Growing up, my mom cooked every dinner. I never really saw her follow a recipe step-by-step. She would glance at one for casual guidelines, but she took pride in creating dishes that weren’t so by-the-book. She was definitely a creative cook.
Thanks to my mom, I got the cooking bug. And like her, I’ll occasionally look at recipes, but I truly enjoy being creative in the kitchen, adjusting recipes to my own liking, and taste.
Today for lunch, I did just that, but took it to a whole new level, which I am dubbing Lunch Improvisation. It’s a cloudy, overcast day, and while I work from home, I’m really not motivated to go out and get lunch. Contrary to the norm, takeout just isn’t appealing to me today. 
My tummy starts talking to me, and I realize I haven’t gone to the grocery store this week. I prefer to block out one to two hours of my day for a thorough Whole Grocer trip…every aisle, every sample. I’m dedicated to grocery shopping at that place, it’s my absolute favorite.
While it’s a bit chilly outside, and not that sunny, I’m in the mood for something summery, fresh and light (I had a big breakfast).
I open my fridge to find a few produce items and a lot of sauces. I grab the arugula, knowing that I want to make a salad, then go from there. I spy some peaches I picked up a few days ago. I love fruit with arugula; the sweet contrast of the peaches to the peppery lettuce is always a great combo.
I then remember I have some purple cabbage and red and white radishes in the fridge. Now I’m on to something. Lots of colors and mixed flavors are about to go down. I chop my fruit and veggies up, and mix them in with the arugula.
I have a balsamic and a raspberry vinaigrette dressing in my fridge, but I wanted something a little more light, and a little more homemade. I mixed some avocado oil and apple cider vinegar together; fruit and apple vinegar are the perfect pair. I poured the simple mixture over the salad, and mixed it all together. Because I can’t go one meal without some spice, I added a little bit of crushed red pepper to really kick up the flavor profiles.
This salad was so yummy and refreshing. It left me satisfied, but not too full, and not to guilty about maybe having a snack in an hour or two.
When you don’t have that many ingredients to work with, or that much time, get creative. Some people are creative in drawing or painting, some in cooking. Use your kitchen as a canvas, and don’t be discouraged when coming up with ideas for lunch. Let your taste buds lead the way, and you’ll be sure to come up with something delicious.
So, with all that being said, if you don’t have that much to work with, improvise!
