dinner now!

I have realised lately i am not too busy or lazy to cook. i am too hungry. when i come home I want to have a fabulous dinner but i am way to hungry to cook it.

So i am trying to face facts and realise that sometimes it's all about assembly. So in reaching acceptance, I am sharing my current operating procedures with you.

1. forget about the dressing. i hate bottled dressings they are either too greasy or too weird tasting. or odd textured. so for a simple side salad I just squeeze a bit of lemon,(or any kind of vinegar) add a splash of good olive and a bit of salt and pepper, and toss. This works for pretty much every vegetable.
   also: a salad does not need lettuce just cut up something and add some red onion.
2. frozen vegetables- i know duh. but here in n. California it's so easy to be snobby about fresh produce. and usually in the supermarket there are frozen vegetables that i am just not that interested in (corn) or they taste watery. as usual whole foods to the rescue. they have great frozen veggies i am actually into. their frozen spinach does not need to be drained for hours. or squeezed which is hard when it is burning hot. so in my experience. here is a list of faves:
• spinach - this is a total staple. - put it in anything . or add lemon and olive oil for an instant side dish. the whole foods is the best i will never go back.
  
• fava beans. a really fresh tasting protein. great in a quick minestrone.
  
• okra. good sauteed with curry.
• peas. i like the big ones. and you do not have to defrost.
  
• squash.
  
3. good knives. most assembly involves cutting things up. and good knives make that really pleasurable. i know it is a splurge but the shun Japanese chef's knives make me want to rush home to dice a pepper. they are narrower then European chef's knives making them better for cutting vegetables. plus keeping them sharp cuts down on accidents.
   
4. pavel's yogurt. any Greek style yogurt prob works. but i love this stuff because it tastes creamy not sharp even in the low fat version. and if you do not like yogurt this stuff may change your mind. it makes a great moistener for anything you want to make a little creamy. like pasta (a tablespoon, a sharp grated cheese and some defrosted spinach voila instant sauce) , or even stew. Just don't boil things with yogurt or it curdles.
5. de-couple cooking and dinnertime. this may seem counterintuitive. However bear with me. I tend to want to eat at 7:00. so this means that to make a a great stew for the next week i have ot start at say 5:00. well i am not home then. so for example tonight i came home had some soup and a quick salad. then did soem stuff around house. and now i am making a pepper and garbonzo bean stew and really being able to enjoy rather than just wanting it to be done so i can eat. tomorow I will have dinner waiting for me at home. so i am truly enjoying cooking.