Tonight for dinner pull out that limp leftover carrot, grab a bruised tomato, hunt in the back of your fridge for any expired items, and don’t forget that inch of wine still in the bottle. If you are searching for a way to reduce your monthly food costs, prepare quick and healthy meals and help to save the planet, become a SCRAPPY CHEF!
Leslie Lampert, proprietor of Love Hospitality and Ladle of Love in Bronxville, has created The Scrappy Chef series. “The series will help you transform the food you trash into delicious, healthy meals.” said Leslie. With helpful instruction on how to cook using back-of-the-fridge forgotten food, gently-expired items, and leftovers, THE SCRAPPY CHEF series will show you how to save the planet, while saving time and money. “Forty percent of our food supply is wasted and that equates to more than 1.3 billion tons of garbage which cause greenhouse gas emissions that pollute our environment and create staggering economic loses,” said Leslie.
Leslie is sharing her food vision with live demonstrations throughout New York. On October 18th Leslie will demo a Scrappy Chef menu during AN EVENING IN GOOD TASTE which will celebrate 30 years of Feeding Westchester. Guests will enjoy an extraordinary culinary experience of chef specialties from over 30 of Westchester’s best restaurants. The event will be held at 1133 Westchester Avenue in White Plains from 5:30-9:00 pm.
Leslie is also busy raiding the fridges of her clients, friends and family. Recently, she made Scrappy Paella at the Mount Kisco Child Care Center for their Feed Me Fresh event at Ivana Farms in Bedford Corners. She used only fridge scraps and pantry items including quinoa, brown rice, arborio, red peppers, zucchini, canned tomatoes and shallots. Scrumptious!
While visiting her sister, Leslie volunteered to make them a surprise Scrappy Lunch. She pulled out all the veggies from the fridge that were old(ish) and then made a vinaigrette from grainy mustard, Dijon mustard, lemon juice, white wine vinegar, honey, and olive oil. No food waste, cost effective and delicious!
When a family in Bedford called Leslie to create a Scrappy Vegan Sunday Luncheon, she grabbed everything leftover in their vegetable crisper: beets, parsnips, and turnips. She roasted the veggies in olive oil, salt and peppers and then tossed them with withered kale and cooked quinoa. The finishing touch was a drizzle of maple-citrus vinaigrette and another Scrappy creation was born.
A Scrappy Stir Fry
“I was challenged to prepare A Scrappy Sunday Dinner without buying a thing! I created a Scrappy Stir Fry by only using the host’s fridge & pantry. The recipe included bits of leftover onion, shallots, garlic (all wrinkly from old age), portobello mushrooms, oldish asparagus with woody stalks removed, sad looking red peppers, bruised zucchini (mushy parts cut out), leftover snap peas, olive oil, and salt and pepper. First I sautéed and then simmered,” explained Leslie.
“I feel privileged to be among the Hudson Valley minds contemplating food insecurities and community access to healthy food,” said Leslie.
FOLLOW LESLIE AT @thescrappychefny
