Winter is most definitely the season for leftover vegetables in this house. Summer is salads, winter is Tuppaware containers of cabbage, carrots and sprouts waiting in the fridge to be creatively used.
But ‘leftover veg’ and ‘creatively used’ are two concepts that are usually mutually exclusive. I normally give up after vegetable soups and don’t even think about anything more adventurous. And so the veg festers in those Tuppaware containers, meeting a messy mouldy end in the bin.
Food waste is something I really hate yet it’s a habit we can’t seem to get out of. One vow I’ve taken for the Live LAGOM project is that we will cut down on our food waste with the help of more effective storage, meal plans incorporating our leftovers and batch cooking for the freezer. I HATE that so much of our food ends up in the bin so I’m really looking forward to cracking on with this part of the project.
Enter the Leftover Veg Hash!
This recipe is a fantastic one for leftovers. I like it for a quick lunch when I’m working from home as it has everything I need to fuel me for the afternoon – veg, protein, a bit of dairy. It’s also a decent quick tea for the children and is an excellent way to hide veg ;) I serve theirs with baked beans.
Post Christmas I used all our remaining sprouts in this Veg Hash recipe (and had the wind to prove it…) but I also like to make it with cabbage or leeks. I always use sweet potato as I think it’s a great healthy alternative to your usual mash.
I got a poacher for Christmas so I’ve started to poach my egg to pop on top; not much difference in flavour but again, HEALTH!
I serve my hash with cucumber Raita as I enjoy the extra taste and saucyness (ooer), but this can just as easily be left out.
- 1 sweet potato, peeled and chopped
- Handful sprouts, peeled and prepared
- 1 egg
- 1 tbsp Greek yoghurt
- 1 small chunk cucumber, washed, quartered and chopped
- 1 handful mint, chopped finely
- Begin by cooking your sweet potato in boiling water for around 7-10 minutes, until soft. Drain. Use the same pan to do the same for the sprouts but for around 5 minutes.
- Drain and incorporate the potato and sprouts in the same plan. Mash together well.
- Allow to cool and using your hands form into burger-shaped patties.
- Heat a small amount of oil in a frying pan over a medium heat.
- Cook patties on each side until golden brown, around 4 minutes each.
- Meanwhile, chip cucumber and mint, mix with Greek Yoghurt.
- Poach or fry your egg (if frying I use the same pan)
- Serve. Keep any leftover potato for tomorrow!
