Sometimes, we might have some left over herbs or vegetables that we find wilting in our fridges. One of the best strategies to get some more life from them is to convert them to a sauce or marinade. By combining the herbs, veggies with some oil, yogurt, and other seasonings (such as onion, garlic, salt, pepper, etc.) into a blender, you can create various sauces to be used as veggie dips or spreads on sandwiches. You can also use these sauces as a marinade for proteins of your choice.

Wilted Herbs and Veggies Yogurt Sauce

INGREDIENTS

• Roughly 1 cup wilted herbs and veggies (such as leeks, cucumber, spinach, etc.)
• 1 cup plain yogurt
• Up to 1/2 cup olive oil (depending on the consistency you are looking for)
• Aromatics and seasonings of your choice: minced fresh garlic, minced onion, paprika, etc.
• Salt and pepper to taste

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Check your fridge for any wilting herbs and veggies, or save the left over edible pieces while you are cooking something else.
2. Dice up your larger vegetables into smaller chunks.
3. Add your wilted herbs, cut up vegetables, 1 cup of yogurt, a couple of tablespoons of olive oil, and seasonings of your choice (garlic, onion, paprika, and more) to a blender or food processor.
4. Blend until large chunks of vegetables are finely broken down and ingredients are thoroughly mixed.
5. Add any salt and pepper at the end to taste.
6. Enjoy your sauce! You can use it as a spread, dip, or a marinade.

Maximize Your Food

Take your wilted herbs and veggies and blend them up with other seasonings with a sauce base like yogurt or oil to get more life out of leftovers!

About Katie Jackson, Registered Dietitian

I grew up in Wisconsin and got my BS in Nutrition from the University of Wisconsin -Madison (Go Badgers) and my Masters in Dietetics from Mount Mary College in Milwaukee Wi which is where I lived prior to moving to the Bay in 2014. I started my career at the Department of Veterans Affairs as a Clinical Dietitian working with patients with spinal cord injuries, geriatric and post-surgical patients. During that time I was also active in the Wisconsin Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics serving as the Public Policy Coordinator. In this role, I had the chance to travel to Washington DC to speak with my elected representatives about the importance of funding programs like SNAP and SNAP-Ed.

In 2014 I moved to the Bay and started working for Kaiser Permanent as a supervisor for clinical and food services. Shortly after I moved into my most previous role of Director of Food and Nutrition at Zuckerberg San Francisco General Hospital where I focused on improving the quality of food served to patients as well as creating a department culture of employee engagement.   Throughout my career,  I’ve always gravitated to roles in which I was able to a to serve underserved or marginalized communities. 

More recipes, cooking tips, and videos from Project Open Hand to help reduce wasted food:

• Yogurt Salad Dressing
• Avocado Freezer Pops
• Kale Chips
• Banana Bread
• Zucchini Chips
• Fruit Peel Tea
• Zero Waste Applesauce
• Savory Peanut Sauce

Project Open Hand is a Chef Partner of the Stop Food Waste campaign. Since 1985, Bay Area nonprofit Project Open Hand has provided meals with love to older adults, adults living with disabilities, and people living with complex, chronic health conditions. Learn more at www.openhand.org