HOW TO REVAMP LEFTOVER OR WILTING VEGGIES

Admin
Mar 29, 2021
3 min read

Shopping for and prepping a week's worth of meals in one day feels wholly gratifying. Well, until midweek rolls around, that is. By Day 4, those leftover veggies start to become soggy and downright boring to eat, and the fresh produce you haven't used yet is starting to wilt.

Not anymore! Here are five tips for revamping vegetables:

1. Pickle your veggies.

If you have fresh veggies sitting in your produce drawer on the brink of extinction, pickling them. Pretty much any veggie can be given a new (and more gut-friendly) life when preserved with pickling brine. Here is straightforward method for pickling at home.

Supplies to get started:

Jars
Vegetable of choice (Carrots, Cauliflower, Radishes, Green beans, Broccoli Stems, Asparagus, Beets, Pearl Onion)
Vinegar
Salt
Garlic
Spices or herbs of choice

Method:

Every recipe is a bit different, but one simple method is to pack a Mason jar with garlic and herbs. Then dissolve salt in hot water and add vinegar before pouring into the jar. Seal the jar loosely or cover it with some cheesecloth, and let it sit in a dark spot for a few days, waiting for bubbles to emerge. The more sour you'd like your pickles to be, the longer they'll need to ferment outside the fridge.

2. Sauté your veggies.

Certain leafy greens tend to wilt quickly due to their high moisture content. While storing them properly can extend their shelf life, you should still use those fresh greens within a week of buying. But if they're nearing that deadline, sautéing those greens and serving them as a simple side dish is the ultimate favorite of mine. All it takes is a healthy cooking fat, salt, pepper, and a squeeze of lemon.

Pro Tip: If you wrap the leaves in a totally dry paper towel, the moisture from the leaves will be absorbed more quickly, and the leaves dry out.

3. Roast root veggies.

Root vegetables, like parsnips, rutabagas, beets, and Jerusalem artichokes contain an array of health benefits. The simplest (and tastiest) way to utilize root veggies before they go bad is to roast them.

Method:

Simply lay your veggies out on a parchment-lined pan, then place a chunk of coconut oil on top in the middle. Place the pan in the oven for four to five minutes, until the coconut oil has melted completely, then remove and toss the veggies until the oil coats them evenly. Return to the oven at 400 degrees and finish roasting until done!

4. Blend veggies into a soup or stew.

Soup is the answer to just about everything: a cold day, a nauseated stomach, and leftover or wilting veggies.

If you have carrots, celery, or onion that need to be used, add them to a chicken soup. If you have roasted sweet potato, pumpkin, or butternut squash that you're sick of reheating, blend it into a creamy soup. Pretty much any other veggies, cooked or raw, can be tossed into a pot to make a nutrient-dense vegetable stew.

5. Add leftover veggies to your breakfast.

Instead of repeating the same dinner night after night, try incorporating your leftover veggies with breakfast. You can simply fold them into a delicious breakfast scramble, quiche, breakfast burrito with avocado, or a savory pancake.