Simplifying Cooking
By Jenn (TinyChoices.com) | January 7, 2010
I love Mark Bittman. I think he’s dreamy, for everything he stands for and writes about and introduces me to. He’s a “vegan before dinnertime;” cooks locally, seasonally, & fresh; he keeps things simple and approachable and interesting. The multiple cookbooks he’s written are kitchen staples
“For the first time, I’m optimistic that increasing numbers of people have come out of the post-World War II dark age of convenience and apathy and are looking for quality – even what you might call wholesomeness – and consciousness about what we put into our mouths and our bodies.”
I’ve linked before to his amazing list of “Summer Express: 101 Simple Meals Ready in 10 Minutes or Less“, which I use as a handy reference of quick dishes to cook in any season. And now I’ve just read his newest list “101 Head Starts on the Day,” which was published as a way for cooks to get a head start on their Thanksgiving meals, but is also an overall useful compendium of make-ahead dishes. This list has been further parsed by culling the Top 12 make-ahead dishes, which is full of fun ideas.
I’m a big fan of simplifying cooking, especially in the fast-paced NYC culture I live in. If I can make food quickly which is still healthful and interesting, then there might actually be the chance that I’ll make it into the kitchen occasionally, for more than unpacking my take-out bag. What I love most about Bittman’s lists are that they’re simple starting points for dishes– he tells us, here are the basic ingredients, put them together in generally this fashion, and improvise as desired. This is simple! Even I can do this.
How do you keep the task of cooking simple and exciting?
[Image by Ollie Craaford via Creative Commons]
Topics: Food | 9 Comments »
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I love Bittman too! Have most of his books, and the Vegetarian and World cookbooks are my two most-used reference books. I’m not sure I keep it simple – since I’m a food blogger I spend a lot of time in the kitchen. But I do usually get up early on Sunday mornings to make my pot of steel cut oats for breakfasts for the week, and make a pot of soup for lunches as well. Chop up a bunch of veggies and put them in containers for snacking, and the week of cooking is eased considerably. I’m a big plan-ahead dork, though – Thursdays are menu planning for the following week, shop Saturday, cook Sunday and do a little prep-ahead for the weeknight meals.
i want to be more like you Jenn S.! :)
we are getting better … planning for the next night’s dinner approximately 24 hours in advance (it used be more like 2 minutes!!).
[...] Simplifying Cooking – Tiny Choices. I heart Mark Bittman, too. [...]
I really took Michael Pollan’s book In Defense of Food to heart, and I enjoy Mark Bittman’s blog. Thanks for the cookbook recommendations! I’ve been meaning to buy some of his books, but kind of keep hoping I’ll get them as gifts :)
I try not to eat processed food (although, when I have a rabid potato chip craving, I give in). Buy my bread from a local bakery rather than the grocery store. When I’m not feeling creative, I cook simple meals like fried eggs and potatoes or poached eggs on buttered toast that require little effort but are very satisfying. I cook steel-cut oats with chopped up apples overnight in the crockpot, or grab a croissant from a bakery, and never eat cereal. I eat salads for lunch from the salad bar across the street from my office (although I feel guilty about having to use their plastic containers! I do recycle them.) I’ve finally accepted the fact that I’m lactose intolerant, and that cuts out a lot of unhealthy food options.
It has been a huge change in my life, and I’m not a saint about food for sure, but I feel so much better and look so much healthier. My latest challenge has been to purge all artificial sweeteners and soy from my kitchen. Amazingly, I still find good things to eat!
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Those are nice, but a little to plain for me. Looking for more “stuff” in the logo.
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