Left Over Rice Pudding

In search of breakfast this morning, I discovered that we had a lot of leftover rice.  I'd like to tell you that it was yummy, fluffy brown rice from some healthy home cooked meal.  I can't do that, however, because the reality is that it was hard dry white rice left over from Chinese take out.  Instead of just tossing it, I turned it into something good.  I don't know if this can technically be called rice pudding since traditional rice pudding has butter, eggs, lots more sugar, and is baked in the oven.  My version is vegan, and I did it on the stove top.  Maybe a rice porridge is closer to what this really is. Whatever the case, it's really good; it's really easy, and it uses up left overs, so you don't waste any money.

Garbage Pail Vegetable Broth

Oh my gosh you guys.  I am SO behind.  I've got 14 recipes ready to be posted (and those are for big people.  I've got three baby recipes ready to go, as well), but I just can't find the time.  First I had strep; then the baby had croup; then I had bronchitis, and then it was the holidays.  There are days when I considered myself lucky to have time to get dressed and even luckier if I managed to take a shower.  At this rate you're going to be getting Fall recipes this Summer!

Here's one that's quick and easy though, and it's REALLY economical.  I've always called the Vegetable Butt Broth, but I figured maybe I should revamp the name if I was going to put it out there on the internet.  I'm not sure that this is any better, actually, but it's far more appetizing than it sounds.

When I clean my vegetables, I never throw away the parts that most people consider garbage.  I keep the celery leaves, the tops of red, yellow, and orange peppers (but never green; I loathe green peppers), carrot peels, potato and sweet potato peels (but sure to clean them very well first), zucchini ends, outter cabbage leaves that are a little wilty, pieces of squash not quite big enough to roast, the ends of tomatoes, the thin outter rings of the onion, and anything else I happen to be using at the time.  I also save vegetables that are about to go bad and won't be used before they turn.  I keep a big bag in the freezer, and just throw all of this stuff in it as I have it.  When the bag is full, I make veggie broth.  This is far more economical than buying pre-made broth; it has far less sodium, and it also costs less than going out to buy veggies to make your own.

Healthy, Gluten Free Crackers

These crackers aren't so much a cracker in the thin, crispy sense.  They are thicker, chewier, heartier, with a slight crisp around the edges, and they are oh so good.  They're kind of a crackery/bready/cakey texture.  They're wonderful for the spreading of hummus or baba ghanouj.  They're fantastic as a side for soup.  Rolled thicker and cut larger, they make a good flat bread for sandwiches.  They're also pretty darned good just by themselves.  Not that I know this from experience, because I ate half a dozen of them all by myself or anything.

This recipe is a mash up of the (never home)maker's version and the Oh She Glows version, spiced to match my preferences.  Both of those blogs are amazing, and if you don't follow them, you probably should!  I've learned so much from them both.  Anyway, these crackers are also gluten free and vegan.  Win all the way around here!

This recipe offers one last advantage.  It's a way to use up leftovers.  There tends to be both left over quinoa and left over rice pretty often around here.  Unfortunately, today I had neither, so I actually had to cook!

Healthy, Gluten Free Crackers

Ingredients:

• 1 cup brown rice, uncooked
• 1/2 cup quinoa, uncooked
• 1/4 cup ground flax
• 1 TBSP water
• 2 TBSP nutritional yeast
• 1 TBSP thyme
• 1 TBSP oregano
• 1/4 cup walnuts, chopped
• 1 tsp tahini
• 1 tsp sea salt
• 1 tsp garlic, finely minced

Directions:

1.  Cook rice and quinoa in separate pots.

2.  Cool completely.

Because I was very anxious to make these, I just dumped them both into the bowl of the food processor and shoved it in the freezer for about 15 minutes.

3.  Preheat oven to 350°.

4.  Put all ingredients into bowl of food processor and process until well mixed.

Don't worry when it's not dough-like.  It should look like this.

5.  Dump mixture onto a greased cookie sheet.

6.  Flatten and shape the dough with wet hands.

7.  Cover with plastic wrap and roll with rolling pin to help even out the thickness and smooth the tops.  Don't worry about trying to roll it thin.  These AREN'T supposed to be thin little crackers. However, if you want to work on rolling them thin, they will bake up crispier.

8.  Use a pizza cutter to slice into desired shapes.

9.  Bake 15 minutes, and then carefully flip the crackers over.

10.  Bake 15 to 25 minutes more, until golden.  Watch very carefully after 30 minutes so they won't burn.

11.  Cool for 15 minutes on the baking sheet.  They will further firm up while cooling.

Enjoy!

Potato Pancakes

Sometimes having leftovers is a good thing.  I am ever mindful of waste, so I try not to have very many, but sometimes it happens, and I have to find a way to use them, because we just don't waste food in this house.  Sometimes it's rather challenging to figure out how to use them up, and sometimes it's really easy.  This was one of those easy times.

Leftover Potato Pancakes:

Ingredients:

• 1 cup cold mashed potatoes
• 1 TBSP ground flax seeds + 3 TBSP cold water (or one egg if you aren't vegan)
• 1 TBSP soy milk
• 2 TBSP flour (I used whole wheat)
• Seasonings to taste (Since my potatoes were already roasted garlic mashed potatoes, I used Italian seasoning and onion powder.  Cajun is good.  Garlic and onions powders are good.  Just use what you like.)

Directions:

1. Grind flax seeds in coffee grinder or capable blender and mix with 3 TBSP cold water.  Set aside for ten minutes to thicken.
2. Mix everything else together well, add flax mixture when thick, and mix again.
3. Form into three pancakes.
4. Spray non-stick skillet with olive oil or cooking spray.
5. Lay pancakes in skillet in a single layer and cook until each side achieves desired done-ness.  I like mine to be really crispy on the outside and creamy on the inside.

