What do you know about bananas?Food for Soul
Bananas are some of the worst food waste culprits but their peels are a great fertilizer because of the phosphorus and potassium they contain, they are a great natural remedy for relieving inflammation, restoring dry damaged hair and even whitening teeth. And they can be absolutely delicious if cooked properly!
Why there are no excusesFood for Soul
“One third of the food produced globally is wasted every year while almost one billion people are undernourished. This is why we think it’s time to change the way we see food and restore the inner value of every ingredient, person, relation. Everyone can do something by looking with different eyes a brown banana, using its natural potential and a bit of imagination, just as we did at Refettorio Gastromotiva in Rio de Janeiro.” Massimo Bottura
Ravioli with sweet banana peel filling by Rodrigo SarinhaFood for Soul
Bananas are a very common ingredient in Brazil and also one of the most wasted. Refettorio Gastromotiva is used to receiving large quantities of overripe bananas and over the years they have developed dozens of creative recipes to repurpose every part of them; even their peels.
"Food right now is a call to act"Food for Soul
Carbonara with banana peels prepared at Refettorio Gastromotiva in 2016.
What you could do at homeFood for Soul
Wrapping a little film around the stalk will prevent the premature ripening of the fruit. Storing bananas separately from each other and not in a single helmet can prolong their life too.
It starts from home.
“We can all be part of the solution of reducing food waste by looking at the ingredients with different eyes, looking at the potential of every product even beyond its not so appealing appearance. The challenge is to think about, for example, a fruit beyond their bruise: they can still be tasty and nutritious if used in a way that enhances the qualities that they still have. Their exceptional taste is the most delicious - the most natural sweetener you could ever find. So, my advice is to buy seasonally, buy more frequently, and find creative ways to use what you have rather than always go out to buy more food.” - Massimo Bottura.
Tips in the kitchen
To keep the salad always crisp and fresh, transfer the leaves to a bowl or container. Put a couple of sheets of kitchen paper on top of it and wrap the bowl tightly to exclude all possible air. This will prevent moisture from settling on the leaves, helping them to stay cool and fresh.This is one of the “Tips in the kitchen” that Food for Soul developed with Grundig Respect Food. Follow these small steps to extend the life of your fruit or vegetables because, now more than ever, a better future starts from home.
Tips in the kitchen - how to store strawberriesFood for Soul
Strawberries
For storing strawberries longer prepare a solution with 10 parts of water and 1 of white vinegar - it will eliminate bacteria and the fruit will last about 2 weeks.
Being resourceful in the kitchen by working with what you have on hand is a skill and it takes practice.
Tips in the kitchen - how to keep tomatoes longerFood for Soul
Tomatoes
To keep tomatoes longer, there are small tricks to take. Clean the stalk from the longest twigs and leaves, then place the cleaned tomato upside down on a flat surface (for example, on a flat tray, inside the refrigerator).
Tips in the kitchen - how to store onionsFood for Soul
Onions
In the pantry, keep them away from potatoes. The gases produced by onions sprout potatoes faster. It is better to combine them in the cooking phase, for example inside an omelette.
Tips in the kitchen - how to store eggsFood for Soul
Eggs
The ideal temperature for storing eggs in the refrigerator is 4-5°C, then place them on the highest shelf of the refrigerator to keep them cooler. Leave them in the purchase container away from other foods to avoid the risk of contamination and bacteria.
Choose One Less Meat Dish Per Week
The BCFN Foundation’s Sustainable Menu and the Vegetarian menu both have a lower environmental impact compared to the meat-based menu. In practice, if over the course of a year a person avoids eating meat two days a week, they would save 310kg of CO2 per year. And if all Italians stopped eating meat for one day a week, we would achieve an overall saving of 198,000 tonnes of CO2, equivalent to the annual electricity consumption of almost 105,000 families or 1.5 billion kilometres of car journeys. In short, one less meat dish a week would be as beneficial as 3.5 million fewer cars on the road for one year.
Let’s make an example: mushroomsFood for Soul
Mushrooms
There are more than 2,000 edible varieties of mushrooms. Cultivated for centuries for their taste and nutritional value, mushrooms are rich in B vitamins and vitamin D as well as protein and fibre. Mushrooms can also grow where many other foods would not, including on by-products recycled from other crops. They are not considered plants as they do not photosynthesise; they are classified as fungi. Their texture and umami flavour make them a tasty addition and a suitable substitute for meat.
