Don’t be afraid to think outside the box when cooking (ok, bad pun). I created this recipe from a salad mix, because it was all I had on hand and it was dinnertime.

I started with an Asian blend. The mix is cabbage, carrots, and celery—all of which are good raw or cooked. Take out the toppings and set aside. Put the veggies into a sauté pan with 1 Tsp of chopped garlic. Cook for approximately 5 minutes, or until crisp-tender.

Add any other veggies you have on hand—broccoli, peppers, onions, corn, etc. Be creative! I tossed in a little broccoli.

Put the veggie mix into a bowl and wipe the pan clean. Add soy sauce, teriyaki sauce, the salad dressing packet, and 1 Tsp of oil.

Cook for a minute or two. Return the veggies to the pan and add the toppings last, so they don’t get mushy. This kit comes with sliced almonds and wonton strips.

Stir fry makes a great vegetarian entrée or side dish. To make this into a more substantial meal, bulk it up with some rice or pasta.

Do you like vegetarian meals?

If you like Peet’s coffee, sign up for a free sample!  Just click this link, fill out the form, and the sample will be mailed to you.

The sample is for a Keurig, but even if you don’t have one, sign up! I use K-cup samples in a regular coffee maker without any problems.

Do you drink coffee?

When you feel like there’s nothing in the kitchen, try this recipe for Pasta Supreme. It can be made strictly from the pantry. The ingredients will be less than $5.00 total, especially if bought on sale.

Start with canned tuna, olives, and pasta. For this recipe, I like the kind canned in oil. Canned olives can be extra salty, so I like to soak mine in water while the pasta cooks.

For the sauce, you’ll need oil, garlic, Smart Balance, salt/pepper, red pepper flakes, and a lemon.

Saute 1 Tsp of garlic in approximately 3 Tsp Smart Balance. Add in seasonings to taste and the lemon juice. Then, add the drained olives and the undrained tuna. Mix well. If it seems dry, you can use additional oil and lemon juice, depending on individual taste.

If you have any frozen veggies, put them in the bottom of the colander. As the pasta drains over it, they will defrost! I used broccoli.

Give it a good shake to remove any excess water, then add the pasta and broccoli to the sauce mixture. This makes a truly tasty pasta dinner!

I usually get 3 good-size servings, depending on sides. It goes great with salad and bread, but don’t worry if it’s served alone.

What do you cook when the fridge is empty?

Today, I woke up early and made myself a delicious breakfast of grapefruit and scrambled eggs. It’s rare that I eat a full breakfast. There are always a million excuses—late to rise, racing to get ready, not really hungry, etc.

(My secret to perfect scrambled eggs? Add chives!)

I even thought ahead and made iced coffee. Since I prefer iced to hot, even in the winter, I have to plan, or I have no caffeine!

Every time I actually stay on schedule and have a filling breakfast, I find that my entire day goes so much better. Sometimes it really is the simple things that mean the most. From now on, I’m going to make this a priority. I need to get to bed on time, wake up early, get ready leisurely, and eat breakfast! I doubt it will happen every morning, but at least I’m trying!

Do you eat breakfast, why or why not?