How to revive your leftovers

Don’t toss it: turn something old into something new and delicious with these handy hints

ARE leftovers common inhabitants of your fridge?

If you’re on a mission to reduce food waste, here are five easy ways to give some love to last night’s meal and turn it into a new and delicious dish.

ROASTED VEGETABLES

Roast vegies are a popular side to make during winter.

But if you find yourself not being able to bear the thought of another serving, they can easily be made into soups by warming your assorted roasted veg up with some coconut milk and fresh herbs before blending.

Alternatively, they can be lightly mashed and added to a mixture of whisked eggs, milk and herbs and fried off as little fritters.

Top the fritters with goat’s cheese or mashed avocado and enjoy as a warming breakfast or light lunch.

RICE AND QUINOA

If you have gone a little heavy handed when measuring out rice or quinoa and ended up with more than expected, my favourite way to use up cooked grains is to make it into a quick pilaf-inspired dish.

In a food processor, blend one to two cloves of garlic, half a tablespoon of fresh ginger, a handful of coriander, a small red onion and one chilli into a paste. Heat olive oil in a frying pan, saute spice mix off for one to two minutes before adding leftover rice/quinoa to the pan, stir through leftover shredded chicken or lamb and, before taking off the heat, add extra coriander and chopped almonds. Serve with a dollop of Greek yoghurt. For a vegetarian version, replace meat with chickpeas, red kidney beans or cannellini beans.

ROAST CHICKEN

Roast chicken is a great ingredient to turn into a new dish such as an express curry.

Simply fry off a curry paste with sliced onion, add seasonal veg of choice, coconut milk and stock and simmer. About 15 minutes before taking off the heat, add shredded chicken and let warm through.

BOLOGNESE

If you’ve made a big batch and want another way to eat it without the spaghetti, try turning it into a lasagne. This is also a great way to use up any sad looking veg for a pasta-free version.

Simply cut zucchini (or similar veg) thinly lengthways and layer with the bolognese, alternating until you have two to three layers.

Top with mashed sweet potato and sprinkle with cheese or a mix of nuts and seeds before baking for an extra health kick.

STEWS AND CURRIES

Leftover stews or curries can be stretched or turned into new dishes by adding some extra stock or coconut milk and blending into a soup.

Once blended, portion out and freeze in small containers for an express meal.