You don’t need much to create an incredible meal. I have a knack for whipping up some of my best dishes with little preparation and just using whatever I have on hand. I owe this skill to my mom, Charlotte, who is an amazing cook. I never remember an empty refrigerator or pantry growing up. When she asked us what we wanted for dinner it miraculously appeared within minutes, or so it seemed. Looking back now, I realize she had an arsenal of ingredients ready at a moment’s notice to make delicious meals out of nothing.
I learned by osmosis. It is so much easier to have ingredients on hand and work forward from there. Fitness and food are my life. I look forward to dinner: Creating, preparing and, of course, consuming. I won’t lie—I love coming home from work and putting together my dinner puzzle. Making dinner is one of my most favorite times of day. I relax, open up the pantry and the creative process begins.
This is actually a fairly simple talent to teach yourself; you just need to have a few staples in your kitchen that will enable you to turn any food into something special.
Here is my list of kitchen basics (let’s call them “must haves”) that allow me to whip up amazing creations in the blink of an eye.
Olive Oil –Make sure you grab two types. Olive oil is perfect for cooking and extra virgin olive oils, which are more expensive and flavorful, are great on salads or for bread.
Vinegar – I have, rice wine, red wine, white wine, sherry and balsamic. I know also only invest in really good balsamic, I promise you it is worth the investment. Drizzle balsamic on vegetables before you roast them. I put rice wine vinegar on everything; steamed vegetables, salads, lettuce wraps – try it, it will change your life.
Nuts /Seeds – these are great to add to any salad or veggie creation. My staples: Pumpkin Seeds, Almonds, Hazelnuts, Macadamia Nuts, Walnuts – they are dense in calories so you only need 1-2 Tbsp.
Crumbled /Shaved Cheese – Just a sprinkle adds a punch of flavor: Parmesan, Feta, Goat, Blue – you only need 1 -2 Tbsp.
Marinara Sauce – Always have at least 3 jars of low sodium in my pantry, you can quickly sauté up any vegetables mix in the marinara and you’ve got a delicious healthy primavera sauce in no time.
Vegetables – I stock up when I am at the farmers market – I buy everything I like and without a doubt nothing goes to waste. Asparagus, peppers, broccoli, kale, green beans, leeks…the list goes on.
Extras…bread crumbs, panko crumbs, apricot jam, cocktail sauce, honey, lemons, low sodium vegetable broth, brown rice pasta, frozen veggie burgers, frozen chicken breasts and frozen uncooked jumbo shrimp.
Cut to last night, and I really did not want to go to the market. I knew there had to be something in my vegetable bin that I could work into a tasty salad.
Voila!
Warm Green Bean Salad with Feta and Cherry Tomatoes.
Enjoy!
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