Waste Not Want Not

Oh broccoli stems, I hate to throw you away, but my children do not like to eat you.  To compost you go, but then I hear a little voice in my head. It's Jan Bruns, my second mom, saying, "Waste not want not," in her Jan Bruns voice and I picture her turning that ketchup bottle upside down to salvage every last drop, before it hits the waste receptacle. So, crunchy green stems you live to see another day!

       

If your kids are like mine, and don't eat their stems and you are like me and enjoy scrambled eggs, save those stems!  I cut off the majority of the stems while prepping our dinner veggie.  Then, using a pairing knife, I peel off a thin layer of the outer skin.  After that, I slice those stems into 1/4 inch discs and throw them in a Tupperware for later.  

One of my favorite breakfasts I treat myself to after seeing the kids off to school, or post work out, when I have a few minutes to myself, is a veggie egg scramble.  These little broccoli stem bites add a little crunch and color to my mommy breakfast.

 I usually sauté up some onions and garlic in olive oil first adding appropriate spices, then toss in the broccoli discs along with whatever other veggies I find in my fridge. Next, I scramble in two eggs and finally a little cheese please.  I finish it off on my plate by topping it off with a dollop of salsa or a nice squirt of Shiracha.  This meal keeps me satisfied throughout my morning, well into the afternoon, but best of all it saves those stems!  Waste not want not people.

Cravings

Every once in a while in get this must have craving for a shawarma, or falafel, or both and can't decide which middle eastern bliss to order once I actually can!  I'm terrible at making decisions and more than not, wind up experiencing obsessive buyer's remorse immediately following said decision, but that's another story.  

The problem is, I am back on topic now btw, while there may be some delicious options on where to feast on these tasty delectables in the Bay Area, they are not right down the street! ...Well, at least not mine.  If you are in the same boat as me regarding the craving of such yumminess and the location of your residence, I would like to share my quick fix.

What You Need:

       

Not pictured, but also included in my home version was red onion.

Where to buy:  Most items above are easily sourced, however this Lavash I found at Safeway and the ready made Tahini Sauce I found at Trader Joes.

How to Prepare:

~Preheat oven to 350

~Mix the Tahini sauce with water to thin it to a consistency which is desirable to you \\  Scoop out the amount needed and do this in a separate bowl or pourable container like a measuring cup.  (I did doctor mine a bit with the lemon and some vinegar, but it is not necessary)

~Take a few romaine leaves at a time and slice them into thin ribbons from the top of the leaves to the bottom \\ At his time, also shave a little purple cabbage off and very thinly slice red onions

~Peel and cut cucumber in half lengthwise as pictured, then thinly slice needed amount 

~Thinly slice ripe tomato and cut slices in half after that

~Pull apart your rotisserie chicken

Next Moves: 

~Mix lettuce, cabbage, red onion with the thinned out tahini sauce \\ drench it

~Very quickly warm up the lavash in the preheated oven

~Assemble \\  Chicken, Drenched slaw, Tomato slices, Cucumber slices, A squiggle of Siracha if you 

like spice

~ Wrap that bitch (you are on your own here!) 

If you are like me, and my craving is also yours, I hope you will try this and let me know if it left you satisfied.  And if not, let's do lunch in Berkeley soon and get the fer realz shit!  Peace out.  I'm suddenly hungry.