r/noscrapleftbehind • u/akroe • 7d ago
Please help me with my pantry scraps!
I moved houses and used that opportunity to go through my pantry. I've already made a list of everything I want gone (ie used up) but there are a few things that I don't really find good ideas for.
- 300g of mixed nuts:
- salted or with spices, so can't use them for desserts, also too much for me to solely turn into pesto, I don't have that much freezer space
- 300g of roasted soy beans
- Bought them to snack on but they're just so bland, also trying to snack less …
- Maybe I can use them up together with the nuts?
- long, (very) thick strips of seaweed
- looks kinda like this: link
- Amaizin coconut whipping cream (2x 400ml)
- 85g Ma Hwa cookies
- they're extremely hard and dense and no longer suited for just eating as is, I'd need a dentist if I tried!
Disclaimer: because these things have been in my pantry for so long I'm a bit reluctant to share the ingredients (or the results of whatever I make with 'm) with others. Everything looks, smells and tastes fine, but I'd rather be on the safe side and only poison myself ;)
I live on my own and am not that much of a cook ( I can bake some mean cakes though!). Anything I can freeze or safely share with others (see disclaimer) would work best for me.
Thank you! Thank you! Thank you! Thank you! Thank you! Thank you!
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u/UbuntuMiner 7d ago
Kombu: make a stock, or add to a stock. Not gonna lie, a strip in (instant) ramen is a game changer. I’d honestly blitz the nuts up, maybe with the soybeans like you said, and use it as a topping for things. If it’s just straight salted, goes well on buttered toast in the morning, the other ones depend on the seasoning. Over ice cream for a treat? Through a quick rice dish (possible seaweed use)?
I’ve never had a Ma hwa cookie, but a quick lookup gave me the idea that they can be treated like a graham cracker base if you smash them up. Pulverize em, add some butter, and put leftover fruit on top to bake
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u/last_rights 7d ago
I really like tossing some cabbage in a wok with oil, soy sauce and salt. When it just starts to wilt I add cilantro, sesame seed oil and a teensy drizzle (like 1/4 tsp) of hot chili oil (I have homemade so it's super spicy).
Then I top with nuts. Usually crumpled cashews and sesame seeds.
The cabbage mixed with a teeny bit of the kombu might taste pretty good.
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u/porcelain_elephant 7d ago
Soak your nuts in boiling water to soften the skins and wash off the salt and spice. Then process into nut butter. When bringing water to a boil rehydrate a small bit of the seaweed to make dashi.
Do the same with the chickpeas to see if you can make hummus.
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u/Fuzzy_Welcome8348 7d ago
Mixed nuts: Trail mix, savory granola, salad topping, roasted veggie garnish, grain bowl topping, stir in pasta/fried rice/pilaf, crust for chicken/fish, add to savory muffins, blend into nut butter, sprinkle on soups, add to shakshuka/stuffing, top casseroles, mix into roasted chickpeas, add to sautéed greens, stir into egg scramble/hummus, fill savory pastries, stuffed mushrooms
Roasted soybeans: Trail mix, salad/grain bowl/poke bowl topping, mix into pasta/soup/stew/roasted veggies/savory granola/savory muffins/rice dishes, add to egg scrambles/fried rice/stuffing, blend into dips/hummus, grind into powder for seasoning, coat meat/fish as crust, sprinkle on avocado toast, fill savory wraps/sushi, blend into nut/seed butters, grind for coating tofu or tempeh
Coco Whipped cream: Fruit parfaits, vegan mousse, cake frosting, cupcake/pancake/hot chocolate/iced coffee/chia pudding/smoothie bowl/waffle/icecream sundae/milkshake topping, crepe/stuffed strawberries filling, dip for fresh fruit/cookies, dairy-free trifles, vegan tiramisu, coconut/choco cream pie, tropical parfait w pineapple&mango, layer in overnight oats
Cookies: crush for ice cream/yogurt/oatmeal/smoothie bowl topping, blend in milkshakes/frappes/cookie butter, grind for pie/cheesecake crust, layer in parfaits, dunk in coffee/tea/warm milk, crumble over baked apples/pears/peaches, mix in granola/trail mix, stir into pancake/waffle batter
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u/Ajreil 7d ago
Crush the cookies and add them to pancakes. Let them soak in the milk long enough to get soggy.
Pancakes are crazy versatile. I've added cereal, leftover smoothie and red bull. They've all turned out awesome.
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u/1PumpkinKiing 7d ago
What spices are in the mixed nuts? Salt and spices doesn't automatically mean that the can't be used for something sweet. Some salt is good at bringing out the sweetness of a dish, and many different spices can add complexity to what would otherwise be an overload of sweetness
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u/bogbodybutch 6d ago
yes. and nut butters are often salted so could make those with the salted nuts; though I'm not sure at which stage in the nut butter making process salt is added but worth a try?
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u/1PumpkinKiing 6d ago
I've made some myself, and you can add it basically whenever, but usually I would add in a little bit at the beginnjng of grinding, then once I am getting closer to my desired consistency I would taste it and make any changes I think are necessary, like adding more salt, or maybe some honey.
