I’m a fan of not peeling certain fruits and vegetables because I actually like the taste and texture of the peel and I know that a lot of times, it’s actually the skin of the produce that contains most of the vitamins and nutrients. But there are certain fruits and vegetables that you do want to peel before preparing. If you’re new to cooking or just curious as to what should or shouldn’t be peeled, here’s some good tips, along with easy ways to get that outer layer off without losing a lot of the flesh.

And if you do peel certain veggies or are peeling things like potatoes for a certain recipe, don’t toss those peels. You can actually use them for a homemade vegetable broth which is super cheap, healthy, and easy. I keep all my peels, stalks, and leaves in a freezer bag (after I’ve cleaned them) and once I get about 4 cups worth, make a delicious vegetable broth I can use in future recipes. Not only do I avoid food waste while saving money, I can control the sodium and keep it gluten-free. (Unless commercial broths specifically say gluten-free, they aren’t safe for those with celiac disease, which surprised me since I just assumed they were gluten-free but they can actually have cross-contamination due to how they are prepared.)

HOW TO MAKE AN EASY HOMEMADE VEGETABLE BROTH –

This is so easy! I like to saute about 3 or 4 cloves of minced garlic and chopped onion in olive oil in a large stockpot and then add about 3 or 4 cups of my frozen vegetable peels, stems, and leaves. I then add about 8 cups of water, bring it to a boil, and then lower the heat and simmer for about 45 minutes. Once it has cooled, I strain the broth and voila, vegetable broth using items you typically toss in the trash. If I’m not using the broth that week, I pour the broth in ice-cube trays and once it’s frozen, put the cubes in a freezer bag and use it as I need it. If I have potatoes or carrots I need to use up, I’ll cut a few of those up too and add it to the broth concoction when cooking. And don’t forget to save mushroom stems too, which add so much flavor…

Here are the tips on what to peel and what not to…

http://www.msn.com/en-us/foodanddrink/cookingschool/to-peel-or-not-to-peel/ss-AAcVpsX?ocid=iehp