

Denise Westman
"To be totally mindful of what I take and what I leave on this Earth."
POINTS TOTAL
- 0 TODAY
- 0 THIS WEEK
- 290 TOTAL
participant impact
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UP TO3.0zero-waste mealsconsumed
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UP TO11pounds of CO2have been saved
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UP TO5.6poundsfood waste prevented
Denise's actions
Planning
Track My Wasted Food
I will track the food that my household of 2 throws out so I can learn what we're wasting and why.
Cooking
Cook Just Enough
I will scale down the recipe of a meal to make just the right amount for my household of 2 so we eat everything up.
Cooking
Make Soup Broth
I will store vegetable scraps or bones in my freezer and use them to make veggie stock or bone broth. I will make 2 batches.
Shopping
Stick to Your Grocery List
I will only purchase the items on my grocery list and avoid impulse purchases.
Planning
Plan a Leftovers Day
I will plan a meal to use up leftovers by creating a tasty smorgasbord or using a recipe that repurposes them.
Cooking
Reimagine Leftovers
I will learn about how to repurpose my leftovers into new meals and then try it.
Cooking
Save the Peels
When life gives me lemons (or other citrus peels), I will use the rinds to make a nontoxic cleaner.
Participant Feed
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Denise Westman 8/28/2025 6:38 PMI made a great quiche today with cut sweet corn, onions, peppers and about to 'die' asparagus. I just love the fresh cut corn in the quiche.-
Jenny Kedward 8/29/2025 9:02 AM -
H McCrillis 8/29/2025 1:49 AM
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Denise Westman 8/25/2025 7:24 PMI always buy six ears of sweet corn for a meal and we usually eat 3-4 of them. Whatever is left over, I cut off the kernels and add peppers, tomatoes, onions or what is in the fridge, saute in garlic olive oil in skillet for the next meal. I actually look forward to it. If there is any leftover, I throw it in a quiche. -
REFLECTION QUESTIONCookingWhich citrus do you have the most of and what kind of cleaning product will you make?
Denise Westman 8/25/2025 7:20 PMIt's mostly lemons and oranges that start to lay around and then I make a drink out of them. I extract the juice, grate the rinds and then add that to ginger water and/or steeped elderberries. This is what I drink in the morning. -
Denise Westman 8/19/2025 7:46 PMI love it! I love thinking and acting on it. I have always hated when something in my fridge gets away from me, but this challenge gives me great pointers. I really appreciate the work that went into this program. -
Denise Westman 8/19/2025 7:11 PMTruly my biggest challenge. I was the oldest of six, so I cooked for eight people and then cooked for two hungry boys... but that was twenty years ago and I still make too much food. Last fall I finally bought a smaller soup pot because I kept filling up my 6qt stock pot!-
Denise Westman 8/20/2025 6:57 AMFor soup? I make chicken, beef and sometimes pork broth and then add what's laying around in my fridge. Those soups I can never duplicate.
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H McCrillis 8/20/2025 1:38 AM
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REFLECTION QUESTIONCookingHow have you modified what you do with leftovers to make sure nothing goes to waste?
Denise Westman 8/15/2025 3:12 PMI grew up on a farm in Iowa the oldest of six children and making a 'good' meal out of leftovers was a way of life. I am VERY fortunate that my husband doesn't blink an eye at a left over meal. I have been implementing many of the things that you are advocating as normal things in my life. It's all very interesting.-
Mary Ann Knox 8/19/2025 9:42 AMSimilar history -- I grew up pretty poor and we often had leftovers: I am a huge fan of leftovers. As it's just me, I think, oh, no planning today, I already have food in fridge I just need to heat and eat!
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Denise Westman 8/09/2025 8:25 PMToday I made chicken broth with the all the chicken carcasses and 'spent' vegetables that I keep in the freezer. I had a head of garlic that needed to be used, so I coarsely chopped it and added it to EVOO. I wanted to use my little potatoes, so I made potato salad by adding various produce I had on hand.-
Emily Pollack 8/10/2025 1:24 PMThis is when I wish I had a personal chef - sounds wonderful. I find meals like this to be so satisfying, good and "useful" !! Way to go :)
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REFLECTION QUESTIONCookingWe often worry about running out of food so we make too much. What thoughts and feelings have come up when you make just the right amount to eat up all the food?
Denise Westman 8/09/2025 7:58 PMI strive to make 'just enough' but it's hard for me.-
Emily Pollack 8/10/2025 1:25 PM
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