What do you do when you're feeling a little uninspired and sorry for yourself? How do you pick yourself up and bring yourself out of the pitying hole?
Perhaps draw? Paint? Arrange colours on the plate and relish it with the simple joy that you can cook something from scratch? It does make me feel a little smarter.
I read on The Age recently about Jamie Oliver's latest mission to save the Great Britain society from junk food poisoning. I missed the episode where he burst into outrage after witnessing that dinner for a particularly family consisted of kebab shavings and chips served out of polystyrene box. You may think it's disgusting (I thought it was) but behind the greasy 'truth', poor people believe they can't afford to buy healthy food. It's like how busy people believe that they don't have time for their family.
I am a self-confessed tight arse. I keep a weekly budget of $20. I don't eat out because it costs less to cook my own meals. And if I do, it's for a special occasion and to enjoy the company of good friends. I don't spend my money on junk food or processed food. I often shop at fresh markets (and just before closing so I can strike a bigger bargain) and find that it's far cheaper than supermarkets.
I think it's not nearly so much about poor people having no money to buy good food, I believe it's poor people making poor choices (in that article, it says that the family owns a plasma tv and most of the money is spent on chocolates and sweets for the kids). Busy people have no time because they choose to make time-poor decisions. I've seen incredibly busy CEO's make (the keyword here is 'MAKE') time for their kids' school dramas, competition, holidays. I think it's rather interesting about the choices we choose to make. (Of course I make many bad ones)
Vegetarian Basil Fritata ( serves 4 )
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- 4 eggs
- 250ml thickened cream
- 120g cheddar cheese
- 1 small zucchini, sliced
- 1 carrot, sliced
- 4 baby tomatoes, halved
- 100g pumpkin, sliced into small pieces
- 1 small onion, diced
- 1 tbsp of dried basil
- salt and pepper
- Heat some olive oil in a frying pan.
- Cook onions until translucent. Put vegetables in.
- Cook until soft. Stir occasionally.
- Beat eggs and add cream, basil, a pinch of salt and pepper to taste.
- Preheat the oven to 180C.
- Grease a baking tin with some butter or olive oil.
- Arrange cherry tomatoes and cooked vegetables in the baking tin.
- Pour egg mix in.
- Sprinkle cheese and place in the oven for 30 - 40 minutes or when egg has completely set in the middle.
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You’ll need:
- A mix of salad leaves
- 1 blood orange, skinned and sliced
- 1/4 cup walnuts, chopped
- A drizzle of olive oil
- salt and pepper to taste
Method:
- Arrange salad leaves and blood orange on a plate.
- Drizzle walnuts and then olive oil.
- Season the salad with some salt and pepper. Serve with fritata.
