Lean Up Challenge Week 3: Leftovers

Leftovers...

Utilize them. Prep once, eat for a week! It can save time and makes for easy planning.

For example:

Tonight Bake a large piece of Salmon and 3 sweet potatoes while stir frying A LOT of veggies in a spoonful of chicken fat leftover from broiled chicken last week: onion, kale, green beans and red peppers, simmered in a bit of red wine.

Tomorrow Have tacos from leftover fish. With shredded cabbage, tomato and avocado.

Friday Slow cook grass fed ground meat, toss in the leftover stir fried veggies and add marinara sauce for a goulash style meal.

Saturday Take whatever steelhead is left and make fish cakes (recipe from last week).

Sunday Using any leftover veggies in the fridge from the week make a crustless quiche (recipe below).

As for the leftover sweet potatoes, have these for breakfast with some nuts or a hard boiled egg. .

Another easy idea: Use or make lots of leftover soups and stews. You can chop up any leftover meat and veggies, cooked or not, place them in a pot or a slower cooker with water and spices, let it cook or simmer on medium for a few hours and whala! You have meals for days. Add a little cream and blend for a different texture the next day.

The same goes for any slow cooker or crock pot meal; a good way to make multiple meals in one shot with little effort. Not to mention a way to quickly use produce that may otherwise go bad.

Leftover crock pot and soup meals can be divided into individual or family size containers and frozen for easy grab meals when you don’t have the energy or time to cook. Your own version of a frozen dinner; healthier, tastier and cheaper!

To keep these meals as healthy as possible: Avoid adding pre-made sauces and dressings; stick with simple flavorings of your own, such as vinegars, mustards, hot sauces, soy sauce, garlic cloves, ginger root, bay leaves, fresh herbs, pickled vegetable, dried peppers and various extracts.

Crust less Quiche:

• Pre- heat oven to 375° F.

• Dice up 2-3 cups worth of leftover or fresh veggies and place in large mixing bowl (if choose to use potatoes, use pre cooked or cut very thin).

• Add ½ cup shredded or crumbled cheese, 1/3 cup milk, plus whatever herbs, spices or extras you would like. Some fun options include: roasted garlic, pickled jalapenos, olives, cilantro, sun dried tomatoes, whatever you may have around. Mix lightly.

• Add 6 eggs and mix again until egg coats all ingredients.

• Grease bottom of cast iron skillet or glass baking dish, pour mixture into skillet or dish so it is evenly distributed and place on middle rack of hot oven to bake for 30-40 minutes; until firm and brown on edges.

• Let sit to cool before eating.