Left-Over Gourmet

Left-over Gourmet is the new buzz word in the Culinary world, a new trend if you must. I absolutely hate throwing away food and with the new craze in the cooking world of using leftovers to create gourmet meals made me think of doing this post. This is not a new concept for me since I have been utilizing left overs for creative cooking ever since I really got into cooking (I left the number of years out on purpose, he he :)

I have been reading more and more articles on this subject and many a food shows have covered it in their recent episodes as well. So what are we really talking about? 

Think juicing beets or celery and using the leftover pulp in addition to fresh ingredients and making veggie burgers. Isn't that super cool. I have done something similar in the past, pull out all the leftover vegetables, lentils and such and make a batter or dough using some chickpea flour, fresh cilantro, chopped onions and green chilies. Make patties and cook on a non-stick pan with a little oil. Use it over a salad or make a pita wrap with lettuce and humus. All those little containers in the fridge got used up and you have a healthy lunch in minutes.

Here is my take on leftovers that don't taste like leftovers and have been transformed into something delectable. In the recipe below I have used all the leftovers except 1 ingredient to make it into something appetizing and it is balanced and super healthy. Hope this gives you ideas for your culinary adventures. 

Left-Over Gourmet Hash

RECIPE: Left-Over Gourmet Hash

Ingredients

Egg Whites: I used the yolks to make custard for a dessert and had the egg whites left over. I can always scramble them and eat them with toast for breakfast but that is predictable and boring.

Stewed Chicken: Left over chicken from a soup broth I made for a friend this past weekend. Shred the chicken and add to the hash.

Lemon: 1/2 a lemon left over from the lemon tea I have in the mornings. It has been sitting by the electric kettle all day and I needed the counter cleaned up.

Quinoa and Brown Rice: I usually have some plain cooked quinoa and brown rice in the fridge. I do rotations with my starch and switch it around every meal to get different nutrients and add variety to my meals.

Mixed Vegetables: Again there is always a medley of vegetables in my refrigerator so chop anything that looks like it has seen better days and use them up.

Barley: This is the only thing I made specifically for the hash. I was in the mood for some nutty, crunchy carbs and I absolutely adore whole Barley.

Spices: I used some garlic flakes, paprika, salt and pepper to add some dimension and flavors. For me, adding red pepper flakes to this takes it up a notch on the delicious-ness meter.

Herbs: Fresh cilantro and chives were my choices today.

Roasted Peanuts: I am never out of roasted peanuts and nuts add another crunch factor to my hash. 

Fruit Salad: The fruit salad bowl is from the last of all the little things left that no one wanted to eat :)

Method: 

1. Saute the egg whites till they are cooked. Add to it the garlic flakes and shredded chicken. Toss in the chopped vegetables, quinoa, brown rice, barley, spices and herbs. Lastly, squeeze lemon juice on top and mix it all up.

That is pretty much it. Makes for a perfect to-go lunch, it is perfectly balanced and rich in lean protein, assorted vegetables, fruits, nuts and whole grains. Add to it a fruit salad or a yogurt and you have a complete healthy meal. Hope you enjoy creating some of your own left-over gourmet meals. Don't forget to share them with me.

How do you stay so fit?

This is the most asked question, "How do you stay so fit when you love to cook all these amazing foods?".

I will try to explain as best as I can. I am not a nutritionist and no one person is alike so what works for me might not work for you. This is solely based on what I have figured out from trial and error. This works great for my husband and I. He has recently lost almost 20 lbs by following my eating guidelines :) in conjunction with exercise, of course.

I like to extensively read books, articles, journals and white papers on nutrition and how foods affect the human body. I try to cook clean and there are several definitions of "clean" out there. To me, clean eating is incorporating a lot of fresh foods, fruits, vegetables, whole grains and lean meats in my diet. Having a healthy lifestyle which includes healthy eating and exercise is a key factor. A lot of food has been replaced by nutrients i.e, processed foods and I try to stay away from them as much as possible. I do not follow any fad diets but try to eat products of nature. Going back to ancient times, if its not from nature (food in its natural form), its not good for you.

Moderation is KEY, we eat everything but in moderation (reminds me of our little outing to Baskin Robins last night). Anyone who really knows me knows that I am a fast food, burger eating machine but I don't do that every day or every week. Its occasional, but when I do indulge I thoroughly enjoy it and absolutely guilt free. I also, want to touch the subject of "portion control" here. What that means is you do not need several plates full of food to fill up. Eating smaller portions several times a day is very important.

Having a clean healthy diet does 90% of the work in maintaining my weight and staying healthy and 10% of it is attributed to exercise. Unless you fix the eating, no matter how many hours you put in the gym, it will not make any difference to your weight and physical appearance. I had posted a while back how following these few simple steps has made a huge difference in my Annual checkups with my physician.

I workout 3-4 times a week. Hour long cardio 3 times a week at the gym and 1 hour a week with a personal trainer. Shout out to my fabulous trainer Sumi Singh. Another misconception is that if I lift weights then I bulk up, that is NOT the case. Believe me I have been lifting hard for the last couple of years and no one has asked me if I'm related to Hulk Hogan. To gain that kind of muscle is not an easy feat especially for the average person like you and I. Lifting weights is just as important as cardio if not more in boosting your metabolism. Building strength in your bones is crucial after a certain age to maintain bone density in the latter part of your life.

Starvation is not an option (been there, done that). No living being can sustain that and is a quick recipe for failure. On the other hand common sense eating is a sure success so you have to take your pick. You cannot expect miracles to happen. I always preach (in this case) slow and steady...

A recent favorite book of mine is the #1 New York Times Bestseller, "In Defense of Food" by Michael Pollan. Its #1 for a reason, talks sensibly about natural foods and none of the confusing fad diets that are making the general population so paranoid.

Hope you can follow some of the recipes here and get on the healthy eating journey with me. If you have any specific questions you can comment below or send me a private email (in contacts). I would like to hear your success stories and learn from you.