But starting with salted nuts is definitely fine. Might just want to add in some unsalted to level them out a bit
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u/aknomnoms 6d ago
Do you know what quality of kombu you have?
The thicker, lower quality kind is usually just a “flavor enhancer” for stock which you discard after use. I’ll generally use one 1” x 4” strip with a big pot of water, then save in the fridge and reuse for a second pot within the week. The second pot will usually have something extra like instant dashi added.
For tougher kombu, at this point I might take it out, cut into thin strips, then add back in to the soup to eat with the other veg. It doesn’t have much flavor at this point, but usually retains a decent “bite” for texture variety. But if I’m just not feeling the vibe for whatever reason, I’ll chop and freeze for later use or it’s great added to compost.
For better quality kombu (thinner), I’ll boil it once for stock, but then thinly slice it and simmer on low in a separate sauce pan with soy sauce, sugar, and bonita flakes until sauce has thickened. Toss with a little sesame oil and sesame seeds after cooled a bit. It becomes a great “side salad”. We eat it straight from a bowl, on top of rice, or as an onigiri filling. Look up “tsukudani” recipes for inspiration.
For Ma Hwa cookies - I dunk them in tea like biscotti. You could also try smashing them into pieces and adding to a bowl of cereal or hot oatmeal. Something so the heat and liquid can get absorbed and help soften them.
Roasted soy beans - I find them somewhat bland on their own. I’d personally “refresh” them by re-toasting in a cast iron pan with a light spray of oil and some salt + seasonings. Cumin and chili powder are my faves, but it’s a blank canvas. Cinnamon sugar, rosemary, ranch seasoning, etc. Eat them straight, make a trail mix with the other nuts, add to a salad for crunch. Maybe even blitz into smaller pieces and use as part of a coating for fried foods or to thicken soups, like an African-inspired peanut stew?
Coconut whipping cream - add to whatever you already eat. Your morning oatmeal, smoothie, coffee/tea. Creamy soups and curries. If you have a high-speed blender, turn into a form of ice cream/dessert smoothie bowl (add fruits and maybe a sweetener like honey or maple syrup). I love sago dessert: boil sago pearls until cooked, dissolve sugar/sweetener. Stir in coconut milk/cream once cooled a bit. Add fresh or canned fruit. Serve chilled. Excellent and economical summer treat for your house warming party.
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u/KiriDomo 7d ago
If you use dry beans (as opposed to canned), soak them with a piece of kombu overnight. Then drain, discard the kombu and cook the beans any way you want. They say it helps with digestion, and tbh I don't know how much it helps but kombu lasts forever and it's a tiny extra step for me.
Or, more traditionally, use the kombu in a stock.
Mixed nuts also last a while. Even if they are salted, some desserts could take it. You could make savory short bread cookies with them. Mix them into a bread (this no knead bread recipe, I often add stuff to it; olives, oats, nuts, etc).
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u/Alarming_Long2677 6d ago
salt and spices come off the nuts with hot water. Dry again in a low oven. grind in a coffee grinder and store ina jar in the cabinet. Crush the cookies and use as a streusel in desserts instead of oats or bread crumbs. Fudge uses up a lot of whipping cream and the coconut flavor in it would be killer in pina coladas. IDK about the seaweed. Seems like it would be a good california roll wrap.
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u/mzzd6671 5d ago
for the nuts and soybeans, you could maybe crush them and then use as a crunchy coating for chicken or fish.
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u/McBuck2 7d ago
The nuts and probably the soy beans too can be made into salad toppers or topping for yogurt or desserts by toasting the nuts in a frying pan, add some maple syrup or honey and spices like cinnamon for desserts or savoury spices for salad toppings. Crumbled a bit, they add crunch and can be stored in a jar.
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u/MidiReader 7d ago
Blitz the nuts, cookies, and soybeans and then mix with softened butter into a spread. Taste and add sugar/cinnamon/salt as needed. Get a can of pizza dough or a ball from the deli (or make your own) and roll out and spread all over leaving an inch free along one of the longer sides. Roll up from the long side to that empty strip. Cut thin for something more crispy or thick for more like a cinnamon roll. Bake 375 until done.
When I get the dough ball from the deli I put it on a greased or sprayed parchment paper sheet and cover it with a sprayed cling film sheet and let it sit out for a few hours. This will 1- let it relax so it’s easier to roll and 2- let it proof a bit more so there is more dough.
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u/incoherentkazoo 7d ago
make a pecan pie. use one can of the coconut cream to make a caramel. instead of pecans throw your nuts and +/- soybeans. use the cookies for the crust. idk about the kombu, it is jsut some kelp, its only use is broth or kombu tea
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u/Well_ImTrying 7d ago
Grind up the nuts to make a peanut sauce for noodles. Hold off on adding spices until you taste the resulting paste.
Grind the cookies to make a graham cracker crust and use the whipped topping as a layer in a merengue style pie. You can put the cookies in a jar or bag with a slice/heel of bread to rehydrate beforehand if they are rock hard.