Showing that even vegetarians get stuck in a same-ole food rut when preparing dinner, Cook at Home challenger Heather presents some solutions that any family can use.

We’re a vegetarian household so most of our meals are centered around veggies, tofu and maybe a grain. But many a night, (too many I’d like to admit) my husband and I are reaching for the carton of organic eggs or a box of pasta and whipping up a few scrambled eggs for each other and our four-year-old daughter or some pasta and parmesan cheese.

But the Cook at Home Challenge is working for us so far. In addition to creating a dinner menu for each night of the week, two nights ago, I roasted asparagus and sweet potatoes with herbs and safflower oil and served it with pan-seared tofu. There were zero leftovers.

Last night, I made a huge pot of vegetable soup with garbanzo beans, brown rice and tons of veggies. I’m freezing half so that in two weeks, when I attend the FitBloggin conference, my husband and daughter have one meal covered.

Next on the menu: Faux-fried zucchini compliments of Jennifer Iserloh’s, Secrets of the Skinny Chef and cottage cheese pancakes.