UNITED STATES—It might seem hard, but it is not as hard as you think, it just takes a bit of creativity in the culinary universe. So many of us tend to get bogged down by thinking you must have these ingredients to create a satisfying dish, but that is not always the case. There are things in your fridge, there are things in your cabinet. When you combine those ingredients you can create an entree, a side and potentially a desert.
Let me give you a prime example: cucumbers. I love cucumbers, but I hate them at the same time because I feel like I’m always having to toss them out at times because I don’t use them up in time. I used to only utilize cucumbers for a salad, but that has since changed with me utilizing them to juice and make smoothies. A refreshing drink is satisfying, but it’s not food. That is where taking some cucumbers and tomatoes and making a cucumber/tomato salad.
It is indeed refreshing, and if you want to make it tastier, throw in some diced watermelon and perhaps a few pieces of crumbled feta cheese. Cucumbers are from the melon family, so it’s easy to mesh the two into something sweet, savory and healthy at the same time that is not processed. For example, this week I knew I wanted to cook something satiating for the start of the week. I had an ear of corn that I needed to use, I had 2 red skin potatoes, and I had some ground chuck that needed to be cooked.
At first, I thought about doing a meatloaf, but I didn’t want something too heavy. So, I switched to making meatballs. I utilized a white onion I had, some garlic, breadcrumbs in the cabinet and a few spices. I didn’t cook them with gravy I did my meatballs with a tomato sauce with crushed tomatoes. I’m not a fan of gravy. I do not like it, and not its not because I don’t know how to cook it. Gravy is just yucky too me and I’d rather not utilize tons of butter and flour. So fresh tomatoes, cooked down with some herbs and spices, partially cook the meatballs and then finish them off in the tomato sauce.
Diced the red skin potatoes and then I utilized them to make mashed potatoes, with a sampling of pepper, butter, and 1/2 percent milk. I know what many of you are thinking, what about your vegetable? I split up that ear of corn, and it became 3 small portions and I just ate a third of the corn. I was satisfied with what I ate, and I was fully with a little bit of everything. So much to the point that I had leftovers, which is always a plus people.
I’m starting to learn you don’t have to go overboard at the grocery store getting what you think are top tier ingredients to craft a delicious meal. Sometimes the cheaper or off-brand items work just as well. It is all about how you flavor things. I’m not a big salt person; I actually do my best to limit any salt that I place on food. I’m more about herbs and spices, substituting the salt that so many Americans adore for better substitutes.
I hate wasting food, and the older I get the more frugal I have become with my dollars doing my best to not waste my money and utilize the ingredients that I am purchasing to craft not just a single dish, but multiple dishes.
