I woke up this morning with a pancake craving.

This is all well and good, except for the fact that today is Wednesday. I don’t have time for pancakes on a Wednesday—I have things to do. It’s not so much that pancakes are especially time-consuming to make (they’re actually pretty quick), but it’s that post-pancake feeling I don’t have time for. The carb-and-sugar crash that renders my brain and body incapable of doing anything other than going back to bed. Like I said, I have things to do.

Enter these weird but wonderful breakfast cakes. Healthy, protein-rich cottage cheese and eggs (or egg whites) are blended to a creamy puree with healthy, rolled oats (which are notorious for providing morning energy). They’re a bit denser than regular pancakes, but their slightly nutty flavor and golden-crisp exterior is quite enjoyable.

Even better, it’s been an hour since I ate them, and I’m thrilled to report that both my brain and body are raring to go—no midday nap required.

• ingredients
• 1 cup cottage cheese (any % fat is fine) $2 for 16 oz.
• 2 eggs or 4 egg whites $1.50 for 12 eggs
• 2 tsp honey Pantry
• 1 cup raw rolled oats (do not use steel cut) $2.50 for 18 oz.
• 1 tsp baking powder Pantry
• pinch of salt Pantry
• vegetable oil or cooking spray for frying Pantry

Total Cost of Ingredients $6

Directions

Combine cottage cheese, eggs and honey together in a blender or food processor and puree until creamy. Add the rolled oats, baking powder and salt and puree until mixture is smooth and resembles slightly grainy pancake batter.

Heat a very light coating of oil or spray in a nonstick frying pan or griddle over medium-high heat and cook 1/8 cup dollops of the batter (working in batches, leaving plenty of room between pancakes), until golden brown on one side (about 1 1/2 – 2 minutes). Flip, using a spatula and cook until the other side is golden brown. Repeat until all pancakes are cooked.

Serve, warm, with fruit, honey, a touch of butter, preserves and/or syrup.

Makes about 10 pancakes (serves 2-3).

I love summer grilling, but I get tired of the same old hot dogs and hamburgers over and over again. With this in mind, I set out to create a simple-to-make, yet unique burger. These ultra-easy ones satisfy a craving for pulled pork, but can be made in the same amount of time it takes to assemble a ground beef burger patty.

Note: The burgers can also be rolled into smaller balls and baked as individual meatballs.

I love crispy fried coconut shrimp, but I don’t love how much fat they contain. The baked version of this classic tropical treat is every bit as tasty, but much lighter.

• ingredients
• oil or cooking spray for greasing baking sheet Pantry
• 1/4 cup soy sauce Pantry
• 2 tsp Sriracha or other Asian chili sauce $2 for 16 oz.
• 2 tsp honey Pantry
• 1/2 tsp ground black pepper Pantry
• 18-24 medium to large raw shrimp, butterflied (tails can be left on) $9
• 2 eggs, beaten $1.50 for 12
• 1/2 cup Japanese panko breadcrumbs $2.50 for 14 oz.
• 1/4 cup flaked coconut (I used unsweetened, but sweetened would work too) $2 for 10 oz.

Total Cost of Ingredients $15

Directions

Preheat oven to 425 degrees F. Lightly grease a baking sheet with the oil or cooking spray and set aside.

In a mixing bowl, combine the soy sauce, chili sauce, honey and black pepper. Stir well. Add the shrimp and toss to combine. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 15 minutes (up to an hour).

Mix the panko and coconut together. Toss well.

Set up an assembly line in this order: the marinated shrimp, the egg, the panko-coconut mixture and the prepared baking sheet. Dip a shrimp, holding it by its tail, into the egg, then into the panko-coconut mixture and place it directly onto the baking sheet. Repeat until all shrimp are coated.

Bake the shrimp for about 7 minutes, gently flip and bake for another 7 minutes.

Serve the shrimp atop mixed greens as a salad, or as an appetizer with lime wedges, sweet chili sauce or Sriracha for dipping.

This creamy pesto is indulgent without being overly rich, thanks to heart-healthy avocado and just a touch of olive oil. Also, since it uses a fresh avocado for its creamy consistency, rather than pricey Parmesan cheese, it’s less expensive to make than traditional pesto.

It happens to be vegan, but don’t let that deter you (if you’re the sort of person usually deterred by vegan recipes)—it’s fabulous, particularly with fresh heirloom tomatoes. I also like it as a dip for vegetables or slathered over grilled fish or chicken. Use soon after making it though, as the fresh avocado will go brown if it sits for too long.

• ingredients
• 1 ripe avocado, peeled, pitted and diced $1.50
• 1 cup (packed) fresh basil leaves $1 for a bunch
• 1/3 cup pine nuts $2 – buy in the bulk section
• 3 cloves garlic, chopped Pantry
• juice of 1 lemon $0.50 for a whole lemon
• 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil Pantry
• water as needed
• salt and pepper to taste Pantry

Total Cost of Ingredients $5

Directions

Combine avocado, basil, pine nuts and garlic in a food processor or blender. With machine running, slowly stream in the lemon juice, olive oil and water as needed to achieve a smooth pesto. Puree until completely blended and creamy.

Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Use immediately or keep, refrigerated, for up to 4 hours.

This recipe is the fruit of a near-empty refrigerator plus a well-stocked pantry. I had a little too much fun at the roof-deck 4th of July BBQ I attended last night (there was a hot tub!), and, upon waking up, was both starving and unable to imagine putting on appropriate clothing and picking up something to eat. I knew I would have to figure out something using the sparse contents of my fridge.

Inspired by the pupusas I made so frequently this spring, I threw together some simple flour tortilla dough and sandwiched black beans and some creamy, salty Monterey jack cheese in between disks of the dough. After a little time on the grill and a healthy dose of guacamole, my hangover was (mostly) cured and I had a cool new recipe.

Lesson: if you’re going to drink wine in a hot tub until 2 AM on a school night, make sure your pantry is well-stocked.

• ingredients
• flour for rolling Pantry
• 1 recipe dough for Fresh Flour Tortillas $0
• 1/2 15-oz can black beans, drained and rinsed $1.50 for a whole can
• 1 cup shredded jack cheese $3.50 for 12 oz.

Total Cost of Ingredients $5

Directions

On a lightly-floured surface, divide the dough into 8 balls. Roll each into a 5” disk.

Top 4 dough rounds with approximately 1/4 cup each of cheese and 1/8 cup beans. Cover with the remaining dough rounds and pinch the edges to seal.

Heat a grill, grill pan or heavy-bottomed frying pan over medium-high heat. Grill the stuffed tortillas on both sides, working in batches, until crispy on the outside.

Serve, cut into wedges or halves and topped with guacamole, if desired.