I recently heard New York Times food columnist Melissa Clark on The Leonard Lopate Show on WNYC. She did an awesome segment on how to make delicious, creative lunches out of your leftovers and fielded questions that listeners called in with. I don’t pack my lunch right now as often as I used to since I work from home most days, but I still got a lot out of her tips and ideas, inspiring me to make a lovely stir-fry dinner that was just as good—if not better—eaten for lunch the next day.
One thing I love about stir-fry is how adaptable it is. Like a favorite pair of dark-wash jeans, you can dress it up or down. Okay, time for me to get into lame metaphor territory. Here’s the recipe:
Ingredients:
- 1 tsp coconut oil (more if your skillet isn’t non-stick)
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 thumb-sized piece of fresh ginger, minced
- 2 cups shredded cabbage
- 1 container sliced white or shiitake mushrooms (1 lb?)
- asparagus spears, sliced into small pieces
- red pepper flakes to taste
- 1 cup cooked brown rice
- cooked tempeh (optional, but a great source of protein if you don’t want/have any chicken, egg, tofu, edamame, shrimp, etc)
- lower-sodium soy sauce to taste
- 1/2-1 tsp sesame oil (optional)
Directions:
- Heat oil in a non-stick skillet over medium heat. Add garlic and ginger. Cook a few minutes, until fragrant.
- Add cabbage and asparagus. Cook until cabbage begins to soften and add mushrooms.
- Cook until mushrooms are soft. Add red pepper flakes and stir.
- Stir in tempeh and rice. Season with soy sauce and sesame oil (if using)
This recipe was posted as part of the Weekend Kitchen Creations link party. Stop by to check out what other bloggers are cooking this weekend!
Do you like leftovers for lunch? What are some of your favorite foods to eat again the next day?