Recipe: Veggies’ Last Chance

This recipe is brought to you as a favorite of Reset & Rebalance participants. A recipe geared towards using up those leftover vegetables (hence the name, veggies’ last chance!) before they go bad is pure genius, really, but you can also use this recipe as a template for trying out new and different produce! The versatility of combinations and flavors means this recipe is really more of a template. So, each time you make it, the end result will be slightly different.

Our pro tip is to always chop your veggies to similar sizes and cook your firm, dry veggies first, as they’ll take the longest to soften. Add your tender veggies toward the end of cooking so they keep their shape. While we’ve included many options for variety in the “Swaps” section of the recipe already, feel free to swap in another protein of your choice for the chicken breast, such as boneless pork chops, shrimp, or cubed tempeh, and adjust the cooking steps accordingly.

We hope you’ll love the flexibility of this recipe and be inspired to mix-and-match your ingredients and flavor pairings for endless possibilities in the meals to come!

Veggies’ Last Chance

Serves 2

Ingredients:

• 1 C rice or 2 servings of noodles, prepared according to package directions
• 2 Tbsp olive oil
• Assortment of vegetables, chopped to similar sizes, roughly 3-4 C raw (more with leafy greens, such as kale or spinach)
• 2 chicken breasts, cubed
• 1 C homemade or store-bought sauce/dressing of choice
• Salt and pepper, to taste

Directions:

1. Prepare rice or noodles according to package instructions.
2. Heat olive oil in a large pan on the stovetop over medium-high heat. Add and sauté vegetables in order of which cooks slowest to which cooks quickest.
3. Add the chicken. Cook 5-7 minutes or until internal temperature reaches 165°F.
4. Stir in the sauce of your choosing. Add salt and pepper to taste. Serve warm over rice or noodles.

TIP: Some of our favorite sauces are Thai Peanut or Trader Joe’s Mango Vinaigrette dressing. For a simple and savory stir-fry style meal, just drizzle with Tamari or soy sauce to taste.

Swaps:

• For the rice: cauliflower rice or quinoa
• For the olive oil: avocado oil or nonstick cooking spray
• For the vegetables (listed as slowest to fastest cook time): onions, bell peppers, baby carrots, cherry tomatoes, mushrooms, green beans, eggplant, snow peas, zucchini, broccoli, asparagus, spinach, or kale
• For the chicken: boneless pork chops, shrimp, or cubed tempeh