Food for thought

I've been on a no-waste crusade the past few months and it's been so rewarding! I noticed a while back that when I cleaned out my fridge every week, I was throwing away a ton of food. So as a result, the no-waste crusade was born. I've been trying to use up everything perishable by the end of each week. This is more challenging than it sounds. One consequence of this new policy is the occasional oddball meal. You know, the kind that inspires quotes from your husband like "Cleaned out the fridge today?" when you're dining
on peas, tacos, and fruit compote. My mom instilled in me the need to cook balanced meals- the perfectly balanced ones with a green veggie,a starch, and a protein. While I still do this most of the time, I've realized that it's ok to serve an "unbalanced" meal once in a while for the good of my conscience. It's also been a great opportunity to become more creative with my cooking. Now, I'm not intimidated when all I have to work with is pasta, avacados, and canned tomatoes! I challenge you to try out a no-waste policy in your kitchen too. You will be surprised at how great it makes you feel to be using up the food in your fridge instead of tossing it!

Here's a recipe I've created using my leftovers:
8 oz. linguine (or whatever pasta you have on hand)
1 tsp. olive oil
2 cups diced veggies (carrots, onion, peas, broccoli, peppers,
tomatoes, asparagus- whatever you have on hand)
1 clove garlic, minced
4 oz reduced fat cream cheese (half of a brick)
1/2 cup skim milk
salt and cracked pepper to taste

Cook and drain pasta. Saute veggies in olive oil til tender. Add garlic and saute one minute. Melt cream cheese and milk over low heat til combined. Toss veggies, cooked pasta, and cheese sauce. Serve warm with freshly ground pepper and parmesan. Serves 4

*Use your creative juices on this one! You can substitute sour cream for the cream cheese, evaporated milk for skim, frozen veggies instead of fresh, or add chicken. I like to add a dash of nutmeg to mine. There are so many variations- remember, just use what you have!