Waste not, want not! Delicious ways to make use of all your homegrown veggies

Did you know that growing your own vegetables has major benefits for the environment? Not only is it a sustainable way to feed your family, but it also means less pesticides, reduced transportation costs (of getting you and those groceries to your local store), plus plants naturally clean the air we breathe.

Many home gardeners commonly fill their plots and patios with easy-to-grow produce like tomatoes, cucumbers and green beans, so we've put together a series of recipes for three sustainable, vegan and, of course, tasty dishes to make sure none of your backyard bounty ends up as food waste.

Be sure to also check out our recipes for Oven-dried Tomato Tart With Sesame Pesto and Blackened Green Beans with Lemon and Seasoning Salt...

 

 

Cucumber & Dill Vegan Pasta Salad Recipe

Cucumbers add a clean crunch and come together with dill and capers to make a bright and refreshing pasta salad.

INGREDIENTS

  • 1 pound spiral pasta
  • Olive oil
  • 1 large English cucumber (or 6 mini cucumbers)

DRESSING

  • ⅓ cup vegan mayonnaise
  • 1 cup fresh dill, packed
  • Juice of 1 lemon
  • Heaping tablespoon pickled capers
  • 1 tablespoon caper juice
  • Generous pinch of salt and pepper

PASTA

  1. Bring large pot of salted water to a boil.
  2. Add pasta and cook for the required time.
  3. Once al dente, drain and run under cool water.
  4. Toss with a small amount of olive to avoid sticking and set aside.

CUCUMBER

  1. Grate cucumber onto clean kitchen towel.
  2. Once all cucumber is grated, ring out the excess moisture of the cucumber over a small bowl.
  3. Set both items to aside

DRESSING

  1. In a food processor or blender, add all ingredients and blend until it becomes a well-combined, bright green dressing.
  2. If you need more moisture, add some of the removed cucumber juice to help bring the mixture together.

THE FINAL DISH

  1. Adjust seasoning (if necessary) and add the dressing to the bowl of cooked pasta along with the grated cucumber.
  2. Toss to combine and test seasoning levels again to see if more salt and pepper is needed.
  3. Keep in fridge until ready to serve (up to 24 hours ahead of time).

Serves 6-8