One of my strategies, when there is “nothing to eat” in the house, is to take some garlic and chilies (which I always inevitably do have in the house…you too?), and fry them in some oil. That’s the start of a basic fried rice, if I happen to have any leftover rice, or if I have any pasta, lentils, or dried grains, it turns into a paired down version of one of a simplest yet most satisfying meals. After garlic and spice, you can add any herbs that are wilting away, slivered nuts, a fried egg, avocado slices–anything nice lying around, when it appeared there was nothing to eat. Much better than resorting to takeout sushi or pizza, I think, in every way. Sometimes weeknight meals, in all their simplicity, are the best.
