Sandwiches after the Stuffed Pork Roast

So......

Spinach dressed with vinaigrette makes this a wonderful sandwich.

 Ciabatta rolls were used, but any wholesome roll or bun will work.

...that pork-roast we made the other day has left-overs that work overtime.  Dinner sandwiches provide sliced pork protein, bread/grain, and a little salad in the form of spinach tossed with a light oil and vinegar dressing on the sandwich.  Any lettuces that you prefer would be just fine.  You add the rest.  In this case we provided a simple cucumber salad and left-over baked spaghetti squash. Two wins - use up left-overs and clean out the refrigerator.

The spaghetti squash is quite mild and we don't season before serving.  A little salt and pepper may be added by diners per their preference.

 

(Um. they are in my oven so that our beloved pets don't get a peek at them before our boys do!)

The cucumbers were tossed with sweet rice wine vinegar.  Pickles really. 
The spaghetti squash was simply reheated and seasoned to taste individually.

Basic Vinaigrette:

2 or 3 parts oil

1 part vinegar

salt and pepper to taste

Mix all together and adjust flavors to personal taste.

- Kim Fielding

Left-over Bread Salad

Use the freshest and crispiest vegetables for this salad.

Bread salad, otherwise known as Panzanella Salad, is well-known in the Mediterranean area.  Left-over bread is cubed and sautéed in olive oil, then tossed with vegetables and vinaigrette.  This can be served as a side salad or by itself.  As a full meal, you can add your choice of protein such as cheese or meat.  My version is quite simple, however, note the suggested optional ingredients listed if you would like to expand this. 

serves  4 - 6                                          Prep time:  20 minutes

Several cups French or sourdough bread cubes
Olive oil
8 or more large leaves Romaine lettuce, torn into bite-size pieces
2 large tomatoes, cut into large cubes
1 large cucumber, thickly sliced or cut into cubes
1 large red pepper, cut into squares
1/4 - 1/2 red onion, chopped
several large basil leaves, torn into smaller pieces
Vinaigrette to moisten salad (I use 2 parts oil to 1 part vinegar, salt and pepper)
Optional additions:
1 cup protein, such as chicken, tofu, or ham, shredded or cubed
1/2 cup eggplant, cooked and cubed
1/4 cup crumbled Feta
1/4 cup Nicoise olives
Chopped parsley

Heat olive oil in a skillet and saute bread cubes until golden.  I use just enough oil to make the bread cubes crispy and not greasy.  Set aside.

Prepare the vegetables and place in a large bowl.  Add the bread cubes. 

Toss with vinaigrette to moisten and serve.

One-quarter serving of the above salad offers over 6 grams fiber, almost 14 grams protein, close to your daily requirement for vitamin C, about half the daily requirement for iron, thiamine, selenium, and manganese, and 450 calories.  Although the salad is about 30% fat, it is mostly monounsaturated (10 g)and polyunsaturated (2-3 g) which is good. 

- Kim Fielding

White Beans with Roasted Tomatoes and Fresh Basil

Using cooked white beans from a post in March, we liven them up for yet another meal!

When you prepare a one-pound bag of dried beans, get ready for left-overs.  This version using white beans is delicious.  Pair this recipe with grilled meats or by themselves with a big greens salad for a vegan meal.  The beans are my variation of a terrific recipe found on epicurious.com from Gourmet Magazine, June 2004.

Prep time:  10 minutes                                         Cook time:  45 minutes
Serves:  6

One-half recipe of Basic White Beans, cooked, using our blog recipe from March 2013
1 basket small tomatoes, sliced in half
Several Roma tomatoes, sliced in half or quarters if large
Olive oil
Sugar
Salt and pepper
Fresh basil

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Place tomatoes cut-side up on a baking sheet and toss with olive oil to coat the pan and the vegetables.  I like to use my hands to make sure each tomato is oiled and the pan is too.  Sprinkle tomatoes with sugar, salt and pepper.  Bake for 20 minutes.  Remove the smaller tomatoes to a plate and reserve.  Add more olive oil to pan if it looks like it is dry (be generous) and make sure larger tomatoes aren't sticking.

Rotate pan and bake another 20 minutes or until tomatoes are softened and glazed.

Cut larger tomato pieces into bite-size pieces and add all cooked tomatoes to the cooked beans.  Scrape oil and tomato drippings from pan into beans.  If there are burned bits, avoid adding them to the mix.  Slice 1/4 cup basil leaves into slivers and add to the bean/tomato mixture.  Save some leaves to serve on top.  Season to taste with salt and pepper and serve.

Nutrition from this dish is awesome:  Each 1/2-cup serving offers 11 grams fiber, 9 grams protein, 33% of your daily requirement for iron, and only 180 calories. 

- Kim Fielding

Left-Over Asparagus Couscous Pilaf

Yesterday's side dish is this day's glory!

Pilaf is traditionally a thin wheat noodle combined with rice.  Remember Rice-A-Roni?  This is a modern take on that idea:  pasta (whole grain Israeli couscous) combined with rice (in this case brown rice) and added vegetables and optional nuts.  Chicken or vegetable broth may be added as needed to moisten the mix.

Asparagus couscous is great for reinventing left-overs.  Using the asparagus couscous recipe in our previous blog, simply add cooked brown rice (perhaps another left-over?), toasted (or not) almond slices, sunflower seeds, and other vegetables as you like.  Cooked shredded carrots and zucchini, broccoli florets, and cauliflower florets, make this a multi-seasonal option.  Reheat gently and stir thoroughly to meld flavors.

Enjoy and experiment.   P.S.  Israeli couscous is the size of a small pellet.  Regular couscous is a much finer pasta.

