Snowed In? Time to Raid the Pantry

I've written before about the necessity of having a well stocked pantry. You are much more likely to cook at home if you have the ingredients on hand. It also helps if you're inundated with snow, like much of the Eastern part of the U.S. and Canada is right now, and you can't get out to the grocery store. Now is the time to turn to the pantry and make a nutritious dinner without having to leave the house.

I always have a variety of canned beans in my cupboard, as well as dried lentils and pasta. I also always have onions, carrots and celery in my refrigerator because I make a lot of stock, along with whatever vegetables are in season. And now is the time that I can head down to my basement coldroom and use my preserves. I made this vegetarian chickpea pasta very quickly and ended up with a balanced dish with protein, carbohydrates and vegetables. For a vegan pasta, just leave the cheese off. This recipe is really a guideline, so feel free to use whatever ingredients you have in your own kitchen.