Last night I hosted New Years Eve dinner, so today meant there were bits and pieces leftover. And what better way to eat a meal than to give leftovers new life.

A big bodacious salad is the easiest way to stick a bunch of goodies into one bowl and have a taste bud party. Growing up we had a no waste rule in our home and we also had no money. There was no Seamless or Uber Eats, so I took what I was taught and crafted my eating and living philosophy around that.

I am not hungover on this first day of the new year, I feel like a champ because we ate like champs. And now I get to relive it all over again. Try to think of that as the benefit of cooking, it's a gift you get to give yourself over and over. Less inconvenience, more pleasure.

Last night's menu included a giant baked ziti (yes, pasta and real cheese and all, health is moderation), onion jam, crostinis, truffle ricotta, figs, dates, apricots, spiced almonds, roasted garlic, mesclun and a spicy breadcrumb roasted cauliflower.

Taking last night's mesclun greens I mixed with pomegranates, leftover cauliflower, spiced almonds for crunch, pecorino shards for salt, ricotta and a gooey yolk for creaminess - this salad not only utilized everything I had on my table last night - but it hits all flavor notes to make a satisfying and balanced meal at home!

How can you make a few things this week to eat all week long? To make some choices that feel good for your body?

I've got some leftover sauce, more odds and ends from dinner - an eggplant, spaghetti and butternut squash in the fridge. Let's see what else happens this week!

Get cookin' and show yourself some love!

XO

The Leftover Diaries