creativity w leftovers

i hate throwing out leftovers. maybe this is a result of my disorder, since i now take care in the foods that i eat, but for whatever reason, this means there needs to be some creativity involved to use up what would otherwise go bad. i still don't use up everything... fresh herbs are just hard to use up, boxed soups when i eat 2/3 of the box, perishable things like tabouli (i got through at least 3/4 of the last container), etc. also i've learned what products keep past their date (unopened yogurt--a couple weeks, eggs--3 weeks, etc.) and i've started freezing things that might otherwise get tossed (i froze 2 servings of deli roast beef after the package had been opened 2 days, separated in wax paper for easy thawing later).

i saw the excess bell pepper in my fridge this morning, and popped 1/2 of one in my toaster oven while i showered. by the time i was done, the pepper was nicely roasted, and i threw it in a paper lunchbag for a few minutes so that i could pull the skin off easily. this took all of 2 minutes.

i had cooked the other 1/2 of the sweet potato yesterday (when making fries), so i packed that for lunch, cut into strips. yum, sweet potato is good cold. and made a sandwich with the red pepper, and some seasoned goat cheese i bought (while sick, i might add-- it looked good and was dated march so i figured if i couldn't have it then i could have it when i was better).

roasted red pepper and "confetti" celebrity dairy goat cheese sandwich, cut up sweet potato
** 3 starch, 1 dairy, 1 veg **

and the snacks:

morning snack - wallaby pear yogurt (my favorite flavor)
afternoon snack - kashi 7-grain crackers with a slice of monterey jack (packed for friday's lunch but never eaten )
** 1 dairy / 1 starch, 1 dairy **

i often lose my hunger by the time i'm finished packing my food, but i really enjoy sitting down to breakfast without having to think about dealing with it later. so it's a compromise. i made a fun breakfast:

flax waffles, one with a tiny bit of apple butter, the other with a T almond butter, and a handful of carob chips (no idea what posessed me to buy these - i bought $.60 worth at the bulk section of whole foods because i was curious), plus strawberries
** 2.5 starch, 1 protein, 1 other, 1 fruit **

the carob chips were yummy-- definitely a different flavor than chocolate-- and they melted into the hot waffle