One of my beefs (pardon the pun) with fast food is the whole "fast" element of it. I mean, sometimes you need to just get dinner (or whatever meal) done so you can get on to the next thing. But if everything in life is rush, rush, rush, the beauty of everyday living gets lost in the shuffle. Appreciating the little things, the moments, the meals together is all but forgotten in the rush to get to yet another destination. Honestly, there is true gratification in procuring, preparing and then eating a nice dinner.
This all happens when you are selecting good produce and other ingredients for that meal, then you're back in the kitchen chopping and smelling the savoriness of onions cooking, listening for the sound of the water boiling for pasta, hearing the sizzle of a steak on the grill. All of these things activate your senses when you take the time to partake in the pleasure of cooking. If you have a family, all the better!
The point is we have the ability to transform the mundane into something spectacular and worthy of a little extra time. Not everyday; but sometimes we can afford the time to really enjoy one of the basics in life that we need to do daily — the preparing of and eating a meal together.
A fellow cookbook author, Terrence Brennan said, "There's no sanctuary more qualified to restore one's sense of humanity than time spent around a dinner table with one's family and friends." To that I say a hearty amen.
Look at your calendars and see if there is a day this week or next where you can take the time to prepare a meal with your loved ones in a relaxed and enjoyable way. Then sit down and let the conversation and laughter flow! Life is way too short to be living in the fast food lane all the time.
Here's a great recipe to do together with a friend or loved one and is perfect for these last dog days of summer.
Antipasto Pasta Salad
1 16 oz. bow tie pasta — cooked and drained
2 cups spaghetti sauce (your favorite; jarred variety)
1/2 cup balsamic vinegar
1/4 cup olive oil
1 7 oz. roasted red peppers — drained and chopped
1 2 1/4 oz. kalamata olives — drained and pitted
1 8 oz. marinated mushrooms — drained
1 6 oz. marinated artichoke hearts — drained and chopped
1 cup diced Provolone cheese
2 tablespoons minced fresh parsley
In a large bowl, thoroughly combine pasta, sauce, vinegar and oil. Add remaining ingredients; mix well. Serve chilled. Serves 6-8.
Per serving: 398 calories; 13g fat (29.3 percent calories from fat); 14g protein; 57g carbohydrate; 5g dietary fiber; 11mg cholesterol; 725mg sodium. Exchanges: 3 grain (starch); 1/2 lean meat; 1 vegetable; 0 fruit; 2 fat; 0 other carbohydrates.
SERVING SUGGESTION: A loaf of bread and a bowl of those little baby carrots would be easy and just right for this meal.
Leanne Ely, a k a Dinner Diva, is the author of the best-selling "Saving Dinner" and "Saving Dinner the Low Carb Way" (Ballantine). What's for dinner? Go to www.savingdinner.com and find the solution!