Sometimes, it can be good when things don’t go as planned. Take the other night, for example. I’d planned on having spaghetti with tomato sauce as a quick dinner. But the powers that be had other ideas.
When I opened the box of pasta, I discovered there was only about 1/2 a serving (1 ounce) left. Ack! What was a hungry girl to do? Time to open the fridge and see what I could throw together…
I basically cleared my refrigerator of every single veggie lurking around to come up with a “kitchen sink” stir fry. Complete with lots of fresh ginger and garlic, this went perfectly over my pasta. It was one of the yummiest meals I’ve eaten in a long time. (And I’m pretty sure my roommate is happy to see the fridge so clean!) 
A close-up of the veggie goodness:
(Fresh broccoli, spinach, cherry tomatoes, zucchini, yellow squash, cauliflower, shiitake mushrooms, garlic, ginger, and soy sauce)
A few nights later, I got to enjoy the leftovers over barley. 
Not as colorful (where did all the tomatoes go???), but still just as tasty!
This last picture is especially for you, Miss HangryPants. “Boxing-Glove” mystery solved; it’s actually a big ole bottle of chocolate syrup ;o).
{ 28 comments… read them below or add one }
I’m loving all the veggies in the pasta! I am all about pumping up meals with tons and tons of extra vegetables!
Love your chocolate covered photo, by the way!
That stir-fry looks marvelous! I love one-dish meals. And with garlic, soy sauce, ginger–how perfect! (And you’re the ideal room mate, too)
that’s a truly chocolate covered vegan
. Love the pictures and all the food. I have to say, the spinach-frog post was brilliant, I enjoyed some spinach avocado soup myself yesterday 
(recipe in my blog).
I love reading your blog (also loved the cupcake life story). Keep up the great work and the gorgeous pictures!
that looks like a bumper crop of deliciousness!
your gorgeous giant smile makes me smile every time! i love it when people spread happy energy
the veggie pasta/barley dishes look great!
I love making kitchen sink salads but kitchen sink STIR FRY? Brilliant! I want, I want!
I also love how clean the fridge gets after a kitchen sink dish. I love using up the last bits of foods
HOW FUNNY ARE YOU?!
That really is a plate full of veggie goodness!!
I love that picture of you, you’re so happy and beautiful!
oooh both the noodles and the barley look fabulous. I’ve never had barley by itself as a replacement for rice/starch, but I love barley regardless. We Iranians have a soup CHOCK full of vegetables and herbs, and barley, and sometimes rice or noodles. It is a fabulous vegan soup, so filling, and delicious. mmm
sorry, that went completely off topic! lol
Hi Katie! Just catching up on all your blogs after a long hiatus.
Your spaghetti post a while back reminded me of my hubby who, when he was a bachelor, used to take that canned Hunts spaghetti sauce, add a can of tuna fish (before we became vegans) and dump it all on top of English muffins.
It’s been so much fun seeing all of your adorable cupcakes. I especially liked the ones all about you. How fun that you’ve lived in Japan and China!
You’ve also given me some great ideas for meals. Im going to have to try out the blended grains for cereal. I could use something to break up the monotony from oatmeal every now and then.
that dinner is chock full of veggie goodness. YUM!!
that pic is my favorite LD
have a great night!
Hooray for the stirfry! You got all the colors in there, and plenty of broccoli.
Yay veggies!! I love cleanin’ out the fridge of produce when it all goes into my mouth at once
)
And I love the chocolate covered picture!
That’s a little bit like how I decided to make chili last night…those are often the best meals!
I love kitchen sink stir fry! more or less all my meals are planned like that “open fridge, snap whatever, make stir fry”, hehe.
Heyyyyoo Katie!!!
What a wonderful creation!! And using the ingredients..making the fridge empty…hah!!! Great =))
How are you doing with your studies?? Hope all is well!!
Hope to see you on my blog soon…??? I’ll be happy Chocolate Covered Vegan!!!
enjoy the weekend
that looks GREAT. Sometimes the most simple of foods make the best meals.
These kinds of meals are always the best! I like the italian/japanese fusion mmm!
yumm! this meal sounds great ;D
i thought it was a boxing glove at first too!! that’s so funny. i’m glad i’m not the only one who couldn’t tell what it was.
Ahhh, your stir-fries look always look so good! I need to hire you for some stir-fry lessons — you seem to have the method down pat!
Thanks for the Photoshop link! It turned out to be some sort of photo editing software kind of like what comes with a digital camera…the world shall someday be better once the full version of Photoshop is free, haha. I’m sure I could get a student “educational” discount, but still. Mucho $$$.
Sometimes mistakes produce the best results! After all, “necessity is the mother of invention”… Look yummy!
you can’t go wrong with spaghetti and veggies, awesome!
I just came across your blog and wanted to say hi. I make a lot of meals like the one you described here, and they are often the tastiest. And who doesn’t love a clean fridge?
hahaha – thanks so much!
That looks so delicious. I love going to my parents where they make huge veggie and tofu stir fries like that with so many different kinds of veggies I lose count!
I want to eat that right now. That looks so super yummy and veggie-tastic.
That sure looks like a gourmet meal to me.. I love when kitchen sink meals turn out so wonderfully!