I hate wasting food. I am a proud member of the “Clean Plate Club”, and save any and all leftovers when we go out to eat (yes, even the relishes that come with a hamburger). My husband gets a chuckle when I save even 1/4 cup of leftovers. And why not? With some creativity and experimentation, you can create some tasty, economical meals from left-overs.

Many nights, I peek into my refrigerator, see what morsels of food I have, and try to concoct something yummy. Thankfully, I have a husband that will eat most anything without complaint. (Love you, hunny!)
For tonight’s dinner, I had a few baby carrots and 2 small peppers left over from a veggie tray, tuna that was purchased with coupons for little money, mustard left over from a Christmas Hickory Farm gift, 1/2 of an apple (the other half had a soft bruise — throw that away and use the good part), and 2 end pieces from a loaf of wheat bread.

wesual-click-hcdx1zvqj6y-unsplash-1random%

I have a Salad Shooter and love it. I’m not sure they even make them anymore, but if you can find one, buy it. The peppers, carrots, bread, and the peeled apple went into the Shooter and using the grater attachment, everything shredded in just a few minutes. I added an egg, the mustard, and tuna. (Save the tuna juice for a special treat for your kitties.)

Shape into patties. This made about 5 patties, and I didn’t need to add any more moisture, but you could add some mayonnaise if necessary.

Bake at 350 degrees for 20-30 minutes on a lightly sprayed pan, or you could probably pan saute.

In the meantime, I made a simple dill sauce using a tablespoon of butter, a tablespoon of flour, 1/2 cup of fat-free milk (this is a good way to use slightly sour milk), and a tablespoon of dried dill. Cook on low until thickened.

I steamed the last of the vegetables from my leftover veggie tray for a side dish. And voila! Dinner that’s cheap, healthy, and low fat.

carol-signature-32-3random%