Gotta Love Those Leftovers

I'm continually amazed at the quick meals one can throw together with a well stocked fridge. Using leftovers in creative ways to produce another meal is not only time saving and economical but an adventure as well.

Opening the veggie bin, I noticed two large sweet bell peppers; one yellow, one red. I had bought them for salads or to serve with hummus as an appetizer, but hadn't used them over the weekend and I didn't want to let them get old.

The shelves of the fridge held several containers of leftovers. Mahogany rice, fresh corn kernels and about a cup of chunky marinara sauce. Having rich, chewy rice already cooked clearly called out, "Stuffed Peppers", plus I had the added bonus of some savory sauce already made.

I washed, seeded and deveined the peppers, then cut them in half from north to south. I placed the rice (about 1 1/2 cups) in a large mixing bowl, tossed in the raw corn kernels (maybe 1/3 cup) I used what I had and it turned out to be just right.

The brown and yellow mix looked as if it could use a colorful pick me up, so I washed two big hands full of baby spinach, sliced it up (chiffonade) and tossed it with the rice and corn adding two generous teaspoons of a spicy hot tomato/chipotle salsa. I like things spicy. This hit of heat is optional.

I scooped the stuffing into the pepper halves, packed it down , mounding a bit on the top. Then I stretched the scant cup of sauce with a little water, spooned a bit over each pepper half and then drizzled the remainder into the bottom of the shallow sauté pan.

The covered pan went into a 350° oven for about 40 minutes. I removed the cover and let the peppers bake for another 10 minutes.

Fat free, fast and easy, another tasty nutritional powerhouse.

Cabbage Rolls

With big fresh heads of bright green cabbage on sale at the market this week, I just had to have an old favorite: stuffed cabbage.

I use the same basic stuffing for cabbage leaves as I do for red peppers , but add a little sweet and savory surprise: raisins and olives. In this case, Italian brine-cured Gaeta olives, finely diced and mixed with my favorite Lundberg mahogany rice, diced celery and diced onion and minced garlic.

My friend, Helen, gave me a jar of the olives. Her mother used them in her stuffing for peppers, but instead of rice, she used bread as a base. Gaeta olives are often dry cured, which makes them very black and wrinkled, or brine cured which leaves them dark purple and smooth skinned, much like a Kalamata olive, which would be a good substitute.

I used the big bright green outer leaves of the head for stuffing. After washing them well in cold water, I let them sit in a wide pan of hot water to soften them. Cutting out the center hard stem makes the leaves easy to work with. Treat the leaf as you would a tortilla for stuffing a burrito. Lay it on a flat surface, put a couple of tablespoons of filling about a third of the way up the leaf (use an amount of filling to match the size of the leaf. Too much filling and it will pop open) then roll up and fold in the sides. Place the roll, seam side down, in a baking dish.

The rolls should cook with some liquid. They can be steamed or simmered on top of the stove, or as I prefer to do it, the lazy man's way, covered and baked in a 350° oven for about an hour.

I like a bit of tomato sauce in the braising liquid. On this occasion, I used a cup of diced tomatoes which had been cooked down with garlic and herbs (leftover pizza topping). I added the cup of tomato sauce to 2 cups of very hot veggie broth and poured that over the stuffed rolls. I had a bit of filling leftover, so as not to waste, I spread that evenly over the rolls before adding the sauce. A can of tomato sauce stretched with veggie broth would do as well, or just broth without the added tomato is fine, too.

This is another easy meal that adapts to what's on hand and is easy to make with a little practice.

Stuffed Red Peppers

Lundberg Farms' mahogany rice is a favorite of mine. An interesting blend of black and cocoa colored rices that cook up chewy with a rich, almost meat-like, flavor. This rice makes a wonderful vegan base for stuffing vegetables.

I cooked the rice according to package directions; 1:2 rice to water ratio. After 45 minutes the water was absorbed and the rice was tender yet chewy. Meanwhile, I diced, then sautéed a medium yellow onion, 2 carrots, a stalk of celery and 2 cloves of garlic in a tablespoon of olive oil.

As the vegetables softened, I added half a dozen chopped button mushrooms and a few minced black olives (5-6). A dash of water kept things from sticking as the veggies cooked and then covering the sauté pan for four or five minutes allowed them to steam a bit without having to add any extra oil.

When the carrots in the mixture were crisp tender, I combined the veggie mix with the rice. This is a forgiving recipe. Add spices or flavorings or other vegetables which appeal to you. For a hint of Mexico, a bit of cumin, oregano and some chili powder would be nice. For an Italian flair, a tablespoon of tomato paste, a bit of Italian herb mix and perhaps a dash of red wine instead of water for sautéing and steaming the veggies. So many options!

I cut the peppers in half lengthwise and stuffed them with the rice mix. I like a sweet and sour tomato flavored sauce with stuffed vegetables. A simple technique is to use a small can of tomato sauce and add a pinch or two of brown sugar and some vinegar.

I had a bit of homemade tomato soup in the fridge. I extended it with some veggie broth to make a full cup and added a teaspoon of raw sugar and 2 tablespoons of apple cider vinegar. Tasted good to me, and I knew it would cook down and mellow out as the peppers baked. Using a cup of vegetable broth alone would be fine, too. The peppers need moisture as they roast. The drippings are great at serving time— spoon some over each pepper.

Use a baking dish that will accommodate the stuffed peppers without overcrowding but small enough to allow them to 'hold each other up'. Pour the liquid you choose to use into the bottom and around the peppers - about a quarter to a half inch of liquid is fine.

The peppers roasted, covered for 45 minutes, and then uncovered for another 15 minutes in a 350° oven. I served them with some steamed greens (broccoli rabe) to kick up the nutritional level while adding a lovely color balance and offering the taste buds more to savor.