University of Nebraska Cooperative Extension in Lancaster County
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Helping you prepare healthy foods in a hurry
Alice Henneman, MS, Registered Dietitian and Extension Educator
University of Nebraska Cooperative Extension in Lancaster County

 

Making A Meal With What's On Hand

Dear CIQ:
I'm tired of buying ingredients for which I use only part of the food in a recipe. Usually, I end up tossing the remaining portion of the package a couple of months later. Is there any way around this?

Think of a cookbook as not just 100 recipes, but 100 starters leading to 1,000's of meals advises an article in "Tastings," a publication of the Food and Culinary professionals practice group of the American Dietetic Association.

The article recommends that you feel free to move off the beaten path if a recipe requires ingredients you don't have on hand. Here are some examples to spark your imagination:

  • Want to make sandwiches, but you've just eaten your last slice of bread? Use tortillas, pita bread, rolls or focaccia instead.

  • Feel like pasta, but you're missing the pasta sauce? Try topping your pasta with chili soup or a favorite soup you may have on hand. (NOTE: for some soups, you may wish to add less liquid so they make a thicker sauce.)

  • No ingredients for a meat marinade? Marinate the meat with your favorite vinegar and oil salad dressing.

  • Need a side dish for your meat and you're completely out of vegetables? Try sliced, sautéed fruit, such as apples or mangoes.

  • What if there's no wine to add to a sauce? Perhaps beer or fruit preserves might work equally well.

 

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Developed By:

Alice C. Henneman, MS, RD
Extension Educator
University of Nebraska
Cooperative Extension in Lancaster County

Fax: (402) 441-7148
Phone: (402) 441-7180
E-Mail: ahenneman1@unl.edu
Web site: lancaster.unl.edu/food

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For more information about preparing healthy meals, contact your local University of Nebraska Cooperative Extension Office; for the location of the office nearest you, click here. For a listing of Cooperative Extension Offices throughout the United States, click here.

Address: 444 Cherrycreek Road, Lincoln, NE 68528-1507, Phone: 402-441-7180

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