I’m sure some of you are wondering, ‘huh? Leftovers again?’, but no, this is different.  Yes, we’ve already covered a nice list of dishes that make for good (or better) leftovers, but some of us don’t like eating the same thing over and over again. To this I say, ‘did you know that you can repurpose your leftovers and use them to make an entirely different meal?’. The answer is ‘yes, you most certainly can’.

Check out the list below for some excellent ways to repurpose your leftovers:

1. Stir Fries: I get that this is perhaps the most common method of turning your leftovers into something new, but it is also a sure winner, and works with pretty much anything. So, the next time you’re tempted to order in, just check out what you have in your fridge. I usually have some leftover chicken and capsicum, as these are ingredients I tend to cook with a lot. I simply cut them into cubes, and sauté them in a pan with some oil, salt, pepper, soy sauce, vinegar and a drizzle of sesame oil.  It also helps to have some onion and garlic on hand.
2. Sick of Stir Fries? No problem; I recently started turning to tacos and fajitas as an alternative. If you have some leftover protein, simply slice or shred them up and sauté in a pan with any leftover vegetables, some tomato sauce and your choice of toppings – this may not exactly be authentic, but it can be your new favourite weeknight meal.
3. Casseroles; I recently had some leftover penne Bolognese, which I wasn’t so keen on eating again the next day. Then I realised I had some cheese in the fridge which I had bought for a gathering a few days prior. So, I transferred the pasta into a baking dish, shredded whatever cheese I had on top, seasoned with some Italian seasoning, and cooked it in the oven for 30 minutes. And the good news is, you can do this with pretty much anything.  I once had an excess of just the Bolognese that I used to make some version of an Italian Shepherd’s pie.  Really, the possibilities are endless!
4. Make a sandwich; I did mention this in my previous blog post. Though a roast chicken, beef or lamb may not taste quite as delicious the next day, they will most certainly make for excellent sandwiches, and are way healthier than any cold cuts or deli meat.
5. Make a smoothie; now, you may not be able to do this with everything, but certain vegetables go great in a smoothie. So the next time you’re worried about the spinach in your fridge going bad, simply add it to your breakfast smoothie the next morning, and there you have it – no waste, and a healthy breakfast to boot!
6. Stuffed Shells; once, I had some leftover sauteed minced vegetables in the fridge that I was worried I would need to throw away, but then I decided, no! I simply poured them into a bowl, added some ricotta to bind them all together and used them to fill some pasta shells I had sitting in my pantry (of course I had to cook the pasta first). I then drizzled some parmesan on top, added some seasoning and baked them in the oven. They were so delicious that I now make them on a regular basis.
7. Make into a stuffing; for this, you do need to make sure that you either have some breadcrumbs on hand, or some stale bread that you can pulse in a food processor. You can then turn your leftovers into a delicious stuffing with just a few simple ingredients and basic seasoning, and use it to make stuffed capsicum or aubergine – a healthy, yet comforting meal.
8. Convert into a healthy bowl; again, depends on what leftovers you are working with. Rice can be reheated and transferred to a serving bowl, then topped with any leftover vegetables or protein. Drizzle over some sauce, and sprinkle with any edible garnish and enjoy!

There you have it my lovely readers – some great ideas on how to make new meals out of old ones. We hope these help, and if you have any more suggestions, please feel free to share!