Six Ingredients, Four Plates

This past week, I took on a self-created culinary challenge to rethink how I purchase groceries and utilize them creatively. It began Monday evening when I forced myself to Fresh Market in five o'clock traffic to fill my empty fridge after a weekend in California. Instead of wasting time in every aisle, I entered the store without a list. I picked out the very best of the seasonal produce, those of which seemed colorful, healthy and multi-functional. It turned an errand into somewhat of entertainment? I checked out with the following ingredients, all of which were under $25 (score!). Then, the fun began. Grocery items: Part-skim ricotta Arugula Avocado Half dozen brown eggs Black mission figs Haricot verts Gulf shrimp

The allocation of these fine ingredients over the course of a week may seem difficult to most, primarily because I was only cooking for one. However, it was intriguing to craft recipes on-the-spot with an empty canvas. Arugula, for example, could served as a bed for grilled shrimp, a base for a vegetarian Nicoise, or the binding element of soft scrambled eggs. Dollops of ricotta and slices of avocado added a rich note of satisfaction that, in actuality, was light and rather healthy.

Scroll through this week's meals, which I hope will serve as inspiration for your weekly grocery trips. Zero percent waste and 100 percent beauty.

MONDAY DINNER ::