One of my biggest pet peeves in life is throwing wholesome food away. I know, most people don’t have that issue but i’m a semi-tightwad and know that when we buy real food, we are going to eat it. So that means we eat a lot of leftovers. But don’t checkout yet. Leftovers don’t have to be something that resembles exactly what you ate the night before. It just means we eat it, and usually it is not in the same way.
Frankly using leftovers makes for a quick second meal that is just as delicious but takes half the time to prepare. So cooking a big meal could be cooking for multiple meals. Now it isn’t sounding so bad is it? Take for instance the Savory Chicken and Green Bean Salad. A delicious and quick first meal (BONUS: It was a freezer meal) plus a tasty second and actually third meal.
I took the leftover veggies and sauteed them in a skillet with some mushrooms and added a couple of eggs to make this scramble. Seasoned with a little salt and pepper, plus the seasonings that were already cooked in the veggies the first time. Literally, minutes to prepare this hash could be eaten at any time throughout the day. Loaded with veggies, nutrients, protein and flavor. Just one delicious way to use leftovers.
Later that day, I took the leftover chicken and added it to sliced avocado, tomato and drizzled it with olive oil and some freshly cracked salt and pepper (sorry no picture). Delicious and even better, I took one meal and made it into three! It makes meal planning so much easier and I tell you, it really is a good budget savvy tip. Don’t throw food away!! Be creative, let your mind run. You won’t always succeed but it is better than just tossing it, or hitting the fast food joint because you “don’t have anything to eat”.
Learn to be a garbage disposal (as my mom calls my husband and I). Yes we clean out her refrigerator because they just aren’t good at this leftover thing. They really are missing out….are you listening mom?!? Leftovers can be delicious. How are you using yours?
- Leftover Savory Chicken and Green Bean Salad
- Two Eggs
- 1 Cup mushrooms, sliced
- Additional Vegetables of your choice
- 1 Tbs Butter
- 1 tsp cracked pepper
- 1 tsp sea salt
- Heat skillet over medium heat and add butter.
- Take leftovers from my Savory Chicken and Green Bean Salad and add to the skillet.
- Add sliced mushrooms and any additional vegetables of your choice.
- Sautee vegetables and leftovers until softened.
- Scramble two eggs.
- Remove vegetables and leftovers from skillet (optional)
- Add eggs to skillet.
- Cook thoroughly.
