Today marked at an all time low on the lunch front.   Having boiled a vegetarian hot dog, I then remembered that I had no bread or buns.  Lacking such entree alternatives as homemade soup, mixed greens, fresh fruit or cereal, I had no choice but to eat this hot dog, with ketchup, on top of a cracker.  (Yes, yes.  I could have eaten just the hot dog but at the time this sounded even less appealing.)

The crunchiness of the rosemary-laced cracker coupled with the squishiness of the ketchup-coated hot dog is not a pairing that I want to experience again.  Not a full-fledged “Yuck!” but certainly far, far from “Yum!” 

Working from home, I often find myself thinking about food. Yet, when lunch rolls around and I can eat guilt-free, food seems to be the very last thing that I have in the pantry.  On days when I don’t have time to run out to a diner, much less to the supermarket, and the delivery options leave me unenthused, I need alternatives to my usual handful of almonds, instant oatmeal (which I had this morning for breakfast), multiple mugs of coffee or, today’s disaster, hot dog on a cracker. 

Since the sodium content of canned soups disturbs me on so many levels, I won’t pop open a can of Campbell’s and heat it on the stove.  Likewise for pouring hot water over ramen or “Oodles of Noodles” and tucking into a bowl of salty noodle soup.  Frozen dinners and pizzas are not an option.  Nor are bags of candy, potato chips and dip or any other junk food.  For lunch I want something healthful yet fast and simple to make. 

With this in mind I have come up with a few recipes that, when I run out of bread, milk, veggies or fruits, will provide me with a quick, decent meal.   Staples of the kitchen, the following ingredients are invariably on hand. 

SESAME SOBA NOODLES
Serves 1

2 tablespoons sesame seeds, toasted
1 individual package of soba noodles (found in Asian section of larger grocery stores)
1 teaspoon sesame oil
2 teaspoon rice vinegar
2 teaspoons honey
4 teaspoons lite soy sauce
 
Boil the soba noodles for about 6 minutes (or according to instructions on package), until they are tender. Drain and plunge into a bowl of ice water to stop from further cooking.
        
In the bowl in which soba noodles will be served, mix vinegar, soy sauce, honey and oil.
        
Drain the noodles. Place the noodles and sesame seeds in the bowl with the sauce and toss to combine.

HUEVOS RANCHEROS
Serves 1

1 egg, fried over easy or hard
1 whole wheat tortilla
1/2 tomato, seeded and chopped OR 1/2 cup of canned tomatoes, drained and chopped
1/4 cup grated cheddar cheese
2 tablespoons salsa
chopped onion, optional
sour cream, optional

Fry egg to desired specification — over easy, over hard or even sunny-side up — and set aside.
        
Warm the tortilla in a frying pan then place on a plate.
        
Sprinkle the cheese on the center of the tortilla. Place the egg on top of the cheese.
        
Spoon the tomato, followed by salsa, on top of the egg.  Spoon onion and/or sour cream on top of salsa, if desired.
        
Fold tortilla and serve.
*Note:  If you don’t have tortillas or even tomatoes in the house, just top a fried egg with cheese, salsa and the optional onion and sour cream and eat!

GRILLED SALMON STEAK
Serves 1

2 to 3 tablespoons olive oil
1 (4 oz.) salmon steak, skin removed
BBQ sauce, optional
1 can (14 oz) chopped tomatoes, drained, optional
2 tablespoons minced garlic, optional
juice of half a lemon, optional
1 teaspoon dried thyme, optional
freshly ground black pepper, optional

Using 1 to 2 tablespoons of olive oil, grease the surface of the grill pan or, if grilling outside, grill.  Pre-heat grill on medium-high heat.

If salmon steak is frozen, defrost in the microwave or, if time permits, in the refrigerator.  Otherwise, coat both sides of the salmon steak with the remaining olive oil and place on the grill.  Depending on the thickness of the steak, cook on each side for 5 to 10 minutes or until flesh flakes easily when probed with a fork.

If topping with the tomato mixture, stir together the canned, drained tomatoes, garlic, lemon juice, thyme and ground pepper then spread over the top of the salmon steak.  If using BBQ sauce, paint the top of the salmon with the sauce.  Remove steak from heat and serve immediately.

HUMMUS AND PITA
Serves 1

1 (8 ounce) container of hummus
1 package of wheat pitas or pita chips

Open packages of hummus and pita.  Dip corner of pita into hummus and consume.  Repeat steps 2 and 3 until hunger has subsided.