Eggs give dinner leftovers a lift off!

In an age of short cuts, food hacks and quick meal prep, it’s handy to know that by adding one simple ingredient to tonight’s leftovers you could have an entirely new meal for another night. We’re talking about eggs, and the magic wand they wave to transform dull leftovers into dream dinners!

Repurposing leftovers with eggs is the quickest, easiest way to get dinner on the table in a flash – either as is or zhooshed up with a few other additions to make a whole new meal.

So, why eggs? Well, they’re a family-friendly source of protein that’s affordable, easy to source and easy to store, even during loadshedding. Eggs contain 7 grams of protein per one large egg and, gram for gram, are more cost-effective than other fresh protein sources.

Best of all, they’re effortless to cook up into delicious meals, and when paired with leftovers, provide substantial, filling meals that are super convenient too. That’s exactly what we want to hear when dinnertime rolls around!

If you need a few other reasons to use your leftovers (and not leave them sitting at the back of the fridge in a Tupperware) then consider that they reduce food waste, save you time and money on meal planning, and promote sustainability.

Now, before you say the kids won’t eat the same meal twice in one week, you can freeze your leftovers to be used for dinner next week. They’ll never know, and you’ll save yourself an hour in the kitchen!

Just remember leftovers in the freezer should be used within one month of cooking and in the fridge, within two to three days of cooking. When reheating your leftovers, make sure to heat them thoroughly, all the way through.

Don’t forget to add eggs to amp up the protein value of your super-duper, budget-beating, time-saving leftovers meals.

This month we’re combining eggs with leftover braai meat for a tasty Thai salad and with leftover chicken for a new spin on the classic Caesar salad.

The options are really endless when it comes to using up bits from yesterday’s lunch or last night’s dinner. So be brave, be bold and give your leftovers a lift off with eggs.

Like EGGcellentFood on Facebook and follow us on Instagram eggcellentfoodsa, for further information and recipes visit www.sapoultry.co.za

Braaied Meat and Soft-Boiled Egg Thai Salad

Serves 4
Preparation time: 10 minutes
Cooking time: 10 minutes
Cost per recipe: Serves 4 for under R100

Ingredients:

• 4 eggs
• Salt and pepper
• 2 handfuls rocket
• 500 ml (2 cups) leftover braaied meat, sliced
• 2 cooked corn cobs, kernels cut off
• 1 spring onion, thinly sliced
• 60 ml (¼ cup) peanuts
• 1 chilli, thinly sliced (optional)
• Asian salad dressing, to serve

Method:

1. Place the eggs in a medium saucepan and cover with cold water. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 5 minutes. Drain and cool under cold running water. Peel the shells off. Cut in half.  Season with salt and pepper.
2. Arrange the rocket, meat, corn and onion on a platter. Scatter with peanuts and chilli (optional). Serve with the dressing.

Tip:

• Older eggs are easier to peel than fresh eggs. Buy your eggs at least a week ahead if you plan on making boiled eggs.

Leftover Chicken and Egg Salad Cups 

Serves 4 for R100
Preparation time: 10 minutes
Cooking time: 10 minutes

Ingredients:

• 4 eggs
• Salt and pepper
• 3 heads baby gem lettuce, broken into leaves
• 500 ml (2 cups) leftover roast or grilled chicken, shredded
• 1 small red onion, thinly sliced
• 125 ml (½ cup) white cheddar, finely grated
• Caesar salad dressing, to serve

Method:

1. Place the eggs in a medium saucepan and cover with cold water. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 10 minutes for hard boiled eggs. Drain and cool under cold running water. Peel the shells off. Cut into wedges. Season with salt and pepper.
2. Divide the lettuce between 4 serving plates and divide the chicken, egg, onion and cheddar between the cups. Serve with the dressing.

Tip:

• Older eggs are easier to peel than fresh eggs. Buy your eggs at least a week ahead if you plan on making boiled eggs.

Variations:

• White cheddar can be replaced with normal cheddar. Use butter lettuce or the smaller, inner leaves of iceberg lettuce instead of baby gem lettuce.