This pantry soup turns a quarter carton of soy milk into a mild, warming bowl that stretches with broth and turns simple into supper. Toast soaks up every spoonful and keeps dinner from feeling thin.

Serves 2. 20 minutes, 10 at the stove.

About 340 calories a serving, 22 g protein, 33 g carbohydrate, 14 g fat. From USDA figures for 100% of the ingredients; amounts are the recipe's.

You need 2 cups soy milk, 2 cloves garlic, 1 tablespoon butter, to taste salt, to taste pepper, 2 cups vegetable or chicken broth, 2 slices bread for toasting.

1. Melt 1 tablespoon butter in a pot over medium heat. Mince 2 cloves garlic and add to the butter, stirring until fragrant, about one minute.
2. Pour in 2 cups soy milk and 2 cups broth, then bring to a gentle simmer. Taste and season with salt and pepper as needed; let it barely bubble for five minutes so the garlic softens.5 min
3. While the soup simmers, toast 2 slices of bread until golden and crisp. Tear or cut each slice into thirds and place in a bowl.
4. Ladle the hot soup over the toast and serve at once, so the bread stays tender-crisp at the edges.

Note Swap the broth for water if you must, though it thins the bowl. Leftovers keep three days; reheat gently and toast fresh bread. Serve with a side salad or pickled vegetables if you have them on hand.

A creamy pasta built on a half cup of soy milk, transformed with garlic and oil into a silky sauce that coats every strand. Tonight you're using what's left in the carton and turning it into something warm and complete.

Serves 2. 20 minutes, 15 at the stove.

About 520 calories a serving, 21 g protein, 97 g carbohydrate, 5 g fat. From USDA figures for 100% of the ingredients; amounts are the recipe's.

You need 8 oz [227 g] pasta, 1 cup [240 ml] soy milk, 4 cloves garlic, 3 tablespoons olive oil, to taste salt, to taste pepper, 4 oz [113 g] spinach or kale.

1. Bring a large pot of salted water to boil and add 8 oz pasta; cook until two minutes before tender, about eight minutes for most shapes, while you work on the sauce.
2. Slice 4 garlic cloves thin and set a medium skillet over medium heat with 3 tablespoons olive oil; when the oil shimmers, add the garlic and cook until golden and fragrant, about two minutes, stirring now and then.2 min
3. Pour in 1 cup soy milk and bring to a bare simmer, then coarsely chop 4 oz fresh greens and stir them in; the greens will wilt as the sauce simmers gently.
4. When the pasta is nearly cooked, drain it, reserving 1/2 cup pasta water, and add the pasta to the soy milk sauce; stir to coat and loosen with pasta water as needed until the sauce clings to every piece, about two minutes.2 min
5. Taste for salt and pepper, divide between two bowls, and serve at once.

Note Swap spinach for any mild greens you have on hand, or use frozen and thawed. Leftovers keep three days cold and reheat gently with a splash of water. Serve with a pinch of red pepper flakes or grated cheese if you have it.

Soy milk stands in for cream in this quick pan sauce, using three-quarters of the bottle. The method is fast and forgiving, transforming what you have into something warm and filling for a weeknight.

Serves 2. 25 minutes, 20 at the stove.

About 480 calories a serving, 55 g protein, 8 g carbohydrate, 25 g fat. From USDA figures for 75% of the ingredients; amounts are the recipe's.

You need 2 tablespoons [28 g] butter, 1 tablespoon [8 g] flour, three-quarters of a bottle soy milk, to taste salt, to taste pepper, half a medium onion, 2 cloves garlic, 1 tablespoon [15 ml] oil, one pound [450 g] chicken breast or thigh, half a pound [225 g] mushrooms.

1. Cut one pound of chicken into bite-sized pieces and season with salt and pepper. Heat one tablespoon of oil in a large pan over medium-high heat and cook the chicken, stirring, until golden on the outside and cooked through, about eight minutes. Transfer to a plate.
2. Add two tablespoons of butter to the same pan and sauté half a diced onion and 2 minced garlic cloves until softened, about two minutes. Add half a pound of sliced mushrooms and cook, stirring, until they release their liquid and begin to brown, about five minutes.
3. Sprinkle one tablespoon of flour over the mushrooms and stir to coat. Cook for one minute, then pour in three-quarters of a bottle of soy milk, stirring to dissolve any flour lumps. Simmer until the sauce thickens slightly, about three minutes, then return the chicken to the pan and stir to coat.3 min
4. Taste and adjust seasoning with salt and pepper. Simmer for one more minute to marry the flavors, then serve over buttered toast.

Note Swap mushrooms for any other vegetable you have on hand, or omit them entirely. Leftovers keep in the fridge for two days and reheat gently on the stovetop with a splash of water if needed. Serve with a simple green salad or steamed vegetables on the side to stretch the dish.