How to Reuse Leftovers in 13 Easy Ways

Whether white, brown or wild, rice is one of the most popular grains on the planet. If you find yourself having one or two extra cups, you have different options to use them up.

Here are some ideas:

• Fried Rice
• Arancini (fried rice balls)
• Rice pudding

If extra white or brown rice occupies space in the fridge, consider mixing vegetable fried rice with it. This is a great way to quickly and easily pack colorful vegetables into a plant-based diet.

this For example, delicious fried edamame rice travels from the stove to the table in just 30 minutes.

Did you add Arborio Rice from Risotto? Live a new life as Arancini, known as Italian fried rice balls. Check out this tomato basil version.

If you want to go for a sweet route, end your meal with sweet rice pudding, like this four-ingredient recipe with coconut milk and agave syrup.

Minced meat is the mainstay of mixed dishes such as tacos, casseroles and pasta.

They are often seasoned with original dishes, so trying to reuse these meats as leftovers can face some unique challenges.

Still, not everything is lost! Try one of the following swaps:

hash

Nothing beats a simple hash of breakfast, lunch, and supper.

Toss the seasoned minced meat in a frying pan with vegetables and beans. There is no doubt about sweet potato chunks, black beans and peppers.

Or cook a Mediterranean dish with minced meat, sun-dried tomatoes, kale, and canelini bean hashes.

Mexican food

On the other hand, if you’ve used minced meat in tacos one night, try another spin on Mexican food later in the week. Spicy minced turkey or beef is welcomed by Chilaquiles, Frauta, or Tostada.

It’s not over yet!

Curry — or Sloppy Joe

You can also reuse the ground meat in a curry that is covered or complemented by spices such as cumin, curry powder, and garlic.

Check out these red curry sloppy vine me sandwiches. They are a cross between Sloppy Joe and the classic Vietnamese Sammy.

Chicken has abolished beef as the most cooked meat in American homes.

You may find that you are looking for inspiration for chicken leftovers more than any other ingredient, as it is protein-based in so many diets.

Barbecue chicken is a particularly versatile candidate for top-notch leftovers.

Pizza, wraps, potato skins

This type of chicken extra can be placed on top of a pizza, filled with plastic wrap, or spice up a plate of food like chicken or coleslaw potato skins.

Pasta, quesadillas, sammy

Did you get a compelling chicken with a different taste? Put it in creamy pasta, put it in quesadillas with melted cheese, and make gourmet sandwiches around it.

Due to its short shelf life, the remaining fish are notorious for being difficult to reuse.

Benjamin Franklin’s famous phrase is, “Guests start to smell like fish after three days.”

Still, if you can reuse cooked fish in a short period of time, you’ll be well on your way to a second diet rich in vitamin D and healthy omega 3 fatty acids.

Fish wrap

For starters, almost any fish can act as a wrap stuffing.

For a quick high-fiber lunch packed with antioxidants, wrap the remaining fish in whole wheat tortillas with fresh spinach and kale, sliced ​​vegetables such as peppers and cucumbers, and your favorite light dressing.

Salmon cabob

Or, if you have a tough fish like salmon hanging, make it a kebab night.

Skewer the cooked salmon chunks with olive oil-brushed asparagus, zucchini and squash sautéed slices. Instant dinner!

A complete recipe for salmon and asparagus cabobs is available here.

Hmm … what do you do with some extra vegetables? You might think it’s worth the savings in the first place.

Fortunately, vegetables are one of the most versatile food leftovers.

Easy quiche

Cooked vegetables are the perfect ingredient for a simple quiche. Method is as follows.

material:

• Pie crust purchased at the store
• Leftover cooked vegetables
• Shredded cheese
• 5 eggs
• 2 tablespoons of milk

direction:

1. First, arrange the crusts in the pipe rate.
2. Layer on top of cooked vegetables and sprinkle with cheese.
3. Beat the eggs with milk and pour into the crust.
4. Bake at 400 ° F for 20-25 minutes or until the eggs harden.

Stew or chili

Then, of course, there is a panorama of soups and stews that welcomes leftover vegetables with open arms.Chili peppers This delicious southwestern vegetable noodle soup.

vegetable soup

Even vegetable scraps can be extended in their usefulness with DIY vegetable soups. Try this as a starter. However, feel free to add or remove your favorite vegetables.

What do Buddha Bowl and Casserole have in common other than rhyme? Both are ideal second homes for nutritious grains like quinoa.

Casserole and grain bowl

Check this out Cheesy chicken, broccoli, quinoa casserole, or the idea of ​​these eight healthy grain bowls.

Kinoa putty

Fluffy cooked quinoa can also be transformed into a delicious pate. Try this:

material:

• 1 cup of cooked quinoa
• 3 eggs
• Shredded cheese ½ cup
• ½ cup of bread crumbs
• A pinch of garlic powder
• 2 teaspoons of olive oil

direction:

1. Mix all ingredients in a bowl.
2. Mold into putty.
3. Fry over medium to high heat until brown and crispy.
4. Serve with ketchup, tzatziki, or your favorite dip sauce.

The last few pieces of bread always seem to be badly left on the counter.

If you don’t have enough bread to make French toast, consider another more nutritious breakfast option.

