10 Things to Do With Leftover Vegetables

How often do you end up throwing away leftover vegetables? Most of us do it more than we’d like to admit. We put them in the fridge with the best of intentions, only to forget about them until they’re no longer fit to eat. Or perhaps we get tired of eating the same veggies several times in a week, so they go to waste.

But there’s really no reason that leftover vegetables should go to waste, because there are so many ways that you can use them. Here are ten of the best.

1.    Vegetable Soup

One of the most obvious ways to use leftover vegetables is to make vegetable soup, and it’s also among the most delicious. This Garbage recipe is a good one http://allrecipes.com/recipe/garbage-soup, but you can use whatever you happen to have in the fridge, freezer or cabinet. Some good choices include carrots, celery, corn, potatoes, squash, green beans, peas and tomatoes. You can make it with just about any type of meat, or with no meat at all. Serve with crackers or a grilled cheese sandwich.

2.    Casserole

Casserole is really just a fancy term for a baked dish with a little bit of everything in it. There are many, many different types of casseroles that you can make, and nearly all of them contain some type of vegetable.

The meal idea at http://vegetarianlost.com/2012/12/macaroni-casserole-with-eggs linked here works well with any kind of leftover veggies you happen to have on hand. If you decide to get creative and come up with your own recipe, just make sure that you cook all meats and pasta before adding them, and cook any hard raw vegetables you use until tender.

3.    Potato Cakes

Potato pancakes are perfect for breakfast, and they offer a nice change of pace for lunch or dinner, too. The key ingredients are leftover mashed potatoes and eggs. The remaining ingredients can be altered or substituted as needed. For example, if you don’t have any bacon, you could substitute chopped ham or sausage, and the cheddar could be replaced with any other kind of cheese. Serve with scrambled eggs and bacon.

Here’s a recipe you can use: http://allrecipes.com/recipe/bacon-cheddar-patty-cakes/

4.    Chili

Leftover beans are great for making chili, but did you know that you can also use a number of other vegetables in it? In fact, with the right combination of veggies and spices, you can make a tasty vegetarian chili with no meat at all.

The recipe here http://vegetarianlost.com/2012/12/vegetarian-chili/ calls for beans, onion, celery, garlic, spinach, tomatoes and corn, but you can throw in pretty much anything you have handy according to the “Tips” section. If you simply can’t fathom the idea of meatless chili, simply add in some browned ground beef or turkey…or better yet, some leftover beef or chicken.

5.    Baked Potato Soup

If you have leftover baked potatoes, they can be used to make delicious potato soup. Baking the potatoes before adding them to the soup helps give the finished product a distinct flavor and richer texture. If you don’t have any bacon, chopped ham is a good substitute. Serve with a grilled cheese sandwich or salad.

Try this recipe here: http://allrecipes.com/recipe/baked-potato-soup-i/

6.    Salad

Most of us think of fresh raw vegetables when we think of salad, but cooked veggies can be used in salads as well. You can use leftover cooked corn, pinto or edamame beans as well as leftover cornbread. Corn and beans also make nice additions to taco salads. Peas and carrots go well with pasta salad. In fact, just about any veggie you need to use can be used in some sort of salad.

7.    Homemade Tater Tots

There are very few kids in the world who are not fond of tater tots. But did you know that they’re actually pretty easy to make at home? They take a bit of time, but they aren’t difficult to make. You can get nice results by using leftover boiled potatoes in this recipe at http://vegetarianlost.com/2012/12/homemade-tater-tots-recipe/. If you want to add more flavor, try adding in some finely chopped onions or peppers, bacon bits or garlic powder.

8.    Perogies

A popular Eastern European dish, perogies are fried dumplings stuffed with potatoes, meat, cheese, sauerkraut or fruit. This recipe from Food.com http://www.food.com/recipe/potato-pierogies-30339 for authentic perogies uses leftover mashed potatoes, making it easy to whip up something delicious for dinner.

9.    Pasta Primavera

Pasta primavera literally means “pasta with fresh vegetables.” This recipe at http://www.simplyrecipes.com/recipes/moms_pasta_primavera from Simply Recipes calls for carrots, zucchini, eggplant, onion and tomato, but you can use virtually any type of vegetable that you have left over. This dish goes well with tossed salad and garlic bread.

10.  Pizza

Some of the most popular pizza toppings are vegetables, so why not throw those leftovers on your next pie? This is a great recipe if you want to go homemade all the way http://allrecipes.com/recipe/homemade-veggie-pizza/.  Or if you don’t feel like messing with crusts, you can use English muffins, pita bread or even tortilla shells.  You can also spruce up a frozen pizza and add some nutrition in the process by topping with leftover veggies. Just sprinkle a little shredded mozzarella cheese on top to keep them from burning.

Making use of leftover vegetables is a great way to save money while adding more nutrition to your diet. With a little creativity, you can find a way to add them to almost any dish!

As always, I want to hear from you. In the comments section below, please share your favorite ways to use leftover veggies.

That’s all for now. Until next time Divas, wear your heels well and be blessed!

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