Hey Loves!

How goes it? Really, how are you handling the madness? These times are crazy, the grocery stores are crazier, and maybe, you are also going a tiny bit stir-crazy? Maybe? If so, know you are in the vast majority. 

If you are new here, you should know I consider myself a minimalist in my head. (You should also know actual minimalists probably would not consider me a minimalist). So, I never really had more food than we should eat in two weeks just hanging out in my pantry or my freezer, only a few extras because my kids are never satiated and if I don’t double a recipe, there are no leftovers.

Then, the world went left, I succumbed to fear, let anxiety take over and now I have a month worth of food in my house. I am out of my depth here so to quell my mind, I came up with some good things – good for us and good to us – we could eat from our over-stocked pantry and freezer that aren’t just pasta and jarred sauce and thought I would share.

Before we begin, these are not recipes. I repeat, these are not recipes. I am not a chef. In fact, I very rarely follow recipes. I am one of those who “eye-ball it”, season to taste and always add garlic. So, I will share the recipe that inspired these meals to help you out, mmkay? Let’s do this!

1. Pasta a la Vodka Sauce: I do add onion and garlic to this and sometimes I’ll add fresh spinach that I froze after purchasing, so frozen spinach. Obvi, all of that is optional. I make this vegan by using coconut milk. I discovered coconut milk actually tastes very good in this dish by trial, as I did not have any other non-dairy milk on hand. If you don’t drink or vodka isn’t your cup of tea, vodka has lots of other preservative properties and good to have on hand. Recipe inspiration.
2. Creamy Cajun Pasta: Stock of choice, pasta. You can add meat to this. Veggies for us are a must soooooo onion garlic, frozen peppers and if you like them, mushrooms. Mix all with cooked pasta of choice. Recipe inspiration.
3. Red Beans and Rice: Rice, cooked “red” kidney beans, frozen peppers, stock of choice, instant pot and Viola! Recipe inspiration.
4. Enchilada Pasta, Enchilada casserole and/or, Enchiladas: I know what you are thinking, “don’t they have cheese?” Well, most often times, yes. But since we don’t really eat cheese, we skip it. I do make a faux cheese sometimes though! Recipe inspiration.
5. Chickpea Masala with Rice: I would love to tell you from personal experience this was amazing but since my husband and kids ate it all in 3.65 seconds, we will just have to go with their review. “It is so yummy!” Recipe inspiration.
6. Black Bean Tacos: Canned black beans, stock of choice, seasoning (I use salt, pepper, cumin, chili powder and garlic powder or TJ’s Chili Lime Seasoning.), simmer. Make some rice. Add some corn. Get taco shells, prepare per usual. Layer rice, beans, corn in a taco shell, top with salsa. (Yes, if you have refrigerated items that you want to add, add them but I am sticking with the “pantry/freezer items” only theme here.) Recipe inspiration.
7. Minestrone Soup: Easiest soup ever!!! Honestly, I only make easy soups so I guess that not entirely true but you get the gist? I also have not met a canned soup I enjoy so I have nothing to compare this too. Plus, you don’t get all the yucky ingredients that are typically in canned soups. Chop some onion and garlic, or don’t. Add frozen veggies (zucchini for me please!) Or don’t. Dump canned beans (I do cannellini and kidney), stock and seasoning. Done. Recipe inspiration.
8. Coconut Rice Buddha Bowl: Coconut rice is BOMB! That top with chickpeas, sautéed onion, frozen spinach and any other frozen vegetable (I love sweet potato), YUM!!! You can also sub frozen cauli rice. Recipe inspiration.
9. Sheet Pan Fajitas: So obvi, you’ll need a sheet pan, cauliflower, and fajita veggies. Preheat oven, place frozen cauliflower, peppers and onion and on the sheet pan. Drizzle Olive oil, season, toss, put in the oven, When cooked, place on a tortilla of choice, top with salsa if you like and enjoy a happy tummy.  Recipe inspiration.
10. Burritos: See numbers 6 and 9, do all or what you want, roll in a tortilla. Done. Recipe inspiration.

Bonus! I had to add a favorite in our house, Pancakes. Non-dairy milk, flaxseed egg, flour, baking soda and baking powder, salt, etc. Sub applesauce for banana and GF flour blend. We use coconut oil spray on the griddle to prepare them. They are devoured and doubling this recipe is a must.  Recipe inspiration.

Alright peeps, stay well and do your best to stay sane.

Love you. Mean it.