Cleaning out the fridge

All week I’ve been trying to incorporate leftovers into the things I make (the honey balsamic onions are a great example – they apparently go with everything!) and today I decided to specifically target the items still left in my fridge.

For breakfast, I threw some butter in a pan with sliced baby tomatoes and cooked them until they were almost mushy. Then I scrambled 3 eggs and added them to the pan as well. Next came some fresh basil, and finally  some feta cheese. I opted to fold mine and cook it until it was golden brown, but I could have easily turned it into a frittata. Next time, I think I might need more egg because the tomatoes were a bit thick. I paired this omelet with the rest of my Fage yogurt with honey and a fruit cup. And a glass of vanilla soy milk. Yumm. I don’t have a picture for you because by the time I was done, I was so hungry that it was all I could do to put it on a couple of plates for the fiancé and I before I dived in. I seriously wanted to just eat it out of the pan.

Roasted cherry tomatoes should be their own food group. They really are just that good. I got the big container that I’m trying to finish, so I’ve been putting them on everything, including my shrimp risotto tonight. Also starring in the risotto was the ice pack from my lunch box, which I will miss dearly because it fit the pouch so perfectly. (For those of you who aren’t following me on facebook, I’m taking about a box of green giant frozen peas. See picture below). 

Best ice pack ever!

I’ve never made risotto that didn’t come from a box, so this was definitely an adventure. For those who don't know, risotto is made by putting arborio rice in a pot with butter and then adding simmering water/chicken broth/any kind of stock into the pot in 1/2 or 1 cup intervals until the rice puffs up and gets thick. The creaminess most people think is cream is really broth and cheese (usually parmesan). It usually has butter, onions, some sort of broth, dry white wine, rice, and cheese. I didn’t have any white wine handy (as a general rule, I don’t drink, although I have been known to make an exception) so I used lemon instead. I googled and apparently the acidity of the lemon does the same (or a similar) thing as the white wine. Risotto can be tough because it requires constant vigilance, but once I realized that no, I couldn't walk away and play on my computer, the cooking went fine. I used veggie stock and it was really flavorful. I just chucked my shrimp and peas in at the end, though I'd probably use less peas if I make it again. Here are a few pictures:

First pass with the veggie broth

Almost done cooking!

Ready to eat :)

Close-up in the bowl

Overall, I'd call today a success! 

My fridge is mostly clear and I feel like I've accomplished something this week. The worst part of my old eating style was the wasted food. I don't even know how much food I've wasted over the last few years, and I honestly don't want to know. This week was different not only because I cooked everyday, but because I went to the grocery store with set meals in mind and actually used the ingredients I planned on. I was also way more excited about eating this week than I've been in a long time.

And so, the official tally of the food I finished off today:

• meringue cookies
• cherry tomatoes
• frozen peas
• Fage greek yogurt
• elephant garlic
• veggie broth
• lemon
• veggie stix
• feta cheese
• hummus (finally!!!)
• one of the focaccia (if you make it, dip it in olive oil with parmesan cheese…it’s amazinggg)

Here are a couple of other things I made in the last few days in an effort to get them out of my pantry:

• Home-made croutons:
  
  I had chibatta bread that was on the way out, so I cubed it and toasted it in a frying pan with a bit of olive oil and garlic. I ate them with my hummus today and they definitely had more texture and flavor than crackers.

• Lemon-feta chicken with leftover green beans and balsamic:
  
  I pan-roasted the chicken pieces in garlic,  olive oil, fresh lemon juice, and feta cheese. I think I used too much olive oil at first because the chicken wasn't browning, but once the garlic turned golden brown and some of the oil burned off, it got a nice color. I added feta cheese to both dishes to kick up the flavor a little more. The fiance really liked the cheese, although I think his favorite part is still the balsamic - he's been putting it on everything lately, including his chicken!

Isn't it perdy?

A couple who eats together, stays together :)

Now off to the grocery store tomorrow to stock up and do this all over again!