I always like to do my groceries for a few days in advance. This means my fridge and pantry are always a little too filled up with food, and I never get the feeling I shop ‘smart’ because I always end up with a secret zucchini or a bell pepper without remembering why I bought it. It doesn’t help that I sometimes decide to eat at a friends place or decide to suddenly change dinners and make something else. These vegetables have that stay inside my fridge or pantry have a few things in common. I completely forgot about them, I have no idea why I bought them and I really want to eat them!
I shop a few days ahead and make a list of things I want to make, because it makes me feel like I am a grown-up when I do that, but more importantly I save money! I love grocery shopping and finding interesting new products and exploring small shops in tiny Chinatown (near central station in Copenhagen) or the vegetable shops (near Nørrebro station in Copenhagen). This means that every time I go out and look at food, I will buy food. It means I can cook a lot, which I really like! but like these leftover veggies sometimes I shop and cook more than I can eat.
Luckily I now understand that I do this. While an easy solution could be, stick to what you write on your list and don’t buy extra stuff, it just doesn’t seem to work for me. So I eat leftover dinners for lunch a few times a week and I just buy enough food for four days, which will usually last me up to seven. Sometimes it works, and other times I will happily go to the store again to buy some extra food.
One recipe that I love to make with my forgotten leftover veggies is a sort of minestrone soup. I use a bunch of different vegetables to fill it up, but I always add some kale or bok choy and lima beans. I suggest you make this soup, keeping mind that you can always add other vegetables as well.
Minestrone soup
Coconut or olive oil
2 celeries
3 carrots
1 bell pepper
2 tomatoes
½ zucchini
½ onion
1 clove garlic
Handful of kale
240 gram white lima beans
As much broth until the veggies are completely covered (but not more)
Slice all the vegetables. Add the oil to a soup pan and add the onion. On low heat bake the onion for 4 minutes, add garlic, celeries, carrots and zucchini and bake another 4 minutes. Add the bell pepper and the tomatoes and bake another 3 minutes. Then add the lima beans, broth and kale. Simmer for 10 minutes and stir occasionally. Check after 10 minutes if there is enough broth to cover the vegetables, add more if necessary, and simmer for another 20 minutes.
I like to top this soup with some Parmesan or some fresh pesto and eat it with a slice of bread.
#soup #minestrone #veggies #vegetable #carrots #lima #kale #bokchoy #zucchini #tomatoes #pepper