Wednesday, October 5, 2011

Food Reinvented

I love food.

I love to taste it, smell it, create it, bake it, cook it, and dream about it. But as of yet, I really haven't had to reinvent it.

My incredibly organized mom always had meals planned out well in advance. Delicious and healthy with beautiful balanced colors, she had a 3-month supply of menus before she'd repeat (we'd have to beg for boxed macaroni and cheese). 6 days on and one night of leftovers a week. Which we would consume in total like ravenous wolves we were. Then I moved out of the house and realized that I don't like leftovers. I'd eat them maybe once, and end up tossing out the rest if friends or boyfriend didn't want to finish them off for me. However, Brian and I now find ourselves in the East Bay, living off of a awfully strict student budget...one that doesn't leave any room for throwing out food. Quite a disturbing quandry for me and my food sensibilities.

So, I'm learning to reinvent.

Greek salad skewers of marinated cucumbers, feta, and tomatoes turn into mediterranean lunches when paired with hummus in soft pitas. (Fine Cooking Appetizers: skewers and hummus)

Too-ripe fruit gets thrown in the freezer, to be made into banana bread, snacked on later (grapes), or combined with the last spoonful of yogurt and splash of milk for breakfast smoothies.

Chicken fajitas and rice become hearty salads tossed with a vinaigrette, chick peas, and typical taco toppings. (George Geary: Parmesan Vinaigrette)

Overflowing amounts of pears from the lovely ladies at work are baked with a generous sprinkling of oatmeal (it's cheap), brown sugar, cinnamon, and butter to create my new favorite breakfast. The sweet, nutty flavor and the soft texture of the fruit is perfection.

Like Cinderella, almost-expiring sour cream when paired with almost-expiring strawberries magically becomes a sweet cloud of tart sweetness. (Mark Bittman: 15-Minute Fruit Gratin)

As a designer I've always been told that design challenges always result in more elegant and intelligent solutions. I've never liked hearing that because struggling with challenges is painful and difficult. However, the truth is the same. Our budget conciousness is frequently a struggle, and yet it is producing some delectable, inventive, and fun meals to our repetoire. For that, dear budget, I thank you.

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