As winter blankets the Netherlands in a chilly wonderland, staying cozy indoors calls for smart cooking. If your fridge and pantry are running low, these recipes turn everyday leftovers into comforting delights—while helping you cut food waste. In fact, 56% of Dutch people aim to waste less food, yet research reveals 40% toss ingredients because they only use a small portion. No need for a grocery run: HelloFresh shares three expert-approved leftover recipes that taste even better in cold weather.
Vegan Chocolate Mousse with Chickpea Juice 🍫
Ingredients:
125 ml chickpea juice
150 g dark chocolate (vegan)
1 tsp vanilla sugar
60 g sugar
Pinch of salt
Instructions:
Whip the chickpea juice with a hand mixer until foamy.
Add the sugar and continue whipping.
Melt the chocolate and cool to room temperature (about 18°C) using a bain-marie or microwave.
Gently fold the cooled chocolate into the whipped chickpea juice, ensuring it doesn't sink.
Stir in vanilla sugar and salt.
Divide into ramekins and chill for at least 4 hours.
French Toast from Stale Bread 🍞
Ingredients:
25 ml milk
1/2 tsp cinnamon
75 g brown sugar
3 eggs
Slices of stale bread
Butter
Instructions:
Whisk eggs, milk, sugar, and cinnamon in a bowl.
Soak bread slices in the mixture.
Fry in butter until golden brown.
Top with banana, chocolate, powdered sugar—or all three for extra indulgence!
Homemade Zucchini Peel Tempura 🥒
Ingredients:
Peels from 1 kg zucchini (courgette)
1 egg yolk
130 g flour
15 cl ice-cold water
Sunflower oil
Instructions:
Dust zucchini peels with flour.
Mix flour, egg yolk, and ice-cold water into a batter.
Heat oil to 180°C in a pan.
Dip peels in batter and fry for 2 minutes until crispy.