Increase your consumption of vegetables, especially leafy greens.Food for Soul
Leafy greens
These are arguably the most versatile and nutritious of all types of vegetables. They are grown as part of other vegetables, such as beets and pumpkins, and as the leaves themselves. They contain dietary fibre, lots of vitamins and minerals, are low in calories, and have been associated with various health benefits. Leafy greens are typically fast-growing and, eaten cooked or raw, are part of a wide variety of dishes all over the world.
Vitamins and minerals from root vegetablesFood for Soul
Root vegetables
Root vegetables are the crisp and colourful underground parts of plants that are eaten as vegetables. They often have leafy tops that grow above the ground that should also be eaten to optimise the amount of food these nutritious plants can provide. Root vegetables contain a wide variety of vitamins and minerals and are hardy, cool season crops. Once harvested, they survive for a relatively long time compared with other vegetables.
Tubers and their many propertiesFood for Soul
Tubers
Tubers grow downward, anchoring the plant into the ground, where they absorb and store valuable nutrients for use during the winter or drier months. Typically high in carbohydrates, they are a valuable source of energy. They can be eaten in a huge variety of ways, including boiled, baked, or as a sweetened pudding. White potatoes are the most common type of tuber. Growing and eating the less common types of tubers makes our food system more resilient while, in most circumstances, providing more nutrients.
Why composting at home
Compost is organic material that can be added to soil to help plants grow. Food scraps and yard waste together currently make up more than 28 percent of what we throw away, and should be composted instead. Making compost keeps these materials out of landfills where they take up space and release methane, a potent greenhouse gas.
Kitchen QuarantineFood for Soul
Kitchen Quarantine
“Kitchen Quarantine is not meant to be a cooking class but a funny way to interact with families all over the world, cook together, share ideas, enjoy each other’s company and teach people good practices in the kitchen such as cleaning out the refrigerator to limit food waste, use the leftovers from the night before to cook something new and eat a variety of foods. This show is all about sharing and bringing joy into the home kitchen.” - Massimo Bottura
Kitchen Quarantine - Thai CurryFood for Soul
The first episode of the Kitchen Quarantine series was shot during day 5 of Quarantine in Italy. In this video Massimo, Lara, Alexa and Charlie recreated a Thai Curry with local ingredients from them home kitchen in Modena, Italy.
Kitchen Quarantine - Bollito SaladFood for Soul
Day 6 of quarantine in Modena. Massimo created a Bollito Salad for an unexpected Saturday night at home.
Kitchen Quarantine - TortelliniFood for Soul
For the first Sunday night of Quarantine the Bottura family decided to cook tortellini, with the leftover bollito from the night before.
Kitchen Quarantine - Mac&CheeseFood for Soul
A night dedicated to New York City with a delicious Mac&Cheese.
Kitchen Quarantine - This little piggy went to the marketFood for Soul
“After an amazing leftover dinner, we decided to go to the town-market, il "Mercato Albinelli", and start fresh. Whilst shopping, we connected with our dear friend Sheila Marikar - an incredible writer based in Los Angeles - to whom we dedicated this episode!”
Kitchen Quarantine - Let’s burn the house down!Food for Soul
“This episode contains a lot more vegetables than meat! We thought it would be fun to try and smoke some vegetables at home - Alexa and Lara were a bit worried about the fire alarm, so be careful about trying this at home!”
Kitchen Quarantine - Japanese Style soupFood for Soul
“We decided to travel around the world to Japan - the birth country of one of my sous chefs Takahiko Kondo. We created a Japanese inspired soup.”
Kitchen Quarantine - Leftovers, grilled cheese and sautéed spinachFood for Soul
25 years of Osteria Francescana - this was the anniversary of our opening back in 1995. For this special occasion, we dedicated this night to Leftovers and memories! We slowly realized how many small things were left from our previous KQ episodes and decided to clean the fridge and make something new. Leftovers should not just be heated up - they have the potential of becoming something completely new and delicious!”
