I have a deep love for a few things, most of those things belong in or around a kitchen and those things include cookbooks, proper pans and Polish pottery. Of all the kitchen gadgets and electrics, those three are on the top of my list of necessities that I would rather not live without. I remember way, way…okay one more way back when I was able to flip pages in a magazine sitting on the floor beside my grandmother’s magazine rack (I wonder where that went?) on Friday nights reading through recipes and food articles from Women’s Day, Family Circle and Better Homes and Gardens. If I had to skim my list down further, though I love cookbooks and have probably over one hundred of them, I can live without them. This is why…

I have discovered that the best meals I make come from pure love of fresh, whole food cooking. Throw me in a kitchen and let me use whatever is available and I can likely throw a good, healthy meal together – given that the chosen kitchen doesn’t stock processed foods; in that case I could prepare a pretty strong chemical $#!t storm as they say.

When you view food as fuel for your body and a meaningful centerpiece for social gatherings you can thoroughly enjoy just enough food and no overeating because good quality food is so very satisfying.

Stock your refrigerator, freezer and pantry with healthy choices and build your meal upon what you feel like tasting each day. Keep colorful vegetables, assorted lean meats & fish, true whole grains (quinoa, barley, farro, bulgur, oat, etc.), beans of all kinds, spices and herbs, root vegetables such as potatoes, sweet potatoes and yams, carrots, ginger, onions and garlic stocked up.

Decide on your protein for the meal, add your veggie and your root veg or whole grain. It’s perfectly well to eat a meal of just vegetables, beans and whole grains a few days a week too.

Don’t stress over meals, keep it simple and healthy. You’ll find that cooking can be fast and easy as well as deliciously satisfying.