How to eat like a grownup

You know that horrible, heartburn-y feeling that comes from eschewing an actual dinner in favor of some chips and half a bag of Lindor truffles? It's the sort of empty, unsatisfied malaise that comes from eating a bunch of calories, but nothing with actual substance. I was super bad about doing that through my teens and early 20's, but in recent years I've developed a passion for cooking. I love pouring some wine or opening a beer (the booze part is non-negotiable when I'm putting in serious kitchen time),playing some music and getting to work dicing and sautéing.

That said, I recognize that not everyone has the time or inclination to spend a lot of time hovering over a stovetop, including me about 5 days out of the week. The good news is that with a few small tweaks and the right staples in your fridge and pantry, you can start eating like a grown-ass individual with minimal effort and moderate skill.

Step 1: Stock your basics
Everyone has a different idea of what constitutes the basics but they typically include some pasta, grains and canned goods. You'll need some rice (I like to keep basmati, brown and arborio handy) and pasta of various types. I also love the shit out of some couscous and you can't go wrong with lentils. They are super healthy, cheap and filling. Canned vegetables are usually an absolute abomination (aside from corn for some mysterious reason) but feel free to legume-it-up all you please: canned chickpeas and black beans are great staples. I know it's the absolute opposite of fancy, but I adore Rotel - that's canned diced tomatoes and green chilis for the uninitiated - and I always have a few cans at my disposal. Oh , and any cook should have a couple cartons or cans of chicken broth handy, or vegetable broth for my vegetarian buddies out there.

Step 2: Invest in flavorful ingredients with a long shelf life
I'm talking jars of roasted red peppers, capers, olives and marinated artichoke hearts to toss into pasta or throw on top of some chicken breasts. A package of dried porcini mushrooms will add flavor to rice and pasta dishes and broths. A tube of anchovy paste will add a depth of flavor to almost anything (stop making that face and just try it). Various cheeses are included in this category too, for example a tub of crumbled feta and a log of goat cheese. Speaking of cheese, whatever you do, do not forget a good wedge of parmigiano reggiano. It's the single best flavor booster there is and if you use that shit in a can I will disown you. I will double-disown you if you use margarine, so get some quality unsalted butter.

Also make sure you have some sauces and condiments on hand. I like a nice aged balsamic, decent olive oil, some soy sauce and a good dijon mustard. Sriracha too of course! Oh, and if you have access to a store with a good international foods section, try to find the curry paste in the little tin cans and some coconut milk to go with it. Get real crazy with it and pick up some of my other favorites: a jar of kimchi, some Korean black bean or chili paste, cooking sake or mirin, sesame oil…the possibilities are endless in the international section. All of those things can be thrown into a stirfry or used to marinate some chicken or tofu and you'll think you're eating restaurant food. Tahini, a sesame paste used to make hummus, is always a good purchase as well. If you get good at making your own hummus, you'll never buy storebought again, and there are so many variations you can do. Obviously you need some spices too - I could write an entire post on that alone, but for now whatever favorites you have on hand will do. Do make sure to have a peppercorn and seasalt grinder though. When you are ready to invest in spices I recommend Penzey's.

Step 3: Add fresh or frozen protein and veg
Certain items from the produce section, like lemons, onions and garlic have a long shelf life and should always have a home in your fridge. For your other veggies though, you can swing by the store once a week to buy fresh (I love to roast zucchini and eggplant) or keep some in your freezer for optimum laziness. I know it sounds like cheating, but frozen veggies are just as healthy as fresh (sometimes more so as they are frozen at peak freshness). The fresh or freezer option also goes for your protein. I like to keep some fish fillets, chicken breasts and Italian sausage in the freezer but you can always hit the grocery on the way home and buy what you need for that day. If you are vegan or vegetarian you're in luck because both tofu and seitan have a long shelf life. I've never cooked with seitan personally, but I love marinating and pan frying tofu.

Step: 4 Mix it together and put it in your face
Ok, I know it seems like I'm skipping a step, but I'm not. I promise! All you do is take your basic skills, such as how to boil pasta or bake chicken breasts then incorporate items from your pantry, fridge and freezer to come up with some simple, go-to meals. It takes a bit of confidence, but this kind of “recipe-less” cooking is what's going to revolutionize your whole food game. If you don't believe me, just check out some ideas I'm literally coming up with as I type, using the ingredients I've mentioned so far.

-Pasta with goat cheese, Italian sausage, grated parmesan and veggies (I like broccoli or mushrooms)
-Baked fish filets with lemon and capers
-Cous cous with roasted red peppers and feta
-Rice and lentils (add some curry powder if you have it!)
-Stir fry with tofu or chicken, veggies and whatever Asian condiments you have on hand
-Endless chicken breast possibilities including picatta, covered in goat cheese and artichoke hearts or roasted red peppers, marinated in balsamic, coated in dijon then baked, slow cooked in a crock pot with rotel to make shredded chicken tacos...you get the idea.
-Black beans and Rotel over brown rice (Add some avocado to this and it will make your LIFE)
-Hummus
-Various soups

I realize this seems like a lot to take in, and that at first glance it may seem cost prohibitive, but remember that cooking at home will save you money in the long term. It's such a relief to realize you have the ingredients to throw together something simple after a long work day. And it's also pretty handy to realize you have everything you need to whip up a risotto to impress last minute company. Not that that ever happens to me, but it could! Unexpected guests seem to show up a lot in movies and stuff so at some point I'm pretty sure I'm going to have to make an Emergency Risotto.

Here's a handy list of my favorite staples for inspiration. I have all of these things on hand basically at all times, but I'm also an overachiever.

Cheat Sheet
Rice (basmati, brown, arborio)
Pasta (orzo, whole wheat penne, rotini)
Cous cous
Lentils
Canned black beans and chickpeas
Chicken broth (cartons or cans)
Rotel
Roasted red peppers
Capers
Artichoke hearts
Kimchi
Dried porcinis
Anchovy paste
Parmigiano reggiano
Various cheeses: feta/goat
Balsamic
Olive oil
Dijon mustard
Sesame oil
Cooking sake
Mirin
Soy sauce
Sriracha
Black bean paste
Packages of tofu
For freezer: frozen veggies, chicken breasts, Italian sausage, fish fillets

You don't need to build your pantry all at once, just pick up some things you enjoy as you go. It's not about the exact ingredients. It's about grasping the concept of recipe-less cooking and having the confidence to throw stuff together and make your own creations. It's not rocket science but you'll feel like a genius.