Wouldn’t meal prep be more exciting if you could transform your leftovers into a brand new meal? We all know the feeling of making a huge pot of soup to last us through the week, only to become so sick of it 3 days later that you can’t bear to finish it. But with a little inspiration and know-how, you can give your Sunday meal or leftover takeout new life.
Chef Marco wants the world to know that learning a few basic techniques plus keeping Brodo in your pantry is the key to healthy eating. Transforming your leftovers into a new meal is a riff on Marco’s No-Recipe Recipe, which encourages you to take whatever you have on hand and turn it into a meal in 15 minutes or less.
To make it even easier, Brodo comes in 8 different flavors – meaning you can choose your flavor profile without even needing to reach into your spice drawer.
As with all of our “No-Recipe Recipes,” we’re going to give you a few ideas but the possibilities are endless. Go wild with experimentation!
A few ideas to transform your leftovers…
Roasted Chicken, 4 Ways
When you make any kind of roast for Sunday dinner, the possibilities are endless when it comes to creating new dishes with the leftovers. For the most flexibility, use simple seasonings for roast night. Then you can use different flavor profiles with the leftovers.
Day 1: Prepare a roasted chicken. Need a recipe? Try Marco’s spatchcocked version for a shorter cooking time and perfect results.
Day 2: Take your palate on a journey to Thailand with tom kha gai.
Day 3: Mexican chicken soup. With a can of your favorite salsa, some black beans, leftover chicken, and Organic Chicken Brodo, Mexican chicken soup comes together in about 15 minutes. If you’d rather have a recipe, here you go!
Day 4: If you still have some meat left, add it to a salad and polish it off with a mug of Brodo to round out the meal with 10g of additional protein.
Takeout Leftovers of Your Dreams
Day 1: Order Chinese takeout. For this example let’s say you’ve ordered stir-fry. Save the leftovers!
Day 2: Chinese soup. Simply add your leftovers (rice and all) to some Brodo and simmer until cooked through.
Day 3: Brodo fried rice. Cook your leftover rice in a splash of Brodo until most of it has evaporated. Then add your leftovers. Let everything cook until the liquid has cooked off and you start hearing the rice pop. The longer you wait to flip, the crispier the rice will be. Add a beaten egg and stir until cooked. Serve with a little soy sauce, chili crisp, or cilantro.
Beans, Beans, Beans
Day 1: Cook a nice, big pot of barlotti (cranberry) beans. Make whatever you wish with them, but we
love this beans and greens recipe from Chef Marco. Make sure to reserve some beans for the week.
Day 2: Pasta fagioli! There’s nothing easier or more comforting.
Day 3: Cranberry bean soup with farro. You’ll have a meal in 20-30 minutes. Even better if it’s served with a slice of nice, crusty sourdough bread.
Day 4: Beans and rice. Cook some rice in Brodo, stir in the beans to heat through, and season with whatever you have on hand – cilantro, parsley, hot sauce, salt and pepper, etc. Serve with eggs for a nice, hearty breakfast.
Eating Leftovers is a Way of Life
When you commit to eating your leftovers, you’re making a decision to save money and avoid waste. With 40% of our food ending up in the landfill, it’s always nice to do our part in mitigating that. Even better, with some imagination, leftovers can be a delicious and nutritious part of your weekly meals.
