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5 ways to use up your leftovers: lemons, celery and more

By Carolyn Malcoun, April 14, 2010 - 5:25pm

Carolyn asks: What leftover ingredient do you want ideas for?

COMMENTS	POSTED
I want ideas for broccoli! — michelle_7	04/15/2010 - 10:38am
Leftover broccoli goes great with pasta. — Anonymous	04/15/2010 - 10:44pm
Tomato Paste: After I open the can and use what I need in a recipe, I then measure the rest, in tablespoon, onto an aluminum foil/release brand. Put into the freezer, once frozen, take off the foil and place into a plastic bag for future use. Freezes great! Parsley and Cilantro: I bring home a bunch of either, wash, spin, then break off full stems. Chop via hand or food processor. Place into ice cube trays, fill the trays with water and freeze. Once frozen, place into plastic bags. I always have a cube of fresh herbs to use in my recipes. — Anonymous	04/15/2010 - 11:06pm
Great idea. Don't let any of those veggie flavors or nutrients go to waste! James Reno Raw-Food-Repair.com — Anonymous	04/18/2010 - 9:43pm
I heard that you can also freeze tomato paste in the can, and then just slice it like sausage every time you need it. Coconut milk is one thing that always haunted me once I used 2 tbsp or whatever. So, I bought dry powder instead. I generally have troubles with canned stuff, like corn, peas or tomatoes, though tomatoes I now mix with frozen shrimp and it makes for a nice lunch. If there is a tbsp or so of fresh salsa left, that's even better. Leftover buttermilk for something that doesn't have flour or pasta in it. 1/2 pkg of cream cheese (have that great savoury spinach cheesecake recipe, it calls for 1.5 creamcheese pkgs. I usualy buy by three and we have two cakes in a row, but huh, maybe I can have something made from 0.5 pkg of cream cheese?) I have made quark, and then got sick, and now leaving on vacation. I am wondering if I can freeze that? — Anonymous	04/20/2010 - 5:09pm
Egg yolks — Anonymous	04/20/2010 - 6:22pm
Chicken stock, leeks, ricotta cheese, cooked pasta or rice — Anonymous	04/20/2010 - 6:28pm
DON'T wrap your leftover lemon if you want it to last until you get around to using it up. It will dry out a little, but that is better than getting moldy. Leftover lemon can be squeezed on salad, fish, in tea, etc. Or freeze a little juice in ice cube trays. Then store it in a freezer bag. — Anonymous	04/21/2010 - 5:55am
I am so tired (and so is my husband) of having to make a stew every time I need to use up leftover vegetables. I wish there was something else to do with them than a soup or stew. — Anonymous	04/21/2010 - 10:28am
I save my leftover veggies (celery that has wilted, the 1/4 left of a bunch of parsley, two limp carrots - you get the idea) and make my "cleaning out the crisper" soup stock - throw in some peppercorns and a few other random crisper "renegades" and you've got yourself a great veggie stock to use or freeze . . . and if you have a leftover rotisserie chicken carcass hanging around from last night's dinner, even better, because now you've got homemade chicken stock for soup and countless other uses. I freeze in ice cube trays for easy measuring (8 cubes = about a cup) and keep in a plastic zip-top gallon freezer bag. Another tip for "soft" fruit - cut up and keep in freezer in little zip baggies - great for when you want to whip up a frozen smoothie! Just add a little juice and yogurt and you're good to go! Kids love it! (Big kids, too.) Something a little soft or with a bruise won't show when it's chopped up - and you get a great ripe, intense flavor. Tag, you're it - any help with leftover avocado (besides guac?) — kathleen	04/21/2010 - 11:35am