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Cooking:
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Leftovers Can
Make Great Meals
BY DANA JACOBI
FOR THE AMERICAN INSTITUTE FOR CANCER RESEARCH |
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- Developing
recipes leads to lots of leftovers. Although I always aim to
avoid food waste, my test kitchen is inevitably littered with
odds and ends – a quarter cup of canned tomatoes, half a
cup of beans and remnants of any other ingredients I happen to
have on hand.
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- Looking for
ways to use up leftover bits before they turn into chemistry
experiments, I frequently turn to soup. Soup making is a time-honored
answer to this age-old problem. Half a head of cabbage, a lone
zucchini, some leftover green beans and one last, tired carrot
can make a great minestrone when paired with canned tomatoes
and white beans. Add some leftover rice or pasta and, for amazing
flavor, toss in the end of that Parmesan cheese that’s been
lingering in the fridge.
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- For less expected
ways to use up foods, from mushroom stems and tomato paste to
an enduring handful of rock-hard raisins, I like to consult a
favorite cookbook, Half a Can of Tomato Paste & Other Culinary
Dilemmas, by Jean Anderson. Written in 1980, its recipes are
dated, but still inspire great, money-saving dishes. Soak those
raisins, for example, and then combine them with horseradish,
plus chopped celery and apple to create a salsa to accompany
pork chops.
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- To use up
leftover meat, this hearty omelet, also inspired by Anderson,
is always a hit. Combining lean beef with a mix of vegetables
and eggs helps a small portion of beef feel satisfying –
an important lesson as high red meat intake is now convincingly
linked to colorectal cancer.
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- In the spirit
of leftovers, one-third cup of tomato paste can be mixed with
two-thirds cup water to replace the tomato sauce if needed. Also
Parmesan or Jarlsberg cheese can substitute for the cheddar.
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- Chili
Omelet - Makes
4 servings.
4 tsp.
canola oil, divided
1 cup chopped onion
1 cup chopped green bell pepper
Salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste
2 garlic cloves, chopped
4 tsp. ground chili powder
1 tsp. dried oregano
1/2 pound 93% lean ground beef
1 cup reduced-sodium tomato sauce
2 large eggs
4 large egg whites
1/2 cup shredded reduced-fat Cheddar cheese
In heavy medium skillet, heat 1 teaspoon oil over medium-high
heat. Sauté onions and peppers until soft and start to
brown, 5-6 minutes. Add salt and pepper, garlic, chili powder
and oregano and cook 1 minute. Transfer vegetables to bowl and
set aside.
- Add 2 teaspoons
oil to pan. Add ground beef and brown until done, 5-6 minutes.
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- Return vegetables
to pan. Add tomato sauce and cook until meat mixture is almost
dry, 10 minutes. Transfer to bowl and set aside. Rinse out and
dry skillet.
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- Meanwhile,
whisk eggs, egg whites, salt and pepper until well combined.
Return skillet to heat and add remaining 1 teaspoon oil. Add
eggs and cook on medium-low until bottom and sides are set but
center is liquid, 3-4 minutes. Spoon chili over eggs, covering
eggs, and cook – covered – until eggs are almost set,
4-6 minutes.
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- Sprinkle cheese
over omelet and cover pan until cheese melts. Let sit 5 minutes.
Cut omelet into 4 wedges before serving.
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- Makes 4 servings.
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- Per serving:
230 calories, 10 g total fat (2.5 g saturated fat), 11 g carbohydrate,
23 g protein, 2 g dietary fiber, 290 mg sodium.
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AUTHOR: |
- “Something
Different” is
written by Dana Jacobi, author of 12 Best Foods Cookbook and
contributor to AICR’s New American Plate Cookbook: Recipes
for a Healthy Weight and a Healthy Life.
The American Institute for Cancer Research (AICR) is the
cancer charity that fosters research on the relationship of nutrition,
physical activity and weight management to cancer risk, interprets
the scientific literature and educates the public about the results.
It has contributed more than $86 million for innovative research
conducted at universities, hospitals and research centers across
the country. AICR has published two landmark reports that interpret
the accumulated research in the field, and is committed to a
process of continuous review. AICR also provides a wide range
of educational programs to help millions of Americans learn to
make dietary changes for lower cancer risk. Its award-winning
New American Plate program is presented in brochures, seminars
and on its website, www.aicr.org. AICR is a member
of the World Cancer Research Fund International.
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RECIPE POSTED OCTOBER 26,
2008 |
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