Recipe: Stewed Tomatoes with Carrots, Celery, Onions and Kale

For me, it’s easy to be inspired by the changing seasons and all the beautiful fruits and vegetables that come along during those seasons. I hate to miss out on anything that is locally grown and at its peak of ripeness.

Sometimes there’s nothing better than one single type of fruit or vegetable simply prepared (or not prepared at all). It really makes a statement that way.

But, more often than not, there are many fruits and vegetables that are ripe at the same time and I totally enjoy the challenge of pairing them in different creative ways.

It may seem untimely talking about all of this fresh produce now that we’re deep in the middle of winter, but it recently occurred to me that I can be inspired by the foods in my pantry and refrigerator the same way I’m inspired by fresh and seasonal foods at the market.

Think about it: Some foods you have on hand are more perishable than others (dare I say “more perfectly ripe”) and need to be used sooner than later to capture that freshness.

Look around to see what else is “in season” in the fridge or pantry and use your imagination to create a meal with what you have on hand.

I can honestly say that I’m just as inspired by (and maybe even more inspired by) the challenge of putting a meal together with foods I have on hand as I am putting a meal together with the latest score from the farmers market.

I’m constantly amazed how many recipes I create for Cooking At Home just by opening my eyes to what I have that needs to be used. There’s almost always something else on hand to help make a satisfying meal.

You need to feed yourself daily but, instead of craving things you don’t have or ordering take-out, take a look around the kitchen and let what you find inspire you to create new combinations.

You may be surprised at just how creative you are.