Fried green tomatoes

Even I sometimes run out of time to cook. But this doesn't mean that I'm not still thinking about food, that the green tomatoes my friend and editor gave me aren't calling out to me from the fridge. I had some great plans for these beautiful tomatoes before it struck me just how little I knew about chemotherapy for leukemia and lymphoma.

Here is what I would be cooking if I were cooking.

Fried green tomatoes:

• green tomatoes
• 1 egg
• flour
• breadcrumbs
• canola or olive oil
• salt and/or parmesan

Arrange three shallow bowls or plates side by side: flour, then egg, then breadcrumbs. Slice large tomatoes into 1-cm slices or cherry tomatoes in half. Dip in flour, then a beaten egg, then breadcrumbs. Heat a generous layer of canola or olive oil in a large frying pan; when hot, lay the tomatoes out side by side in the oil. Fry at high heat until crisp on one side, then flip over (using two forks) and fry the other side. Cool on a paper bag or paper towels. Sprinkle with salt or parmesan cheese and serve right away. I'm salivating just thinking about it.

Roasted eggplant sandwiches:

• 1 small eggplant
• 1 tomato
• feta cheese
• bread or pita
• olive oil, salt, pepper

Slice the eggplant and tomato 1-cm thick. Place the eggplant slices side-by-side on a baking sheet and brush with olive oil, salt, and pepper. Bake at 400 degrees for 5-15 minutes, until soft or crispy (as you like it) but not burned. More oil = crispier eggplant. Toast your slices of bread and create a stack of eggplant-feta-tomato slices. Drizzle with olive oil if you're feeling really luxurious. Ah, the combination of textures and sweet-and-sour flavors, mm!

I did toss these into a quick stir-fry -- and yum!

Tricks for when you run out of time to cook: keep frozen soups, chili, ravioli, even prepped veggies in the freezer. Try stir-fries. Stock your fridge with snackable fruits and veggies and proteins such as yogurt and cottage cheese. Hunker down. But you know all this!