I always love it when I can repurpose leftovers and feel some level of inspiration for how to use them as ingredients in creating a new meal. The freezer has become a dear friend for me in storing stuff away to use later. Tonight’s dinner was a perfect example: BBQ Sweet Potato Nachos.
About a month ago, I cooked a roast I found on sale at Kroger. After we'd eaten that for dinner, I had some leftover meat—not quite enough for lunch the next day for both my husband and me. Instead of letting it go to waste, I threw the meat into my food processor to shred it, tossed it in barbecue sauce, and stored it in a freezer bag for another time. Tonight turned out to be the perfect moment to use it.
Side note on the bbq sauce- I like Stubbs brand or the Private Selection brand that Kroger carries, personally. They seem healthier to me because they don't contain high fructose corn syrup.
It had been a hectic day with my baby girl struggling with her feeds and reflux, so I needed a quick, easy dinner. I looked at the sweet potato that had been lying on the counter for a few days and remembered the shredded BBQ roast meat waiting in the freezer. Here’s how it all came together:
How I Made It (makes about 4 servings)
Sweet Potato Base: I peeled and then sliced up the sweet potato and laid the slices on a greased cookie sheet. I tossed them with olive oil and then some cumin, garlic powder, onion powder, and salt. I didn't stress about measuring out exact amounts, just kind of sprinkled an amount that felt right to me. Then, I baked them at 400°F for about 15 minutes, flipped the slices, and baked for another 6 minutes until they were starting to crisp up just slightly, but mostly tender.
BBQ Meat: While the sweet potato slices were in the prep process, I set the frozen bag of BBQ meat in a bowl of hot water to thaw.
Veggie Prep: My husband kindly chopped up a red onion and a bell pepper for me.
Assembling the Nachos: Once the sweet potato slices were done, I spread the BBQ meat over them, followed by the chopped onion, bell pepper, a Mexican shredded cheese blend, and some black beans. I also had some chopped cilantro from the fridge that I sprinkled on top.
Final Bake: I popped everything back in the oven for about 10 minutes to let the cheese melt and everything heat through.
Toppings: Once out of the oven, I added some chopped avocado as well.
The Result
It was so good! It had lots of flavor and felt like a tasty way to eat a variety of veggies. This meal came together relatively quickly and was very filling. I love the creativity that comes with using what’s on hand and finding ways to turn leftovers into something special. If you’re looking for a fun, easy dinner idea, give BBQ Sweet Potato Nachos a try!
Do you have any favorite ways to repurpose leftovers? I’d love to hear your ideas!
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