinnamon
Photo by Natsuko Mazany
Step 1
Combine mashed bananas, sugar, and lemon juice in a medium saucepan over medium to medium-high heat. Bring to a boil and continue to boil, stirring occasionally, until thickened (about 15-20 minutes).
Step 2
Once banana mixture has thickened, reduce heat to low. Add vanilla and cinnamon, to taste.
Step 3
Remove from heat and let cool before storing in glass jars. Keep in the fridge.
#SpoonTip: Our favorite way to eat this is to spread it on top of toast with peanut butter. It’s seriously addictive. You’re welcome.
For even more ways to be resourceful in the kitchen, check these out: