I had to run a couple errands after work yesterday, which didn’t afford me much in the way of cooking time in the evening. Not to suggest that I need to eat by a certain hour [it's pretty typical for me to eat dinner around 8, so all those rules about not eating too late clearly don't apply], but by the time I arrived home, my stomach had already angrily informed me of its emptiness with multiple growls. A night for an involved recipe, this was not.
simple cooking in progress: excuse the dirty counters. i’m messy when i cook.
The previous evening, I found myself in a similar situation. Traveling back from a weekend in the countryside [that would be suburban Connecticut, visiting the fam], I was tired from Metro North and cab seats, and I threw together an oversized salad for dinner: chickpeas, cauliflower, broccoli, parsnip, sweet potato, kale, olive and coconut oils [mixing oils is my new favorite way to deepen flavor]. Random? Most definitely.
I’ve realized, over the past few months, that piles of vegetables have become my go-to meal when I simply don’t feel like thinking about what to do for dinner. The Whole Foods salad bar is akin to a fast food indulgence for me [those of you who frequent it know what I mean, and I use the word "indulgence" due to the $7.99 price tag]. I think my stomach has become accustomed to crazy amounts of fiber, and I can pack the recommended day’s worth away with room for dessert.
Last night, I wasn’t in the mood for anything in the raw – perhaps as unconscious preparation for the snow that is supposedly on its way [Again with the snow! Did winter not get the memo that I am over it?]. So I went the route of a stir fry, which really, is just a salad – vegetables, oil, vinegar, spice – warmed up on the stove.
I unintentionally ended up with a simple color scheme that made me smile: just two shades of green and beige, with a far wider variety of good, real food.
vegetables and cashews dressed up in sesame oil, rice vinegar, bragg’s, and dulse flakes, with an organic egg fried in at the end.
A meal like this is pure comfort to me. I was practically wired after dinner, energized enough to clean up, prepare myself for the following morning, indulge in mindless computer time. It’s this type of meal that perfectly satisfies me on those occasions on which I can’t think think creatively, because I can still delight in good food that makes me feel my best.
I had to learn a bit about nutrition in order to eat this way, and I think some of my less-than-healthy decisions in the past were simply due to misinformation. Now, I know that a pile of steamed vegetables alone won’t cut it. But mixed, as this plate was, with generous nuts, oils, and ancient grains? There is nothing more satiating on an evening at home – at least for me.
What about you? What is your go-to, easy comfort meal?
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impressive comfort food ;) my go-to meal is some sort of cereal/yogurt/fruit combination, or toast.
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Yup, stir fry is definitely a comfort food for me as well. The fact that it’s quick, warm, and easy to personalize makes it just perfect, in my opinion.
My comfort food has to be a good pasta dish lately..just keeps me warm and satasfied.
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Love this post & your taste in comfort foods. I gravitate towards roasted vegetables and hummus. Number one in my book of comforting dinners!
Now that’s my kind of comfort food. My definition is actually very similar to yours, only I wish that my stomach would allow me to eat as many veggies (without problems!) as yours will.
My favourites are polenta made with rice milk (plus it’s digestible!) and rice noodle/veggie stir fry (I use baby corn, pak choi and sugar snap pease but if my IBS wasn’t so bad I’d use broccoli too) with peanut butter sauce.
Love the blog!
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~Jess~
Yummm! That dinner looks amazeee!
As pathetic as it is, my easy-go-to favorite meal ever is oats! Breakfast, lunch or dinner, I know that if I have a bad day, I always have a bowl of comfort to fall back on. My favorite is rolled oats with nut butter, fresh banana, dried fruit and cinnamon! =]
Great blog!
oooh that dinner looks yummy! My confort food would have to be pasta – or a big batch of roasted vegies yum!
There are so many foods I reach to for comfort, depending on my mood and the season. Lately I’ve been going for canned pumpkin mixed with cinnamon and maple syrup, homemade fried rice, and Annie’s mac and cheese.
I love that kind of meal, stir frys are the best!! And I tend to load up on the veggies now too… they are so filling and you can eat so MUCH of them.
My go to meal… breakfast!
This past week I had a big bowl of veggies in coconut oil, tomato sauce, a little pasta and nutritional yeast at least two times. It was a quick dinner and so comforting. I love that to me a big bowl of broccoli, okra, and brussels sprouts is comfort food. I think my stomach is pretty well trained to pile on the fiber, too. Fiber One bars and fiber yogurt…who needs them!?
Egg sandwiches are my ultimate go-to comfort food when I have neither the time nor the energy to get creative in the kitchen. So easy, so warm, so filling. And veggies are always had, of course :)