Perfectly good food A totally achievable zero waste approach to home cooking

The Li sisters, who co-own the Boston dumpling company Mei Mei, debut with an indispensable guide to cutting down food waste through simple lifestyle changes and casual recipes. Food-saving strategies, such as setting up an "eat-me-first" box of partially used ingredients and overripe produce at an eye-level spot in the refrigerator, are practical and easily adaptable. The Lis also share detailed advice for storing various types of food in the freezer, be it whole eggs (which should be removed from the shell, lightly beaten with salt, and placed in an airtight container) or cooked rice and oatmeal. The recipes--with names like How-You-Like-It Savory Pancakes, All-the-Fruit Smoothies, and Fish (or Shrimp, or Crab, or any Leftover Seafood) Cakes--encourage readers to create satisfying meals with whatever they have on hand. Instructions for braised tofu with mushrooms and leftover greens, banana ice cream, and "low-key" fruit jam will give readers plenty of inspiration for repurposing leftover produce. Other "use-it-up ideas" include pickling unripe avocados and using overripe and mushy ones in smoothies. The result is an excellent resource for home cooks who want to save both money and the planet. (June)

The Li sisters (Double Awesome Chinese) of Mei Mei restaurant group fame are back with their second book, which joins a growing number of zero-waste cookbooks on the market. What makes this title unique are the base recipes that have a "stone soup" nature and require the home chef to contribute whatever is in the fridge. This title also stands out from the crowd because of the easygoing tone the Li sisters achieve. The reader will feel proud using wilted asparagus instead of guilty for wasting food through poorly planned grocery shopping. A true reference to ingredient organization, the cookbook is filled front-to-back with tips and tricks for storing, freezing, pairing, and reusing to avoid waste. Charming illustrations are dotted throughout and add to the lighthearted tone and straightforward instruction. Perfect for shelves that are new to zero-waste ideas and looking for a guilt-free entry point that provides an abundance of guidance and easy-to-achieve recipes. VERDICT This refreshing guide to zero-waste cooking invites readers to bring what they have to the pot to create unique and flavorful recipes.--Sarah Tansley