photo from Magnific

by Reed Mangels, PhD, RD

When you open your refrigerator, do you see containers with left-over beans, vegetables, grains, and/or tofu? What about the produce drawer? Are there odds and ends of carrots or peppers or winter squash or tomatoes?

One of my favorite ways to creatively use up leftovers was inspired by a recipe called Gimme Chimis in Dreena Burton’s vegan cookbook Eat, Drink, and Be Vegan. I’ve seen chimichangas described as “deep-fried burritos” which is not what this is, so I won’t call it a chimichanga. Rather, it’s a tortilla filled with whatever left-overs you choose, spiced to taste, and pan-fried in a little olive oil (or other vegetable oil).

Here’s the basic idea:

Fill 6 whole-wheat (preferably) flour tortillas, about 8 inches in diameter, with about 4 to 4½ cups of left-over vegetables, canned or cooked beans or tofu, fresh vegetables, and spices and pan fry until crispy. Serve topped with salsa, guacamole, gravy, cheese sauce, or other sauce of your choice or eat plain.

For instance, if I have half of an onion, a tomato, some corn, and some sprigs of cilantro in the refrigerator needing to be used, I might rinse and drain a can of pinto beans and thaw some frozen chopped peppers. Cook the diced onions in a little oil or water along with a couple of cloves of garlic, chopped (if you have that; if not, sprinkle in some garlic powder), and the thawed peppers. Once the onion is translucent, stir in the corn, chopped tomatoes, chopped cilantro, beans, and some chili powder and cumin to taste. You should have about 4 cups of filling. Once everything is heated, place about ¾ cup of well-drained filling on the center of each tortilla. Fold in all 4 sides over the filling. Heat a skillet over medium heat and add 1 Tablespoon of olive oil (or spray with cooking spray). Place as many filled tortillas as will fit in the pan, seam-side down. Cook for 2-3 minutes or until browned and then flip and cook another 2-3 minutes. Repeat until all filled tortillas are cooked. Top with salsa.

Here are some more filling ideas:

• A can of black beans, drained and rinsed; left-over cubes of roasted winter squash or sweet potatoes; left-over canned diced tomatoes, well-drained; onion; garlic. Season with chipotle powder and oregano.
• Left-over baked tofu in thin strips or cubes; sautéed shredded cabbage, carrots, and onions; grated ginger. Season with soy sauce. These could be topped with Hoisin sauce.
• Left-over roasted zucchini or summer squash, cut into small pieces; roasted red pepper strips; chopped olives; a can of cannellini beans, drained and rinsed; leftover pasta sauce (use lightly so mixture isn’t soupy), sprinkle with vegan cheese shreds if desired. Top with more pasta sauce.
• Left-over cooked, drained lentils; leftover roasted cauliflower, chopped into bite-size pieces; left-over canned, diced tomatoes, well-drained; grated ginger. Season with curry powder to taste. Serve with chutney.
• Left-over roasted potatoes, cubed; baked tofu or tempeh; onion; left-over roasted broccoli. Season with vegan barbecue sauce and use extra barbecue sauce as a topping.

If you can only find larger or smaller tortillas, simply adjust the amount of filling so that the tortillas are filled but the filling is not leaking out. If you have extra filling, it can be eaten over rice or pasta or another left-over grain. Oh, be sure the filling is well-drained; otherwise, it will make the tortilla soggy instead of crispy.