Prepared, Pre-cooked, and Processed

A few nights ago I was wandering around the aisles of a local Kroger, searching for a healthy snack after a long, tiring shift at work. As I aimlessly walked around the store, I started to notice a trend in a majority of the food products that really bothered me, and I realized that the invention of these products has created a stigma and unhealthy attitude towards food. Here is that stigma:

It is WAY too difficult and time consuming to make a healthy, home-cooked meal. 

First of all, I'd like to just flat out call BS on that statement. But before I explain why, here are some of the products that perpetuate that idea:

• Microwaveable, highly-processed frozen TV dinners
• Pre-packaged sauces, 25-ingredient dips
• Brightly colored books and magazines with headlines that say "How to Make a Quick and Easy Meal" or "Throw-It-In-A-Crockpot Dinners" or "15 Minute Meals"

There is NOTHING wrong with buying pre-made meals every so often, or looking up quick recipes when you're on a time crunch. There are single parents that work multiple jobs who rely on things like this; I'm not trying to insult or belittle people who buy these products.

However, the issue lies with this idea that cooking is awful. Time-consuming. Difficult. When in reality, anyone (and I mean anyone) can do it. 

When someone searches online and sees a recipe titled "Amazing 10 Minute Pasta", the title may convince them that it is, in fact, amazing to be able to create a great pasta dish in only 10 minutes. But in reality, even when the most skilled chefs are creating the most intricate pasta dishes, it won't take much longer than that. 

For example, the other night, I made what I call a "fridge meal". Basically I use whatever I have left in my fridge and try to create one coherent dish. I threw some quinoa pasta in boiling, salted water (6 minutes), and while it was cooking, I browned some cauliflower in a skillet with shallots, turkey bacon, and curry powder. With a little drizzle of extra-virgin olive oil and a hit of Sriracha, I had a delicious, inventive meal that was using fresh ingredients. 

When we start to see magazines, articles, and food products all around us that perpetuate this idea that cooking should be as easy and mindless as possible, I believe it makes us lose respect for our food, and ourselves in the kitchen. We trade a peaceful hour of building a fragrant, simmering pot of soup for a can opener, and a 2 minute spin in the microwave. We trade a fresh tray of crisp roasted broccoli for a mushy, over-cooked "vegetable medley". But you know what? I think we deserve better. 

I challenge all of you to be brave in the kitchen this week. Visit your local farmer's market and try to create a meal using only seasonal, local produce. Throw some onions, garlic, fresh tomatoes, tomato paste, herbs, and wine into a saucepan and experience the rustic beauty of homemade sauce.  Once you start to taste the difference, I doubt you'll ever reach for a Lean Cuisine dinner again.