Plenty of quick and nutritious meals can be thrown together using a can of something from your pantry.

On my pantry shelf I found a can of crab meat and some cans of chicken soup. I almost always have these staples alongside of the cans of tomatoes, tuna and smoked mussels, the packets of rice, noodles and pre-made lasagna,.

Papaya and Crab Meat Supreme

What you need

• 6 1/2 ounce can crab meat, flaked
• 1/2 cup thinly sliced celery
• 1 lime
• 2 ripe papayas, halved and peeled

What you do

• Mix crab meat and celery and put aside to chill
• Slice lime in half and add juice from one of the halves to the crab meat and celery
• Pile in papayas and garnish with wedges of lime, cut from the remaining 1/2 lime.

Chicken Soup with Green Papaya

What you need

• 2 1/2 pounds chicken pieces
• salt and pepper to taste
• 3 tablespoons salad oil
• 1 small piece ginger root, crushed
• 1 onion, sliced
• 2 medium size cans of chicken broth
• 2 cups water
• 1 large green papaya, sliced with rind and all seeds removed

What you do

• Season chicken with salt and pepper
• In a large saucepan or pot, heat oil and brown chicken
• Add ginger and onion; cook until onion is transparent
• Add broth and water
• Cover and simmer for 1 hour
• Peel papaya and cut into small pieces
• Add papaya to soup and cook 5 to 10 minutes or until papaya is tender

Bon appetit