Today's lunch:  zucchini and tomato slices with a potato pancake and a roll left over from last night's dinner.

Enjoy!

Sprout Salad

Lunch time the day before grocery day can be a depressing prospect.  I looked around my kitchen and found 1/4 of a loaf of bread, half a tomato, a few spoonfuls of left over couscous, a bit of red cabbage, and some Grape Nuts cereal.  I was at a loss as to how to make lunch happen from those scant ingredients.  Luckily, thanks to my never ending sprout project, I actually managed to make a healthy and filling lunch from almost nothing.  I had two jars of a mixture of quinoa, red lentils, brown lentils, and mung beans sprouting.  Fortunately, they were done just in time.  The best part is that I used up everything left over instead of letting it go to waste.  You all know how I feel about wasting food!

Improvised Sprout Salad

Ingredients:

• Handful coarsely chopped red cabbage
• 1/4 cup cold Israeli couscous
• 1/2 cup sprouts
• 1/2 tomato, chopped
• Olive oil
• Balsamic vinegar
• Salt and pepper

Directions:

1. Place everything but oil and vinegar into salad bowl.
2. Lightly mist with olive oil.
3. Add a few shakes of balsamic vinegar.
4. Top with salt and pepper to taste.
5. Stir it all up and eat!

Enjoy!

Garden Grain Burgers

This is another one of those recipes that helps use up left overs.  There's always left over rice and/or quinoa here, so creative and yummy ways to use it are always appreciated.

Garden Grain Burgers

 Ingredients:

• 1 1/2 cups cooked brown rice (or a combination of rice and quinoa, but no more quinoa than 50%, or they won't hold together properly)
• 1 cup grated carrots (zucchini works well too)
• 1/4 cup wheat germ
• 2 cloves pressed, or finely minced, garlic
• 1/2 onion, grated
• 1 tsp seasoned salt
• 1/2 cup whole wheat flour
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 2 TBSP olive oil
• 2 egg replacers (I used the flax seed method, but feel free to use your replacer of choice)
• 1/4 cup nutritional yeast
• 1/2 cup spinach leaves, chopped
• 1/4 tsp ground thyme

Directions:

1.  Mix ingredients in mixing bowl.

2.  Measure out 1/3 cup for each patty.

3.  Form into a four to five inch patty.

4.  Heat non-stick skillet over medium heat and lightly spray with cooking spray.

5.  Add three patties to skillet.

6.  Add a tablespoon of water to skillet and cover. 

7.  Cook each side for four minutes, adding another tablespoon of water upon flipping.

8.  Let patties rest for five minutes before eating.

Makes eight burgers.  They can be made in advance and frozen.  They reheat well straight from the freezer in the microwave, oven, or on the stove top.  However, they don't grill well.

I don't have any pictures of them on the buns with condiments and stuff, because they boy made them disappear really quickly!

Enjoy!

Quinoa Salad

I love quinoa.  I can use it in everything from main dishes to side dishes to breakfast to desserts.  This means that I generally have leftovers, and I'm all about using up all of the leftovers.  We don't waste food in this house.  We operate on a budget, and I've lived in the 3rd world.  That changed pretty much everything about how I see ... well, everything.

 

Anyway, moving on.  One of my favorite things to do with left over quinoa is to turn it into a bright and healthy salad.  What you add is pretty much up to you.  This is what I did.

 

Leftover Quinoa Salad

 

Ingredients:

• 1/2 to 3/4 cup cooked quinoa
• 1/4 cup chopped zucchini
• 1/4 cup diced onion
• 2 cloves garlic, finely minced
• 1 tomato, chopped
• 1/2 lemon
• Olive oil
• Salt and pepper

 Directions:

1. Combine all ingredients in bowl
2. Mist with olive oil
3. Squeeze juice of lemon into bowl
4. Mix well and add salt and pepper to taste.

Enjoy!

Throw It Together Mexican Casserole with Baked Tortilla Chips

I like recipes that are easy, use up left overs, and that everyone in the house will eat, which isn't exactly easy since everyone (else) in the house is really very picky! This one dish recipe fits the bill.

Mexican Casserole

Ingredients:

• 1 cup cooked rice
• 1 package veggie crumbles OR 2-3 cups well-cooked beans of your choice OR 1 lb equivalent reconstituted TVP
• 1 cup egg beaters OR four eggs OR equivalent egg replacer
• 2 packets taco seasoning
• 1 cup salsa
• 1 cup shredded cheese
• oil or cooking spray to coat baking dish

 Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350°.
2. Combine all ingredients (using half of the cheese) and mix thoroughly.
3. Pour mixture into greased casserole dish and cover with remaining cheese.
4. Bake covered for 45 minutes.
5. Remove cover and bake for an additional 15 minutes.
6. Let sit for 5 minutes before serving.

 For the tortilla chips:

       1.  Preheat oven to 350°.
       2.  Mist both side of the tortilla (I use corn) with olive oil. 
       3.  Cut into four pieces.
       4.  Place on baking sheet and lightly salt.

       5.  Bake for ten minutes.
       6.  Turn chips over and bake for five more minutes.
       7.  Remove from baking sheet and cool completely.

That's it, and you have tortilla chips that haven't been fried and have 3/4 less calories and fat the the pre-packaged kind.  
 

Serve your casserole and chips with a veggie or green salad, and dinner is served!

Enjoy!