Jeanne Lemlin - Simple Vegetarian Pleasures

Simple
Vegetarian Pleasures

JEANNE LEMLIN

The Pleasures of Simplicity

There is a reason why the call to simplify our lives is echoed throughout modern history, and that is because chosen simplicity is inextricably linked to enjoyment. This, many of us are grateful to learn, is no less true in the kitchen. What a wonderful realization when we discover that a simplified approach to cooking can actually heighten the pleasures we derive from preparing food. Complex, labor-intensive recipes are welcome when the cook has time to play leisurely in the kitchen, but for the busy person who is juggling armloads, simplified cooking is essential.

How do we learn to cook quickly so that it reflects simplicity at its highest form, that is, the delivery of intensely flavored, yet uncomplicated food, rather than fare that is dull and uninspired, though also simple? We must develop a new orientation in the kitchen so that a little advance planning will take us a long way Everyday cooking is most successful and enjoyable when it arises out of some organization. If you dont want to rely on frozen or packaged convenience foods, and you have a busy schedule, then youll benefit tremendously by developing some new habits to make your time in the kitchen easier and more productive. Practicing the simple art of thinking ahead will transform your cooking. Lets examine some key elements that I have learned are crucial to creating a new strategy for simplified sophisticated meals

Selecting Recipes

Before you do your grocery shopping, choose a few recipes that you d like to prepare in the upcoming week. What are you in the mood to eat? Whats in season? Is there a new food that youd like to become familiar with? Do you anticipate company coming? Will you need some do-ahead meals or would last-minute preparations suit you better? I highly recommend that you often include soup as one of your weekly choices. Its a helpful strategy to make the soup on the weekend when you have some extra time, and then reach for it on an evening when putting some heat under a pot is about all you can manage.

Make a note of the recipes that you select and hold on to it. It will be invaluable when you put together your shopping list, and will be a reminder of what you are equipped to cook throughout the week. Its a great feeling to approach a recipe and know you have everything you need.

The Shopping List

Although it can be fun and prudent to shop by spontaneously selecting whats in season or on sale, or by what grabs your attention, the shopping list is, without a doubt, salvation for the busy cook. I always have a running list on my counter so that I can immediately jot down an ingredient that I need or must replace. Shortly before I go shopping I select a few recipes for the week (as I have described above), and add those ingredients to the list. Refer to the items in A Well-Stocked Kitchen (opposite), and include any staples that are missing from your pantry. Now you have a truly useful shopping list, and youll soon see how much easier this will make your cooking.

Whats for Dinner

With some recipes for the week and all the ingredients you need to prepare them, you are left with the not-so-onerous task of choosing what you want each day for dinner. Dont wait until late in the day or when you come home from work to make this decision; settle this early in the morning or even the night before. Cultivating this habit will relieve you of pressure throughout the day because youll know dinner has been decided, and you have all you need to create it. It might seem awkward at first to be thinking of dinner while you are eating breakfast, but youll soon see bow much youll benefit from this advance planning.

Furthermore, if you can complete one recipe-related task before you leave the house in the morning, youll be so appreciative when you return. Its amazing how just chopping a few vegetables, washing greens, cooking some rice (which takes 2 minutes of your attention and can be cooking while youre eating breakfast), or grating some cheese can significantly lessen your load at dinnertime.

Keeping Track

Have you ever prepared a fabulous recipe a few times and then, not too long thereafter, forgotten about its very existence? Its easy to lose track of old favorites when you enjoy experimenting and discovering new dishes.

To easily remember these treasures, keep an updated list of quick recipes that you love (and note where each one can be found), and tack this list to the inside of a cabinet or onto your refrigerator, or anywhere else you can easily read it. When you are making your shopping list or are in need of an idea for a quick meal, refer to your list and youll be pleased to remember these old friends.

A Well-Stocked Kitchen

The items on this list are basic to the well-supplied kitchen and are easy to store. Do strive to keep these ingredients on hand; they will make your meal planning much easier.

On nights when you dont have a particular recipe planned, you can reach into your pantry and create an impromptu meal. Nonperishable items and those that have a long refrigerator life are easy to keep stocked because they require no attention. So refer to this itemization when you make your shopping list and youll find it will significantly simplify your meal planning.

Cupboards or Pantry

vegetable oil

olive oil

oriental sesame oil

vinegars (red wine, balsamic. Chinese rice wine, apple cider)

assorted pastas

roasted red peppers

canned plum tomatoes

tomato sauce

tomato puree

tomato paste

canned beans (chickpeas, black beans, kidney beans, small white beans)

salsa

lentils (brown and red)

oats (regular and quick)

cornmeal

couscous

bulghur

rice (converted white, brown, Arborio)

peanut butter

unbleached flour

sugar (white and brown)

honey

baking powder

baking soda

onions (yellow and red)

garlic

Refrigerator

powdered vegetable stock base

celery

carrots

lemons

parsley

olives

whole wheat flour

tamari soy sauce

Parmesan cheese

Cheddar cheese

feta cheese

Monterey Jack cheese

nuts (almonds, walnuts, pine nuts, and pecans)

gingerroot

Freezer

peas

corn

chopped spinach

ravioli

tortellini

pita bread

tortillas

Health Issues for the Vegetarian

I have been a vegetarian for nearly 30 years and, consequently, have followed many health issues, both the benefits and pitfalls, related to maintaining a vegetarian diet.

What I have concluded after reading numerous scientific studies, hearing many unfounded claims, using common sense, and heeding my own physiological messages is that the challenge of adopting a sound vegetarian diet has been grossly exaggerated. If we eat a wide variety of foods, that is, plenty of fresh vegetables, fruits, grains, and legumes, and go easy on fats (dairy products) and sugar, then it would he virtually impossible not to thrive on a vegetarian diet. It is also crucial to acknowledge that diet is not the only factor in achieving good health; exercise and emotional well-being are key elements as well. Its a mistake to overemphasize the role food plays in making us healthy while underplaying those salient considerations