Tuesday morning I was out of sorts. We got home around 10:00 p.m. Monday from San Diego and we were wide awake. (There may or may not have been a midnight pizza delivery.) After only a few hours of sleep I was trying to figure out what to have for breakfast and what to pack for lunch and snacks for work.
As I scanned the empty fruit and veggie bowls on my counter I whined, “There’s nothing to eat!” Then I thought no, there’s something to eat, I just have to figure this out.
I opened the refrigerator to see how dire the situation actually was. I spied a few carrots, an onion and some cabbage. And miso! I tossed the veggies, and some wakame, into a pan to simmer for what would soon become a breakfast miso soup!
With the soup on the stove, I was inspired! What else might I find? I found a lone tomato sitting on the shelf in the bare refrigerator. I don’t normally chill tomatoes but I hoped refrigerating it would help it keep for the five days I was away. It did. I also spied a jar of Vegenaise. Hmm, did I have the fixin’s for a sandwich? Well, no I didn’t have bread and I didn’t have lettuce or vegan cheese. Wait! The freezer! I opened the freezer and started going through my unmarked plastic bags (note to self: label freezer storage bags, bowls and jars!) I found what appeared to be a raw, sprouted burger that I made months ago and, lucky for me, I froze the leftovers. I also saw one last sprouted wrap in the freezer. Lunch!
I tossed all of this (well, I put the Vegenaise in a small container) in a lunch bag. Later that day I crumbled the thawed raw burger in the tortilla with tomato slices and the vegan mayo. Tasty!
Wait, I like to pack snacks for work! No fear. My husband bought a banana and an apple for the flight — and he didn’t eat either. The fruit, with my little travel bag of almond, cashews and pepitas, saved the day.
Turns out there was plenty to eat. I just had to think about it. But after work I gratefully received a grocery delivery from FreshDirect (which we had the foresight to order before boarding the plane Monday morning). Once again, all was right in my little vegan world.
What miracle meals have you pulled together when your cupboards and refrigerator were empty?
18 thoughts on “There’s nothing to eat! (Turns out, there is)”
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Love this – it happens to me all the time!
Yesterday I made empty the fridge stir fry… it was actually really good and much healthier than take out!
Empty the fridge stir-fry? Love that!
I often stand in front of the fridge, holding the door open, thinking, I don’t have any food (not very environmentally-friendly of me, I know). Then I go to my pantry and start realizing, wait! I have pasta and polenta and rice and, yeah, I end up with meals similar to yours. 🙂
Funny, right? I have enough beans and grains to last for months….
luv it! your blog photo’s remind me of mine. just throw it on the counter, snap the camera, and hope it fits in the frame! there’s an art undertone to “rough around the edges” photography.. (that’s said in a good way)
You nailed it! Usually I try to find a nice way to present a finished dish. Yesterday I started laying out what I had, hoping it would turn into something. It was at that moment I thought I should just take a picture of it and blog about how I scrounged up a meal! LOL Low lighting, nothing special, just a typical morning in my kitchen!
Oh I just love this! This always happens to me and I love how you made a delicious soup out of random ingredients you had on hand! Looks amazing! 🙂
Thank you, Kelly!
Great minimalist creations! I’ve made salads out of sprouts, shaved carrots, and frozen veggies. And I’ve turned to lentil/quinoa dishes when I’m seriously lacking in fresh produce … like this week. 🙂
Ha, that’s what happens when away for the weekend, yes? I was so happy to get fresh produce delivered last night!
It sounds cliche, but I do eat alot of beans and rice. haha. And I really enjoy them. I mix salsa with whatever Veggies and beans I have. And I also make miso soup out of any scrap of vegetable I can find!!!
These tricks always hit the spot!!
Beans and rice are the perfect go-to!
That turned out well! I laughed about the unmarked freezer bags. I do that too thinking, “I’ll remember what this is, and when I put it in there.” But I never do!
Doesn’t it make you crazy?! LOL I think this weekend I need to go through the freezer and sort things out!
I wish I was that inventive! I’m working on it…but what has saved me on more than a few occasions is Oatmeal. Whenever I buy the instant Hemp packets I throw a couple in a kitchen drawer and take a couple to work. When the day comes that I’ve forgotten my breakfast or lunch to work – I always remember that I have a packet hidden somewhere!
That’s a great idea! Thanks for sharing it!
I am slowly trying to break myself of the habit of freezing things in bags without labeling them… that looks like an awesome meal on the fly though!
I’m doing some bulk cooking this morning …. and have a Sharpie right next to the storage bags! LOL