REHEAT. REUSE. REPURPOSE.
A Thanksgiving plan is in place—you’ve organized your menu, and know who’s bringing the sweet potatoes. But what are you going to do with all those leftovers?! Even after you have your fill of cranberry sauce and Brussels sprouts on Thursday, there is likely going to be food that goes uneaten.
Which leads us to the final episode of #NoFoodWaste November: love your leftovers, and the freezer is your friend. The final two of Foodstand’s Top 5 Tips to cut food waste are perhaps the easiest. If you aren’t going to put it in your mouth, package it up to save for another time—either in your fridge to eat later or repurpose, or in your freezer for longer term storage. Armed with good storage containers (glass is best) and plenty of room in your fridge and freezer after celebrating National Clean Out Your Fridge Day, you are ready to become a leftover food storage pro.
Leftovers are always delicious as is—simply reheat in pans on the stove, or arrange your dinner in baking dishes to warm in the oven while you enjoy some quality family time. But if you feel like something a little different, you can repurpose your side dishes in a variety of ways!
- Turn leftovers into a delicious pasta with a box of penne from the pantry. Quickly sauté Brussels sprouts and cubed butternut squash in olive oil on the stove with a splash of balsamic vinegar and a sprinkling of red pepper flakes. Toss your vegetables with cooked penne, and finish your dish with a good dusting of Pecorino cheese.
- Taco night! Warm tortillas and fill them with your sautéed sprouts and squash, along with hot black beans. Garnish with parsley or cilantro, and crumbled chèvre.
- Try a fish dish. Thin the cranberry sauce with a splash of orange juice in the blender. Then add your squash cubes to the food processor with a splash of milk to make a quick purée. Serve the purée under a piece of pan-seared barramundi from our friends at Australis Aquaculture and finish with a cranberry drizzle over the top.
- Or make a seasonal salad. Add your cranberry sauce to the blender with some olive oil and champagne vinegar for a quick dressing. Throw some greens, room temperature butternut squash and brussels sprouts, and toasted pecans into a bowl, and toss with your cranberry dressing for the perfect sweet and savory meal.
Once you’ve had your fill of Thanksgiving dinner and all its variations, use your freezer! Thanksgiving dinner is a meal that freezes really well. Pre-slice turkey, and portion out your sides—they’ll thaw more easily, and dinner will be ready in no time. And whatever way you choose to enjoy Thanksgiving leftovers, don’t forget to share them with your Foodstand family on the iPhone app and apply #NoFoodWaste for a chance to win prizes!
EAT & DRINK
PERUVIAN CHICKEN & CORIANDER SOUP by Cravingsinamsterdam
INGREDIENTS
2 bunches of coriander (without the hard stems)
200gr chicken (or turkey) breast, diced
10 cups of chicken (or turkey) stock
½ cup canned corn, or fresh
½ cup green peas, can be frozen or fresh
½ sweet pepper or bell pepper
1 red onion, chopped
1 clove of garlic, minced
1 tablespoon of sriracha or Peruvian Aji Amarillo paste (yellow chili paste)
1/3 cup of rice
Salt
1 tablespoon of vegetable oil
Lime wedges for serving
METHOD
Blend the coriander with the stock and set aside.
In a large pot, add the vegetable oil over medium heat. Add the onions, garlic, sriracha or Aji Amarillo, and sweet pepper. Cook for about 2 minutes. Then add the diced chicken (or turkey) and rice. Stir for another minute and add the coriander stock. Cook for about 20 minutes. Then add the corn and peas. Let it cook until the corn and peas are done. Taste for salt. Serve with lime wedges.
WINTER VEGETABLE SALAD by annefood
INGREDIENTS
For the salad:
4 handfuls mixed salad greens (butter lettuce, spring mix etc.)
2 big handfuls chopped radicchio
4 tablespoons chopped parsley
1.5-2 cups mixed leftover vegetables (Brussels sprouts, squash, broccoli, green beans, etc)
1 onion, chopped
1/2 cup cooked lentils
1 avocado, cubed
For the dressing:
2 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil, plus more for roasting
2 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
2 teaspoon Dijon mustard
a squeeze of honey (optional)
a couple pinches of garlic granules
a couple pinches of onion powder
a few grinds each of black pepper and sea salt to taste
METHOD
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Toss your chopped onion with olive oil, salt and pepper, and spread on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Roast until soft and starting to char slightly. Set aside.
Meanwhile, whisk together your dressing ingredients. Combine the lettuces, herbs, vegetables, onion, lentils, and avocado in a large bowl. Pour the dressing on top and toss to combine.
Serves 2-3