A quick survey of the leftovers from the past week and into the dough they go! Instead of cooking the hand pies right away, I froze these to keep on hand for a quick and easy meal. Being able to pop a veggie-filled hand pie in the oven feels like a luxurious gift to myself.

With Valentine’s Day around the corner, a heart-shaped riff on these pockets full of goodness are the perfect treat for a Galentine’s party with your besties, or for date night dinner with your Valentine. Wrapping them in parchment and tying with twine makes for an adorable Valentine’s gift and a welcome addition to any sweet-filled party.

I have been getting beautiful beets in our CSA from Johnson's Backyard Farm for the past month or two, so I make a big batch of them every Sunday night to eat throughout the week. At this point I am almost tired of them, so packing them into puff pastry with spiced lentils and goat cheese to gift my loves who will appreciate roasted veggies packed into a tiny pie is win-win. The “fresh” thyme that was sagging past its prime in the door of my refrigerator, but I know a quick chop and stir into the beets will revive the mixture and save the herbs from being wasted.

The key to the “put that in your pocket” approach is accepting that each time you make something it is going to be a little different and that if it tastes good somewhere else, it will probably taste good in a dumpling (hand pie, samosa, empanada, pierogi -- take your pick!) Does that broccoli and cheddar soup from Chili’s bring you a little pang of 90’s nostalgia? Well, put it in a dumpling! I see lemony kale with white beans and Parmesan in a lucky empanada in the near future, you should too!

Know that sometimes your filling will exceed your dough, or vice-versa. If you run out of dough, either cook your filling as a side dish with your next meal or freeze it for later. If you run out of filling, make sweet hand pies with fresh fruit or jam you have on hand. (Speaking of sweet pies, check out our strawberry rhubarb rose hand pies for the sweet-tooths in your life.)

According to a 2014 EPA Study, America throws away more than 38 million tons of food each year. Addressing the contents of our refrigerator may seem like a small start to combating food waste, but starting at home is key. If you like the idea of reducing food waste, maybe you and your special Valentine could look into volunteering at a local organization that addresses the issue on a larger scale!

Heart-Shaped Hand Pies

Hand Pie Ingredients

Dough

• 1 package of puff pastry, thawed

• 1 beaten egg for the pastry (optional)

Filling

• 2 cups of cooked lentils

• About 2 cups of roasted beets

• Up to 3 tablespoons of any fresh herbs you have on hand, finely chopped

• Salt and pepper to taste

• Fresh goat and/or feta cheese

• Optional: a heaping tablespoon of plain Greek yogurt

• ¼ cup water

Other filling suggestions

• Roasted carrots

• Salsa

• Mashed potatoes

Hand Pie Directions

Chop beets into ½-inch pieces and mix with thyme and lentils. Stir in yogurt. Add salt and pepper to taste. Add herbs. Roll out pastry dough as thin as you can. Using a heart-shaped cookie cutter, cut dough and set aside.

Preheat oven to 400F.

Divide hearts in half, so you have the “bottom” of the pastry on a flat surface waiting to be filled and the “tops” set aside. Dip your finger into the water and trace about an inch of the edge of a heart (this will allow the top of the dough to stick to the bottom). Spoon the beet mixture onto the pastry, then top with goat cheese. Take one of the tops and stretch it out a little bit before placing over the bottom and pressing the edges to close the pie. Use the tines of a fork to seal the deal. Poke with the fork and brush with egg wash if you want. Repeat until you can’t anymore.

Bake at 400F until pastries are golden brown, about 20 minutes.