Whether they are fruits, vegetables or pasta, leftovers do not go to waste: it is always possible to reuse them in another recipe as well or more exquisite. We propose three ideas to take advantage of the most frequent leftovers in our homes.
We throw too much food in the trash. We have figures: we Spaniards waste almost 1,400 million kilograms of food. This means about 25 kg of food per person per year that ends up in the garbage. These are mainly fruits, vegetables, pasta, legumes and dairy products.
Many times, we show good intentions. We do not dispose of the leftovers directly, but we store them in the fridge with the idea of using them the following day. But the days go by and the food ends up spoiling in the container. In other cases, fresh fruits or vegetables spoil before we get to put them on the plate. Too many times these foods end up in the organic container.
IDEAS FOR COOKING WITH LEFTOVERS
To keep food from spoiling, some recipes lend themselves especially to leftovers. Here are three ideals against food waste:
1. FINE MINESTRONE SOUP WITH PASTA
This minestrone is ideal for turning already cooked pasta into a delicious dish. It has a super delicious flavor with several vegetables that can be varied, depending on the ingredients that you have left.
Ingredients for 2 servings:
- 250 grams of cooked pasta remains (if they are macaroni or spaghetti they can be cut into smaller pieces)
- 1 zucchini
- 1 carrot
- 2 tomatoes
- 1/2 celery
- 2 cloves of garlic
- 1 leek
- 100 grams of cabbage
- 700 ml of vegetable broth (you can prepare it with the following recipe)
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 2 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil
- optionally some grated vegan cheese and basil
Elaboration:
- Sauté the garlic with the leek in the oil in a large saucepan.
- Dice the zucchini, carrot and cabbage, add and sauté briefly.
- Add the broth to the vegetable mixture, after a few minutes add the concentrated tomato as well. Cover the soup and cook over medium heat for 20 minutes.
- Chop the tomatoes and add them to the soup with the pasta. Finish cooking everything together for 5 minutes.
- Serve with some grated Parmesan and basil, if you feel like it.
2. FRESH HOMEMADE VEGETABLE CONCENTRATE FOR BROTHS AND STEWS
Fresh foods such as fruits and vegetables can be poached quickly. Vegetables can be made into a fresh concentrate that can then be used to make broth, refine soups, stews, sauces and more.
You can easily adjust the amount, depending on the vegetables you want to use. The general rule of thumb is to use one sixth of the weight of vegetables in the form of salt. You can also use carrot leaves, broccoli leaves, or other vegetable scraps for the broth. That saves a lot of food waste!
Ingredients for a large jar of concentrate:
- 500 grams of seasonal vegetables (such as celery, carrot, lettuce and leek)
- 150 grams of fresh or frozen aromatic plants
- 2 cloves of garlic
- 84 grams of salt
Elaboration:
- Chop the vegetables, garlic, and herbs in a food processor.
- Add the salt and pour the finished concentrate into sterilized jars.
- The fresh concentrate can be kept in the refrigerator for several months, since the salt prevents the multiplication of molds or bacteria.
3. VEGAN FRUIT CRUMBLE
Whether its apples, pears, plums or berries, you can make a really delicious dessert with fruits that are already very ripe.
Ingredients:
- 400 grams of fruit of your choice
- 75 grams of ground hazelnuts
- 75 grams of whole wheat flour
- 80 grams of coconut sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
- 90 grams of vegan margarine without trans-fat or olive oil
Preparation:
- Preheat the oven to 200 degrees Celsius.
- Wash the fruit and cut it into cubes or slices.
- Leave the berries whole.
- Grease a flat baking dish with a little oil and place the fruits in it.
- Make a crumbly dough with the remaining ingredients.
- Spread the crumbs of the dough over the fruit.
- Bake the fruit crumble in the oven for 30 minutes at 200 degrees, until golden.