- Kim Fielding

Israeli Couscous with Asparagus

What do you do with left-over asparagus stems?

When you trim asparagus for preparation, you snap it.  In other words, you bend the stem until it snaps at the point where the tender parts meet the woody parts.  Most people toss the asparagus bottoms into the compost pile but the woody parts are still usable and yummy.  They make a delicious stock if you are venturesome.  We like to slice and saute them to be added to whatever grain we are making that day.

Prep time:  5 minutes                             Cook time:  20 minutes
Serves:  6

2 tablespoons olive oil, or 1 tablespoon olive oil and 1 tablespoon butter
1 leek or shallot, chopped finely
Asparagus stems from one bunch, sliced
3 cups whole wheat Israeli couscous, cooked according to directions
Chicken broth, vegetable broth, or water as needed to moisten
Salt and pepper to taste

Heat the oil in a skillet and saute the leek or shallot for about 30 seconds.  Add the asparagus stems and cook until tender.

Add the cooked couscous to the pan.  Stir thoroughly then season with salt and pepper to taste.  Moisture can be added at this point but it usually isn't needed.

An easy one-pot side dish.  Add cubed tofu to make this a meal.

That's it.  I sure love easy to prepare dishes! 

Calories and nutrition for asparagus couscous: 1/2 generous cup serving offers approximately 135 calories, 3-1/2 grams protein, and almost 2 grams fiber.  This recipe rocks with a full complement of selenium (for your eyes and metabolism) and about 10% RDA for iron.

Selenium is found in grains, nuts (Brazil nuts big time), freshwater fish, lean beef and poultry.  As a micro-element, it is only needed in small quantities for our daily functioning.

- Kim Fielding

Thanksgiving Turkey Pizza (!)

This looks like it could be a dessert!

With four adult men in house for the holiday, finding uses for left-over turkey isn't usually our problem.  Turkey sandwiches with Swiss cheese on toasted sourdough is hubby's favorite.  And, reheating supper side-dishes the following night gives the cook a break.  This year, though, Son #1 was inspired to make something different.  He came up with this surprisingly delicious and super simple pizza.

serves:  2-3
prep and cook time:  25 minutes

1 package pre-made fresh pizza dough (Garlic and Herb is always good)
Marinara sauce
Mozzarella cheese, shredded
Left-over turkey, shredded
Left-over stuffing, about 1 cup packed
Left-over cranberry sauce
Sliced mushrooms

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees.

Spray a baking sheet with Pam and dust with flour.  Shake out the excess.

Press out the pizza dough into a rough rectangle or oval shape about 8x12 inches and place on the baking sheet.  Spread a thin layer of marina sauce over the dough.  Sprinkle about 1/2 cup mozzarella cheese over the sauce.  Layer on left-over turkey to cover the pizza.  Sprinkle the stuffing over the turkey.  (Not too much though).  Layer on some sliced mushrooms.  Drizzle cranberry sauce over all.  Finally, sprinkle another 1/2 cup or so of mozzarella to finish.

Bake for 18 minutes* or until cheese is melted and crust is crisp.  Remove from oven and slice into squares. 

The sweetness of the cranberry sauce counters the savory stuffing
and goes well with the mild cheese

* This pizza was baked in the mountains at 7000 feet.  Sometimes things take longer to cook up here so watch the timing if you are at a lower elevation.

- Kim Fielding

Refreshing Cold Rice Salad for Summer

Left-over rice creates a delightful cold grain salad when paired
with vegetables and herbs. .

We eat brown rice all the time.  I always cook way too much and then try to pawn it off as left-overs for lunch the next day or two.  But this is the thing... it is like pasta in its ability to morph into salads or other side dishes for future meals.  I am learning with son #3 that we can make Giada's rice balls with cheese filling, fold it into stews and sautees, and just serve it with veggies dumped on top.  Gluten-free friends love rice and I appreciate the opportunity to discover the diversity that this grain has to offer when my pals come over.  This one is a winner.  Another bonus for the chef, this is wonderful if made early in the day so all the flavors have a chance to meld. 

Serves:  8      
Prep and cook time:  10 minutes if using left-over rice or one hour using fresh cooked rice

2 cups brown rice, cooked and cooled
1/2 cup cherry or grape tomatoes, quartered
1/4 cup red onion, minced
1/4 cup yellow pepper, chopped
1/4 cup fresh basil, coarsely chopped
1/4 cup fresh Italian parsley, coarsely chopped

Dressing:
1/3 - 1/2 cup olive oil
3 tablespoons champagne vinegar or other sweet vinegar
dash of salt
several grinds of black pepper

Make sure your bowl is big enough to toss all the fresh herbs
and vegetables together.

Place cold rice in a bowl and add the tomatoes, red onion, yellow pepper, basil, and parsley.  Combine the dressing ingredients in a jar with a lid and shake to emulsify.  Add just enough dressing to moisten the salad and toss well before serving.

Nutrition count:  For a non-meat option, this side dish packs a punch.  Each serving comes in at almost 2 grams each of protein and fiber and with 140 calories.  It is also loaded with mostly monounsaturated fats.  For the micronutrient breakdown, this meets a quarter of your manganese needs for the day. 

Manganese is a trace mineral.  What this means is that it is necessary to our health, and our body uses it in small but vital amounts.  Taking manganese in through healthy eating is the best way to ingest it.  Deficiencies are rare because this element is readily available in nuts, whole grains, leafy vegetables, and tea.  It functions as a cofactor for enzymes involved in bone formation and various metabolic processes.

- Kim Fielding