Frugal Lunch: Leftover Meat Puttanesca

Leftover Meat Puttanesca

The other night we had penne with meat sauce for dinner. There was enough leftovers for a light lunch for one. I somehow had to turn this into a hearty lunch for two. The previous day, I had soaked all my garbanzo beans to cook and freeze for future use (I avoid all canned foods as most cans are lined with toxic bpa which leaches into the food.) I decided to make a puttanesca with whatever I had in the fridge. We enjoyed it so much that I am making it again for tomorrow's lunch with leftover roast chicken. The best part about this recipe is that you can leave out or add in whatever you have or don't have in your kitchen. The garbanzo beans have enough protein to make this a hearty meal even if you don't have any leftover meat. Here is the basic recipe:

Leftover Meat Puttanesca Recipe


1 cup leftover meat (spaghetti sauce w/meat , roast or boiled chicken, can of sardines etc.)
1 cup leftover brown rice pasta or cook up the desired amount of pasta
1 bunch  chopped swiss chard, kale, or mustard greens
1 1/2 cups cooked garbanzo beans
1/2 chopped onion or 1 tsp onion powder
3 cloves garlic or 1 tsp garlic powder
1/2 - 1 cup pasta sauce or chopped tomatoes
1 tsp oregano
1 cup chopped sweet peppers
1/4 tsp crushed red pepper
1/4 cup chopped olives
salt and pepper to taste

Optional:

top with cheddar or mozzarella cheese

Saute the onion, stems from the greens, and garlic until soft. Add sweet peppers and cook for a couple of minutes. Add everything else except olives and heat through. Turn stove off and add the olives and mix. Serve in bowls and top with cheddar or mozzarella cheese.

Creamy Chicken and Vegetable Soup

I've started roasting or boiling a whole chicken every week. I always try and make something new with the leftover chicken. I had made all this chicken broth the other day so I wanted to make a soup but I was craving a creamy soup. So I came up with this creamy chicken soup recipe. My husband said it tasted like pot pie. You can really add whatever vegetable you have on hand. I would have loved to add some celery, spinach, and/or mushrooms if I had some. If you add fresh spinach, add it at the end with the milk. I also made this gluten-free by using potato starch as a thickener. Here is the recipe:

Creamy Chicken and Vegetable Soup Recipe

16 oz homemade chicken broth
4-5 carrots, chopped
1 bag of frozen peas or any frozen vegetables you have on hand
2 sprigs of lemongrass or 1 inch of ginger, grated
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 cups deboned roast chicken
1/2 cup onion, chopped

1/2 tsp black pepper
1/2 tsp himalayan salt
1/2 tsp poultry seasoning
2 cups raw milk (I used soured milk)
3 tbsp potato starch
Brown rice to serve with

Pour chicken broth, chopped carrots, onions, and garlic into pot and bring to boil. Lower heat to simmer and cook for 10 minutes. Add lemongrass or ginger, poultry seasoning, salt, and black pepper. Cook for 10 minutes. In a small bowl mix together 1/2 cup of milk and potato starch. Add the remaining milk to the pot and stir. Add potato starch mixture to the pot and heat until thickened, about 10 minutes.

Serve over brown rice.