Got leftovers? Lots of us don’t want to eat the same meal all over again in the next day or two. What to do? If you don’t think you will eat it within a couple days, put it in the freezer, by all means.
Here’s another way to practice zero waste cooking: reinvent leftovers. Using some meat from a previous dinner, we had this refreshing lunch of lamb sandwiches alongside hummus, which Michael declared was better than the last lamb sandwich he had at our favorite Greek restaurant. (Translation: no surprising, unwanted bites of fat.) High praise from a guy who many years ago remarked that he would rather go to the aforementioned restaurant after I had made something similar! Why do I remember these random events, but he never does? It’s okay, Honey, I’m listening!
It’s easy enough to make your own hummus, as long as you don’t insist on peeling all the garbanzos…Yes, my perfectionistic friends, you know who you are. If you prefer the smoother consistency, that’s fantastic! You can make it for me when we see each other next rather than the other way around.
Making the most of the leftover meat, I mixed it with romaine, tomatoes and cilantro. A crushed clove of garlic mixed with a little plain yogurt made a quick, healthy salad dressing. If I had cucumbers, I would have put those in there too. You could do something similar with cabbage if you were out of lettuce. Celery is also great for dipping in hummus. I had the bread in the freezer, which is where I usually put it as soon as I buy it. Crackers would work instead. Olives should ALWAYS be in the pantry, as far as I’m concerned. Don’t you agree?
For more on reinventing leftovers and zero waste cooking, please read Use Your Head, Plan Ahead next.
Peeling garbanzo beans? Oh my😆. Love your writing. I do agree! Com 😊
Thanks! If you want to try peeling, you take a handful of beans and rub them with your fingers. I did this exactly once as a labor of love for those who cared.
Love your blog. And I agree, olives are essential to keep in the pantry! My shortcut for busy nights is canned garbanzo beans. My boys and I love hummus, so after a quick rinse, I can whip up a new batch with different flavors at a moment’s notice after work. We always have pita bread in the freezer too.
Thank you! Love shortcuts!
Yogurt and garlic, sounds good!
I enjoyed your approach to improvising in the kitchen, as always.
Always learn something new 👌
Btw, what brand of pita do you prefer?
I’m not satisfied with the selections available here in Virginia.
Thanks, Shannon. I wouldn’t say I am loyal to any particular brand. I usually buy whole wheat if I can find it. Do you have any ethnic markets? I sometimes buy pita or flatbread from a local Persian market. Indian naan works too.