[SDGs Week] GO GREEN PROJECT! Transforming Imperfect Potatoes at the Central Kitchen⁉ Serving Potato Dishes to Reduce Food Loss!

Hello! I’m Kurihara, a Smile Keeper. Let me introduce myself briefly.

I love cooking very much. In fact, I previously worked as a nutritionist at nursing homes and nursery schools. Going forward, I want to use my qualifications to bring smiles to our members through delicious food!

This may be sudden, but are you familiar with “SDGs Week”? This year, SDGs Week is being held from Friday, September 16 to Sunday, September 25.

■ What is SDGs Week?

The week that includes September 25 (Global Goals Day), when the SDGs were adopted by the United Nations, is called SDGs Week (globally known as Global Goals Week). During this period, various initiatives are held worldwide to raise awareness of the SDGs and inspire action.

■ The Second “GO GREEN PROJECT” Begins

In last year’s “GO GREEN PROJECT,” we partnered with “bills,” an all-day dining restaurant from Sydney, Australia, to utilize leftover ingredients at the Central Kitchen and serve our members.

▼Read our previous article introducing the “GO GREEN PROJECT” here!
Contributing to Food Loss Issues at the Office! The “SSU NO FOOD LOSS” Project Launches to Utilize Leftover Ingredients

The abundant vegetables sold out in no time!Seeing members contributing to food loss reduction while enjoying conversations brought smiles to my face.

Therefore, to bring smiles to our members who work hard every day, this year we used vegetables from “UTSUNOMIYA BASE,” which was established by a SUNNY SIDE UP member and their friend, to contribute to food loss reduction.

UTSUNOMIYA BASE

What kind of vegetables arrived at the office? Let me introduce them along with recipes developed by a nutritionist!

■ The Chosen Ones Were Potatoes and Eggplants🥔🍆

This time, the vegetables selected from “UTSUNOMIYA BASE” were potatoes and eggplants. These vegetables are, in fact… imperfect produce that cannot be sold. To rescue these vegetables with nowhere to go, the Smile Keepers take action!

■ Do You Know About Imperfect Produce?

Imperfect produce refers to vegetables that have been rejected from distribution standards due to irregular shapes, pale colors, or similar reasons. In addition to vegetables that fall outside standards, the current reality is that vegetables are being discarded for various reasons, including shipment adjustments to stabilize prices and supply. Here are recipes to deliciously enjoy these vegetables with nowhere to go!

■ Introducing a Recipe for “Nikujaga” Using Imperfect Produce!

“Nikujaga Using Imperfect Produce” (serves 3-4)

~Ingredients~

・Sliced pork loin 150g
・Oil 1 tablespoon
・Onion 1
・Carrot 1
・Potatoes (imperfect) 400g
・Eggplants (imperfect) 2

(☆)

・Sake 3 tablespoons
・Granulated dashi 2 teaspoons
・Water 200ml
・Sugar 2 tablespoons
・Mirin 2 tablespoons

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~Instructions~

① Cut the onion into wedges and cut the other vegetables into irregular chunks

② Heat oil in a frying pan and stir-fry the meat

③ Add the vegetables, and once the oil coats everything, mix in ☆

④ Cover with a drop lid and simmer over low heat for 20-30 minutes

⑤ Once the carrots and potatoes are cooked through, it’s complete

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Eggplant in nikujaga⁉ Some of you may be thinking this. When eggplant absorbs oil, its texture becomes smoother, the bitterness is removed, and the umami increases, so be sure to stir-fry it in oil when cooking!

Our members were delighted!! It sold out immediately!

■ In Closing…

How was that? This time, we cooked with imperfect produce to contribute to “SDGs food.”

Contributing to the SDGs is something anyone can easily do. Let’s start taking action little by little from what’s close to us! Going forward, we will continue to transform vegetables that would otherwise be discarded at the Central Kitchen and contribute to food loss reduction. Stay tuned for the next “GO GREEN PROJECT”!

▼For more information about “UTSUNOMIYA BASE” introduced this time, please see here!

■Official Website: https://utsunomiya-base.com/
■Official Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/utsunomiya_base/
■Official Twitter: https://mobile.twitter.com/utsunomiya_base