Now that my husband and I are pretty much empty nesters, I’ve refined my meal planning to suit our lifestyle. TV Stevie often works late. I come home from the day job and immediately immerse myself in writing, revisions, editing, etc., so elaborate meals aren’t on the agenda. We also live in a city that gets a lot of snow in the winter–under 100 inches is considered a mild winter–so I keep the pantry and refrigerator stocked.

Last night, I made one of my “pantry” meals: spaghetti beans. It’s so simple to make, it’s almost a joke. Spaghetti beans is one of TV Stevie’s favorite meals (I’m not particularly fond of it, but I’ll eat it). In fact, he’s the one who named the dish. It’s my version of a recipe I found in a healthy-eating cookbook.

put 1-2 Tbs of olive oil in a 10″ or larger skillet on medium heat

add 3 or more cloves of minced garlic (I keep a jar of minced garlic in my fridge, so I use 2-3 teaspoons)

Stir for about a minute, then add:

2 cans (14.5-15 oz each) of Great Northern beans, rinsed and drained (You can use any kind of canned white beans you’d like)

1 can (14.5-15 oz) petite diced tomatoes (I use the ones with olive oil, garlic, and other seasonings.)

1/4 cup finely chopped fresh basil (I keep a tube of Gourmet Garden basil paste in my fridge and use this. It’s as good as fresh basil and lasts a lot longer)

Mix well and cook over medium heat for about 7 minutes, giving it a stir once in a while.

While this is cooking, throw together a green salad to serve on the side.

After 7 or so minutes:

Add 1 Tbs lemon juice (I use RealLemon)

Add 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese (I keep this in the freezer).

Mix well and cook for another minute or so.

That’s it. All of the ingredients are things I keep on hand anyway. It’s quick, it’s easy, it’s healthy.