When you’re cooking for one, leftovers become everyday occurrences. At first, I’d either eat the same thing heated up from an earlier meal for days on end or freeze all my leftovers. I still utilize the freezer quite a bit, but I’ve learned it’s usually more fun to make something completely new out of leftover ingredients than to eat the same dish indefinitely.

This week, I thawed a big salmon fillet for dinner one night. Let’s face it: frozen fish just doesn’t measure up to its fresh counterpart. I ate about a quarter of it and tossed the rest in the fridge. If it was barely palatable the first time around, I knew it wouldn’t be pleasant out of the microwave the next day, either.

So I tried something a little different. I flaked it with a fork and tossed it with some pasta and veggies in homemade pesto. It was so much better as a side flavoring than all on its own as a main dish.

Here’s the recipe, in case you find yourself stuck in the leftover slump:

Ingredients:

1/2 filet of salmon, cooked
1 serving of whole wheat spiral pasta, dry
zucchini and summer squash, chopped into 1/2-inch-thick slices
2 tablespoons pesto
Parmesan cheese

1. Cook pasta according to package directions.

2. Coat a large pan with non-stick spray and heat on medium.

3. Sautée squash and zucchini 3-4 minutes.

4. Flake the salmon with a fork.

5. Drain the pasta and add it to the pan.

6. Add the flaked fish.

7. Stir in the pesto and continue to toss until well coated.

8. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese and serve.

Serves one.