Leftovers
- Susun Weed
- Jan 13
- 3 min read
This week I had the pleasure of interviewing a practitioner of Ayurvedic.
She "laid down the law" to us on eating.
This is what I remember:
Eat only at certain times and never after dark.
No cold drinks.
No leftovers.
If I got it wrong, I know you'll let me know.
I disagree with all those rules.
I took her to task about not eating after dark.
Told her I don't like to eat before teaching.
If I'm giving a talk at 7pm, I'm eating afterwards.
I don't care what time it is.
I'm starved after standing in front of a group for three hours
and keeping them interested in what I'm saying.
I need to eat immediately afterwards.
A full meal.
Your rule is too stiff
Yes, the stomach dislikes cold drinks.
That's why they hydrate us so quickly.
Cold fluids leave the stomach in 10-20 minutes.
Hot liquids take 30-40 minutes.
That's why eating soup at the beginning of a meal is a way to eat less.
The hot fluid in your stomach gives a sense of fullness sooner.
Your rule is not based on how the body operates
But I really take issue with her about leftovers.
Perhaps if you live in a hot climate and have no refrigeration
"No leftovers" makes sense.
But I have a refrigerator (and a freezer).
And you probably do too.
Refrigerated leftovers don't spoil.
Perhaps if you always cook for a crowd,
"No leftovers" makes sense.
But most days I cook for myself
Or for two
Or sometimes for my whole family
All five of us.
Leftovers are normal.
In fact, my diet would be a disaster if not for leftovers.
Most of what I eat is leftovers.
Eating leftovers is:
> Healthier
> Tastier
> An excellent way to eat more vegetables
> Much more convenient
> A way to protect the earth — by using less cooking fuel
> Kinder to women
> Leftovers are Healthier
Amazingly enough, potatoes, rice, and pasta
Convert their starches into friendlier kinds after being chilled.
If you have any problems with diabetes,
It is recommended that you always eat starchy foods as leftovers.
Yes, I cook my potatoes a day before I intend to eat them.
Read more here: Cooling Some Foods After Cooking Increases Their Resistant Starch
.
> Leftovers taste better
Don't open a can of soup,
Make a pot of soup.
And eat it for a week.
The taste gets better and richer, fuller and more satisfying
The older it is.
(Okay to freeze it, but, honestly, even meat soups stay good in the refrigerator for at least 5 days.)
> Leftovers broaden my diet.
Few of us have time to cook four vegetables for dinner every day.
But if I cook one vegetable at a time
And make enough for four days,
I always have four vegetables on my plate.
Last night I looked at my dinner plate
It contained
> Leftover meatloaf
(and there's two more meals still in the fridge)
> Leftover winter squash
(I usually bake two at a time, and that's enough for 3-4 meals)
> Leftover long-cooked carrots and beets
(because they keep so well and provide an easy snack)
(and because I minimize my usage of cooking fuel by cooking a lot at once)
> Leftover brown rice
(We make enough to last at least a week)
> Frozen cooked bitter lettuce
(I put a dozen quarts of cooked lettuce in the freezer this summer.)
(I choose the strong-leaved, bitter varieties to cook.)
> Leftover green beans, sautéed with garlic.
(A pound of beans feeds the two of us 3-4 times.)
> Freshly-made patties of puréed winter squash, frozen corn, seaweed, eggs, and flour.
(I cooked an enormous squash. Puréed it. Mixed up my batter and cooked 48 patties in a little olive oil. Froze the extra patties and the unused puréed squash.)
(It was a huge squash; I could hardly pick it up!)
> Fast food = leftovers.
When Justine was small and we lived alone
We spent Sunday cooking for ourselves.
When we got home from work, from school,
We were often too tired to cook.
So we ate fast food
From our own refrigerator.
(Sometimes cold, from the containers.)
Declaring "no leftovers" is only possible if you
Have a force of women who are willing
And able
To spend their whole lives cooking.
"No leftovers" is a woman-hating rule.
Here's to leftovers.
Make some today.
Eat them tomorrow.
In beauty.
As a giveaway.
Dancing and breathing with the plants.
Heart beating as one with the heartbeat of the earth.
Surrounded by green blessings
Grateful
Joyous