We’re not talking about avocado toast, but it’s certainly not a bad option as it’s rich in healthy fats and fiber.

Sweet and delicious Mediterranean toast

Instead, spread the hummus schmia on toasted bread and then top it with chopped dates. Enjoy a slightly sweet breakfast rich in fiber rich in vitamin B6 and polyphenols.

Garnish with bread crumbs

Alternatively, toast the excess bread, grind it in a food processor, and sprinkle the bread crumbs on spinach salad or macaroni and cheese.

Bread pudding

With this mushroom and gruière bread pudding recipe, you can turn a slightly dry bread into a delicious and cheesy cooking experience. Don’t you have Gruyère? Try this delicious breakfast bread and sausage pudding.

If you like sweet treats, defeat Nutella for this delicious bread pudding crowd-kids will love it too.

Remember if you really have mashed potatoes left (how often can you stop eating this creamy wonder?). It can be more than a side dish of ham or chicken.

Curry samosa

Mashed potatoes are a nice stuffing for samosas.

material:

• 4 cups or more of remaining mashed potatoes
• 1 tablespoon.Olive oil
• One c.Dice-cut onion
• One c.Fresh, canned or frozen peas
• ½ tbsp.Curry powder
• ⅛tsp.salt
• ⅛tsp.pepper
• One pie crust purchased at a 9-inch store

direction:

1. Fry the peas and onions in olive oil with curry powder, salt and pepper until tender.
2. In a large bowl, mix with the remaining mashed potatoes.
3. Spread the pie crust you bought at the store and cut it into triangles.
4. Fill each triangle with part of a mixture of mashed potatoes, seal the ends and bake at 375 ° F for 20-25 minutes.

Ready-made mashed potatoes are also an ideal shortcut for Shepherd’s Pie. Try this vegetable-stuffed version.

Marinara’s lonely quarter jar may not look like a dinnertime inspirational recipe, but that doesn’t mean it’s not used.

If you have little sauce left, think of it as a seasoning rather than a coating for the entire recipe. Most sauces can be easily added as a dip to fritters, dumplings and other bite-sized foods.

• Marinara
• Barbecue sauce
• Alfredo
• Teriyaki
• Crowded
• glaze

Charcuterie

For an elegant (but very simple) way to use up the extra sauces and seasonings, it works as part of the pork board.

For this brief dinner, add pizza to the meat, cheese, and crackers with a small bowl of jam, a small amount of honey mustard, or two spoons of pesto.

One night, I ran out of half of coriander on guacamole … what is it now?

Freeze for later use

Fortunately, many types of herbs, especially stronger herbs such as rosemary, sage, and thyme, can be frozen. Stored in the freezer, it is often useful when making stews, steamed meats and pasta.

Water injection

Still, herbs have more unexpected (and quickly useful) destinations: your water bottle!

Simply put the fresh herbs in a glass or bottle and add them with other seasonings such as sliced ​​citrus fruits and berries for a refreshing drink all day long.

There is even Injection bottles especially for this purpose!

Homemade pesto

Homemade pesto is always an option if you have a lot of fresh herbs left. This basil parsley pesto knocks out two different herbs at once.

Leftover salad is probably not everyone’s favorite food. Greens tend to become muddy in the fridge after just a few hours, especially when dressed. Be sure to use it within 24 hours to put the leftovers of the salad in the trash and save it from fate.

Salad wrap

To reuse last night’s salad (including toppings), wrap everything in a wrap and, if possible, add extra protein or some fresh leaves to trim.

Meatloaf, veggie loaf, or falafel

Or, if you can recover leafy vegetables such as spinach and kale from the rest of the salad, try mixing them together. Meatloaf or Falafel.

No one is wise, even if they are a little wilted.

pasta

Pasta dishes are another way to add nutrients that are rich in slightly faded greens (you don’t have to look crisp and cheerful).

This grilled penne pasta with spinach and feta cheese makes it easy to take in the leftover spinach.

Making a large pot of beans is a classic meal preparation strategy — and reusing the rest of the beans can likewise extend one meal to two (or more).

Tamale or Tostada Cup

If you have refried beans left after Tuesday’s tacos, pack them in tamales, like this simple bean and cheese variety.

You can use it as a topping for nachos, or layer it on a mini tostada cup with melted cheese to make a simple appetizer.

Soup or chili

Did you get a half can of beans waiting for a supper assignment?

Consider adding drained and rinsed beans such as Great Northern, Canerinis, and black beans to green salads and pasta salads, or to soups and chili peppers.

Crispy chickpeas or sammy spread

Even a handful of leftover legumes like chickpeas can be fried in herbs for crispy snacks, sandwiches or Wrap

Although somewhat inferior in reputation, leftovers are a secret weapon to increase grocery budgets and reduce food preparation time.

Diverting the above 12 common foods is a starting point for countless breakfasts, lunches and suppers.

So shake off the leftover mold cast as boring. And before throwing it in the trash, think about how you can throw the leftovers into an additional satisfying meal.

Sara Garone is a nutritionist, freelance writer, and food blogger. Find her realistic nutritional information she shares in A Love Letter to Food or follow her twitter..