No doubt you’ve heard of nose-to-tail cooking, where every part of an animal is utilized—especially in restaurants that source and butcher niche meats like heritage pork and naturally raised lamb in-house. Now, in the era of growing interest in meatless meal options and produce-forward menu concepts, it’s time to meet root-to-shoot, where as much of the plant as possible is used to make saleable recipes.Also sometimes called “steam-to-leaf,” the trend goes hand-in-hand with the well-publicized efforts of many high-profile chefs to call attention to this country’s food-waste problem with meals and menu items that utilize trim, scrap and other byproducts that would normally be tossed out.Apart from the obvious tactic of using peels, woody stalks and other trim in stock-making, here are some additional ideas:

1. Frilly carrot tops make a flavorful pesto variation, particular delicious on roasted carrots—so much the better if they’re multi-colored heirlooms
2. Use the root-trim from fennel bulbs as a base for roasting chicken or fish, and the fronds as a dill-like garnish
3. Cauliflower leaves can be oven-dried to create a chip or cracker, or grilled for a warm salad or side dish
4. Puree broccoli stalks into a filling for pasta or lasagna, pressing through a tamis or food mill if necessary to remove fibers
5. Take advantage of celery’s fresh, vegetal flavor by using the leaves in salad, or instead of parsley as a garnish
6. Puree the cooked pods of peas or favas to create an infused oil or the base for a mayo-like condiment
7. Save peels and trim from fresh ginger to make a broth for adding to juices, steaming vegetables or fish, or as a base for an Asian-style soup or noodles
8. Dehydrate and grind tomato skins, scallion or leek greens, or mushroom trimmings to create a flavor powder for seasoning/crusting foods or garnishing plates
9. Flavored butters represent a savvy utilization of leftover prep, such as chopped shallots, herbs, citrus zest or confit garlic, as well as cheeses, nuts, breadcrumbs and other flavor- and texture-boosters
10. Use the outer leaves of cabbage and lettuces that are too tough for salads in stir-fries
11. Seek out “seconds” from farms and purveyors, like bruised fruits or imperfect tomatoes, which can be cored and trimmed to make sauce, jams, “leather” and more
12. Repurpose oversize beets in veggie burgers or relish
13. Turn the butts of sturdy, cruciferous vegetables like cabbage or cauliflower into pickles
14. Infuse citrus peels in syrups and bitters for the bar
15. Overripe or too-soft berries are perfect for housemade sodas or the vinegar-based refreshers known as shrubs