Do you have “nothing at home” to cook with? Do you also have little money for food this month?
Minimize the food plot by using the food you already have at home.
Here are some tips for cooking with the ingredients you have at home
If you have “nothing at home”? “Was that what you thought when you stood in front of the fridge staring at all kinds of nothing? Sometimes we get stuck in the mindset that you need specific ingredients to put together a meal. But in all honesty – we’ve all known the satisfaction of having pulled together a soup with nothing, and then realized that it was both cheap and really good, so do not forget the goods that are hidden at the bottom of the pantry, freezer or fridge. Here are some tips on how to think when you open that door next time.
What kind of dry ingredients do you have?
Oatmeal: If you have oatmeal at home you can use it for porridge, oat pancakes, a more delicious smoothie or as muesli with some frozen berries, cinnamon or ginger. You can also use oatmeal instead of breadcrumbs when making steaks.
Rice: Do you have rice? Then you can use it for risotto. You can match a risotto with exactly what you want and have in the refrigerator. Only the imagination sets the limits.
Pasta / rice / bulgur / quinoa: Here you have a good basis for any meal. The carbohydrates are cleared and you just need to find something to add. And we can certainly find that in the fridge or in the freezer.
Flour: All you need for pie dough is flour, butter, and water. If you also have eggs and a splash of milk, cream or cream cheese, you can make a moderate pie with almost anything. You probably have something in the freezer you can use.
Do you really have nothing in the fridge?
Root fruits: Have the carrots or beetroot softened and you feel that they are not so appetizing anymore? What if! There is nothing wrong with them even though they have lost their excitement. Slice up the root vegetables and toss them in the oven, fry them or mix them into a soup so you won’t disturb them from softening.
Cans:The canning jars that have been standing there in the refrigerator for all time. They are for use just on occasions like this. Do you possibly have beans in the hides? Make chili with that rice you found earlier. Throw in beans, water, chili sauce, tomato puree, garlic, onion or whatever else you happen to have at home.
Do you have canned tuna or mackerel? Then you have the basis for a good pasta sauce – or why not a salad?
- Crushed / passed tomatoes: Or by all means tomato puree. It is cheap and it is useful. You can make a tomato sauce for the pasta or use the goods for a good stew. If you have some garlic, yellow onion, eggplant or zucchini, you can get a good vegetarian stew.
- The small cans: Pesto, tapenade, sun-dried tomatoes, olives, capers, jelly are also not to be underestimated. Use them as flavorings in the casserole, as accessories or build a whole dish around them. A splash of cream or cream cheese can be a good vegetarian pasta sauce with a little pesto and olives. And do you have capers you can use it for a good pasta sauce too – maybe you have a tube of horseradish somewhere in the hiding place? Together they become good accessories for that frozen fish that you may have forgotten that you had.
The freezer is often a gold mine
Frozen vegetables: Do you have a bag of peas, spinach, cauliflower or broccoli at the bottom of the freezer? Use spinach or broccoli for a pie or for a pasta sauce. Dare to mix the frozen vegetables and in no time you have a good soup. Do you have a wok bag or small potty pan? Yes, but then you basically have a selection of great dishes to make.
Fish / Meat / Chicken: Do you have a package of salmon fillets? With a little cream or cream cheese, you can easily cook them in the oven to get a good and useful dish that is good with both rice or potatoes. You can use meat and chicken for pasta sauces and stews or simply roast and serve with one of the dry goods and a click of some sauce or stir that you may already have in a bottle in the fridge. If not, it is easy to whip together some good of mayonnaise, cream cheese, cream or sour cream along with flavors such as garlic, spices, tapenade or sun-dried tomatoes.