Simple Food

So, everyone is writing about eating and buying local foods lately. There’s all sorts of chatter about the slow food movement. I’m pretty sure we all know processed foods are bad for us and real, fresh foods are good for us (generally).

What I would want to add to the discussion is the element of diversity within a simply diet. I have a very organized friend who, in order to keep grocery costs down, rotates the same four to six meals every week. That way, she doesn’t have to ever buy new or unusual ingredients, and she can buy what she does need cheaper in bulk. Now, this is extremely sensible — don’t get me wrong! BUT… augh! I just can’t do it!

I love trying new recipes! Experimenting with new foods! Yet, at the same time, we’re trying to reign in our grocery bill (third biggest household expense behind housing and health insurance).

We’ve had a lot of dietary changes over the past few years, trying to make our food lower in saturated fats and cholesterol, trimming back on carbs. I’ve had to try a lot of new recipes to find the few we do really like, and I’ll continue to try new things, but what I’ve started looking for are meals that use a minimum of (delicious and preferably fresh) ingredients. Good, lean, and local if possible, cuts of meat. Fresh herbs – especially in the summer when we can grow them ourselves. Whole, real vegetables – not overcooked. See, that right there makes a fantastic meal! Simple, healthy, yum.

A few of our favorite meals:

• grilled salmon with plain yogurt/lemon/dill dressing, wild rice, fresh green beans sauteed in olive oil with garlic and cashews

• naan (Indian flat bread) with falafel, greek salad, hummus and cilantro yogurt sauce (not as simple a meal as some, but good, healthy and great for a group)

• grilled vegies (zuchinni, sweet onions, multi-colors peppers, and mushrooms) chopped and tossed in olive oil with fresh basil and feta cheese. Sometimes we’ll toss in some penne pasta, too — makes it more kid-friendly.

• chicken burritos with chile verde, fresh tomatoes, lettuce, red onions, cilantro and avacados

• vegie stirfry (brocolli, cauliflower, peppers, onions, zuchinni, asparagus, whatever) on rice (brown or white) – a little fresh garlic, ginger and soy sauce is all it needs

• chicken lime soup – similar to tortilla soup, but no cheese, and lots of black beans. Fresh cilantro makes this soup.

• flank steak (simple soy/honey/olive oil/garlic/ginger marinade) with baked potatoes and arugula/cranberry/almond/blue cheese salad

• salad niçoise (which is French) with boiled eggs, tuna, black olives, and a variety of vegies

• fresh, local fruit for dessert!