Beans, Grains, and a Few Bready Things
What I love about things like beans, risotto, and even good toast, all of which are featured in this chapter, is their versatility. They’re all such empty canvases that can be transformed into whatever you want them to be depending on what you add to them and how many mouths you want to feed. Sure, a slice of toast is more often thought of as a snack but pile it with one or two tasty things and suddenly it’s a dead-simple dinner, too. Or stir lots of vegetables into a pot of cooked grains like farro and you’ve got something that’s just as good at playing side dish as it is taking the role of a satisfying, albeit meatless, main. Eat these recipes as you like them, when you like them.
|
Colorful Pastas
Although pasta has a reputation for being less than wholesome, I’d argue that’s hardly the case. Sure, it can sometimes be made decadent with cream, butter, and such, but it also can be light enough to make it into your weekly dinner routine. When you use pasta as a base for lots of colorful vegetables, it’s suddenly something you can feel good about eating. The approach is simple: Flip the proportions so you’re eating a vegetable dish with pasta rather than a pasta dish with vegetables. (All that means is you’re using less pasta and bumping up the vegetables.) Don’t worry! There will still be cheese and other good things tucked inside. Your pasta isn’t going to be any less comforting than usual—it’s just going to be a whole lot more interesting.
|
Gathering Dishes
A gathering doesn't necessarily mean the kind with lots of people involved. A small crowd should never feel like any less of an occasion to share a good meal. What I cook midweek or on a quiet Sunday night isn’t always a whole lot different from what I cook when friends come by for dinner on Saturday night. Of course, there are hectic Wednesdays when some semblance of a civilized dinner seems impossible, but if you’re able to feed yourself well as many nights a week as possible, I deem that a major win. To do that, make simple the goal and lean on good ingredients. Unfussy main dishes have a magical way of coming together easily enough that whatever the situation may be or however many mouths you’re feeding, what you’re gathering around the table for always feels special.
|
Desserts
My approach to dessert is fairly simple: Enjoy it. I say that as someone with an unyielding sweet tooth who also believes strongly in an everything-in-moderation approach. Satisfying a craving for a slice of cake is just as important as loading your plate with colorful vegetables, if only for your personal well-being. My favorite desserts are the most uncomplicated—those that can be pulled together with only a handful of ingredients. If it’s a dessert involving peak-season fruit (as many of my favorites do), this allows their sweetness to really shine. Even if it involves chocolate instead, it means it’s something that’s easy enough to enjoy without the need for an occasion, because I firmly believe you don’t need one.
|