Leftover - Tumblr Posts
Leftovers: They Belong in the Gut not the Gutter
Putting hokey sentiments aside, let us all slam together into harsh reality - wasting food is a nasty privilege for those of us who are lucky enough to have never gone hungry. My friends, let’s bring an end to this needlessness and embrace the unknown. Experiment with your leftovers, cook ‘em up, serve them cold, bake them, fry them, nuke them - what I’m trying to say is, you’ve got options.
While I remain optimistic, I won’t deny it - a wilted salad from Panera Bread is not going to be the best contender for your leftover scenario - let’s add your ‘Famous Guacamole’, that no one seemed to eat, to the list of bad leftover foods too. If you want your use-and-reuse fantasies to come true, you best plan on finishing those perishables, buddy.
Ideal leftover candidates are transformable ingredients that absorb flavor and don’t get too slimy or floppy or just plain icky. The obvious choices are carbohydrate, bean or cheese based entrees - your potatoes, noodles, burritos, rice, enchiladas, wraps, etc.
But you already know that.
If you want to see the other side of leftover potentials, please read on for a puny little list of what some would think of as surprising leftover combinations and dishes.
Spinach. If you see a spinach salad on the menu, go for it - but only if it’s an oil-based dressing (... which, clearly, goes without being said, am I right? Am I right? #MayoTheCumOfCondiments). If you see a large pile of oil smothered greens in your doggy bag, go for it - you are about to have an awesome leftover experience. Spinach is an ideal candidate for eating cold (accompanied with some chilled noodles and other chopped veggies) or hot (add garlic) and then tossed into carbs.
Eggs. Making for surprisingly eggcellent leftovers, eggs can add an extra bite of protein to almost any dish. Although fried eggs aren’t 100% unsalvageable, I recommend using scrambled eggs or an omelet for the following suggestions.
Consider adding leftover eggs to a fried rice dish. Simply sprinkle in leftover eggs, and soy sauce, into the pan after you’ve cooked your rice and veggies to the desired tenderness for a solid experience that’s super duper authentic...
Create a unique breakfast by adding those leftover scrambles on top of a pizza - definitely pepper on extra cheese or veggies, if possible, as most scientists agree that the added moisture can revive the fluff in them ovums.
Vegetables. Slimy and mushy, left over cooked vegetables are a child’s worst nightmare. But you can turn this nightmare into a lovely salted dream with some flavor, heat and fat. Oh yeah baby.
Take whatever you got - I don’t care if it’s carrots, broccoli, eggplant or the previously mentioned spinach, and sauté it. Add those revamped vegetables to some cheese and make yourself a got-damn quesa-dilla. Or heck, slap those veggies on some bread and add sliced cheese and make a grilled cheese sandwich. Or heck, a burrito! Or rice, or quinoa or noodles or ... you feel me.
(You also feel me on how this wasn’t at all redundant if you reflect on, or if you read, the little blurb on spinach.)
Tortillas. Have you ever gone to a Mexican restaurant and ordered the anything-whatever that comes with tortillas on the side? Next time, try taking what is left of those tortillas home and whip up a sensual dessert.
Slather some melted butter on to the tortillas and add whatever you want (obvious choices would be sugar, cinnamon or coarse sea salt). Slice the tortillas like a pizza, you know small wedges, and bake in the oven at about 350 degrees on a baking sheet for a few minutes - untl slightly crispy. If you feel wild and out, sprinkle on slivers of chocolate, slice up some bananas or serve with a side of berries and whip, or chocolate sauce, or caramel dressing or peanut butter! Sugar and fat - you can’t go wrong.
Sauces and Broths. Ever order takeout food, like Thai or Chinese, and sometimes you’re so savagely hungry that you eat all the noodles, tofu or veggies, leaving behind a puddle of sinfully salty soup behind - or is that just me?
Instead of tossing out this flavorful sauce, save it in the refrigerator for up to a couple of days. The next time you sauté or steam up veggies and/or rice, toss this sauce on and take a nostalgic trip back to Southeast Asia.
There you have it - thanks for reading, I hope these little thoughts of mine inspired you.
Love, one Angry Veg.
Italian Breakfast Bread Pudding - Eggs A bread pudding casserole baked with a savory and spicy medley of some breakfast food favorites is ideal for serving a large number of people. Even the leftovers from this hearty dish are delicious.
CranberryGranola Parfaits: A Thanksgiving Leftover Recipe
Soy Braised Chicken This chicken is infused with a spicy ginger sauce. Any sauce that is leftover can be stored in the refrigerator.