8.14.2011

gluten free summer fresh food

Caprese Salad:
Tomatoes, Bocconcini, Basil, Olive Oil, Balsamic, S&P
Arugula Salad:
Arugula, Walnuts, Salt cured olives, Olive Oil, Lemon, S&P
What do these foods all have in common? They are fresh,
local and in season. What's more... each dish is comprised of no more than 5 ingredients and takes mere minutes to assemble.

That is how we try to approach food at home. 

Spring through fall we aim to get to the local farmer's market on Saturday morning. We stroll around and pick out what appeals. Purchases here are the basis for the meals the week ahead. Bill will pick up fresh fish or organic meat for the grill to "accompany" our fresh goodies. We try to see the veggies first. 

Potato, Corn & Pesto Salad
Our friend Pina dropped by and joined Bill & I for a typical fast & easy Monday night dinner.

What I'd like to drive home here - is that while I love food and appreciate "good" food... I don't really like to spend my day cooking. I want to spend at least as much time enjoying the food as I do making it.

 When I lived in Italy, it struck me that most dishes were comprised of very few ingredients. If food was fresh and in season... the flavour spoke for itself. 

My approach is to pick three main ingredients: a protein, and two vegetables (one is sometimes more carb like potatoes or corn). We don't eat meat every night - we toss together a quick warm pasta dish (drain the rice pasta and stir in some pesto and a couple of fresh ingredients). Beans are also a great source of protein and fiber.
Ideally anything cooked happens all in one place and one way. By this I mean that meat or fish is grilled on the barbeque in summer alongside the corn, zucchini, eggplant, peppers... whatever we have. In winter the meat or fish goes in one  dish along with the veg. Pasta  often gets assembled in one pot. Done. Did I mention that I also hate washing dishes?

People buy pre-packaged foods in a box or can for a variety of reasons. Usually because they either don't like or know how to cook... or they don't believe they have time or energy. 

It takes 6-12 minutes to nuke something in a plastic tray that won't be good for you and has almost no nutritional value. Lucky for you... very few of these types of  meals are gluten-free :) 

Just because your body wasn't made to eat gluten, does not mean you have to spend hours in the kitchen to eat well. Good ingredients are key to good dishes. Buy the best  quality olive oil you can find. Everything you make will taste better. 
 
This is not a cooking blog. There are plenty of great resources for those who enjoy spending hours in the kitchen. I'll be posting more of what I call "5 under 10" recipes on this blog. By this I mean no more than 5 ingredients, and no more than 10 minutes to make. I look forward to sharing what we will be putting on our table!

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