15 food scraps everyone throws out — but are actually super useful

It's human nature- by the time a recipe is finished, we can't wait to toss the leftover mess into the garbage.

Things like pumpkin guts, coffee grounds, and pickle juice are usually throwaways , as a result.

But coffee grounds can actually be used to fertilize plants and carrot tops can add flavour to tons of different  recipes. Even though they seems " gross", there are ways in which we can use our scraps for good- and ways in which we can recycle them to create even more great meals.

1) Chop up those leafy green carrot tops to add flavour to many recipes. We often forget about vegetable stems- but they're actually filled with valuable nutrients and flavour.

The same is true for carrot tops. Making the most of your carrot is as simple as chopping the leafy part into fine pieces, which you can then add to a bunch of recipes- rice pilaf/ pulao, pesto sauce, salad etc for added flavour.

2) Cook your peeled potato skins and turn them into chips
It's not required to peel the skins of potatoes- in fact, they're included in a lot of great recipes.
But if you're making something like mashed potatoes, you're going to have a lot of leftover peels, which you can roast to make delicious chips, and season with your favourite spices.

3) Use unwanted bread ends to make croutons.
The ends of a loaf of bread are the parts people typically toss into the garbage.
But if you save and freeze them, you can make croutons or breadcrumbs. When you're ready to cook them, just let them thaw a bit- then, after they're out of the oven, season them however you want.

4) Orange peels can be made into a vinegar-based cleaner.
Citrus fruits have a naturally crisp smell- and this can be put to amazing use when cleaning your home.

After you're done peeling an orange, throw the skin into a jar of vinegar. If you let it sit for about a week, you'll have a great vinegar-based cleaner without that terrible vinegar smell.

You can dilute the mixture with water to clean your floors, or put it into a spray bottle to make an all-purpose cleaner. Swap it with vinegar in a cooking recipe, too, for a sweeter taste.

5) Toss leftover coffee grounds into the soil of your plants- they make a great fertilizer.
Caffeine is how many humans survive. But plants can benefit from coffee, too- their soil gets a boost in nitrogen from coffee grounds.
It's as easy as placing the grounds right into the soil of any plotted plant. Doing so adds organic material to the soil, which improves water retention, drainage and airflow.
The coffee grounds will also attract earthworms and other microorganisms, and these little guys are beneficial to growth.

6) Steam leftover beets greens and eat them on their own.
Like other vegetable stems, beet greens are good for you and able to be incorporated into the recipes, like salad and pasta.
But they're also good enough to eat on their own- steamed with a little butter, salt, pepper powder, they make a great side dish to any main course.

7) There are few things you can do with your leftover pumpkin this Halloween.
After you're done carving a face into your pumpkin this fall, don't throw away any leftovers.
Pumpkin guts can be blended into a yummy puree- which in turn, can be used for pumpkin pies, bagels, pancakes, oatmeal, soup etc.
You can also bake the seeds in the oven to make a healthy snack.

8) The seeds from some of your favourite fruits and vegetables can be used to grow your own.
Many of your favourite fruits and vegetables can be grown in your own backyard- so the next time you're chopping be sure to check  before you throw away your seeds.
Pits of plums, peaches and avocados can be planted . You can also grow from lemon seeds and surprisingly- the tops of pineapple, though they might take a while to rear a full fruit.

9) A lot of fruit peels can be used to make flavoured  water.
Skip the Vitamin water- make your own healthy infusion at home with leftover fruit and vegetable peels.
If you've a hankering for some refreshing cucumber or lemon drink ( or any kind of fruit, really) just drop the peels into a bottle of plain water. The longer it sits, the stronger the flavour will be.

10) Mushy brown bananas can be used to make banana bread and other baked goods.
No one likes overly ripe, overly sweet bananas, but they make excellent baked goods. Mash them before mixing them into batter for recipes like banana bread.

11) The tough outer greens from kale can be ground into a healthy powder- and you can add it to your shakes.
Kale, though nutritious, is not always delicious- but you can use the tough bits of it in other recipes.
Dehydrate the leaves you don't want and grind them into a powder. You can add a dash of that to your protein shake in the morning- or whenever you want a little boost of nutrients.

12) Down to the last pickle in the jar? Don't pour the juice out- pickle other vegetables with it.
If you're not one of those people who likes to drink the pickle juice, or add it to cocktails, save it and use it to become a pickling master.
You can throw canned green beans into the leftover brine or even onions, artichokes and cucumbers for more pickles.

13) Old wine can be used for cooking months after being opened.
When your bottle of wine gets a little too foul-smelling to drink, you can still use it to cook.
Recipes that call for wine reductions or braised for instance, can be great ways to use every last but of the bottle- and add that delicious wine flavour to the dish.
Just make sure you cook it, unless you're doing DIY vinegar or marinating fruit.

14) Banana peels can be used to shine on shoes and tenderize meat.
Bananas really are the wonder fruit- in addition to being a great source of potassium, their peels are extremely versatile.
Are your leather shoes looking dull? Simply rub the inside of a banana peel onto your shoe, and it'll be shiny in no time. You can also place a ripe banana peel on the bottom of a roasting pan to moisten whatever meat you're cooking.

15) The options for leftover tea bags are endless.
In addition to recycling tea bags to make more tea, you can use them as DIY deodorizers for your home and carpets, as fertilizer for plants or as hand and foot scrubs.

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