I quit Sugar author Sarah Wilson focuses on leftovers in Simplicious
Author Sarah Wilson has gone back to basics in her latest cookbook. Simplicious celebrates sustainability, scraps and leftovers.
Sarah Wilson is back with a new mission.
The author of the New York Times bestseller I Quit Sugar has turned her attention to food waste.
“Food waste is the biggest environmental issue facing the planet today,” she said.
“We toss out up to 50 per cent of our groceries each week.”
Her latest book I Quit Sugar: Simplicious is a back-to-basics cookbook focusing on food scraps and leftovers.
“I’ve been doing it all my life,” s
he said.
“I keep all the peels, scraps, offcuts, bones and other leftovers in bags or containers ready to turn into stocks, smoothies and prestos.”
Ms Wilson calls her super-thrifty approach to bin-raiding and fridge-emptying a four-step flow, which starts with what you’ve got already.
“You have to start with what you’ve got and build it from there,” she said.
“That’s not just stuff in the fridge, it is gadgets too, two of my most used items are a $50 slow cooker and a stick blender.”
Ms Wilson’s steps include seasonal bulk-buying when produce is cheap, sorting and storing and food preparation, focusing on par-cooking, freezing and preserving.
The flow reconnects by reusing the leftovers, she said.
“Spend an hour at the weekend, preparing and you are sorted for the week,” she said.
“You’ll save time and money too.”
Some of her best meals use a trail of leftovers and those back-of-the-fridge surprises.
Improvisation makes us happy and creative, she said.
“I don’t start and finish with a recipe. It should keep going and going, repurposed into further meals,” she said.
“We cook with what we’ve got, with scraps and leftovers and we become happier and creative.”
Ms Wilson’s first book I Quit Sugar in 2012 started as a blog. With a career spanning 20 years, the former Cosmo editor moved to the northern beaches last year.
“I came here a year ago, I love it up here, it’s really where I want to be,” she said.
Ms Wilson will be talking about her book, leftovers and life at a sellout Bookoccino meet the author talk at Avalon Recreation Centre on February 18.
Twitter: @beverley_hudec
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