Many whole, natural foods do not necessarily require cooking. Raw fruits and veggies, canned wild-caught fish, grass-fed cheese and uncured natural deli meats, organic additive-free rotisserie chicken, grass-fed organic yogurt and kefir, etc. all make fabulous light meals and snacks and can often be consumed on-the-go. For meals that require a little more attention, today’s array of slow-cookers, pressure-cookers, Vitamix models, convection ovens, food processors, semi-vacuum cookware and induction cooktops can really speed up the process.
I own a Saladmaster machine that enables me to create a 7 veggie chopped salad providing 6 to 8 servings, in 6 minutes. Many salads and soups can be prepared today, from scratch, within minutes. Modern thermos and insulated food containers enable foods to remain hot or cold while being transported to work, sporting events or elsewhere.

Tips:

• Include your kids in the meal preparation process
  • Teach them along the way
  • Help them to create recipes and have fun experimenting
• Invest in small food appliances to make the cooking process faster and easier
• Invest in portable and insulated food storage containers to transport cold and hot dishes
• Don’t make your kitchen a “showpiece only” room. Use your appliances on a regular basis to make food preparation fast, easy and a natural habit

Fast Ideas for Slow Food

Again, the term “slow food” (a popular term for whole, natural foods) denotes a long and lingering process to preparing meals, desserts and snacks with whole organic ingredients, from scratch. This doesn’t have to be your process. For example, try my “generic” Meat Sauté recipe below:
“Fast & Easy Main Meat Sauté”
Serves 4. Total time with prep and cleanup: 15-20 minutes

Ingredients:

• 1-2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
• 2-3 cloves garlic, minced
• (4) 6-8 oz cuts of meat (beef, poultry, fish, pork)
• Splash of reduced sodium Tamari sauce
• Splash of red or white wine
• Pat of butter
• Salt & pepper to taste

Instructions:
Prep time–approximately 3 minutes

1. Heat pan
2. Mince garlic

Cook time–9 to 15 minutes

1. Add oil to pan
2. Add garlic and sauté for 1 minute
3. Add meat to pan and sauté for 7 to 10 minutes
4. Turn meat and add splash of Tamari
5. Sauté for an additional 2 to 8 minutes
6. Remove from pan and turn up heat
7. Add wine and reduce, approximately 1-2 minutes
8. Turn off heat and add butter
9. When butter is melted, pour over meat and serve

While meat is cooking, simply prepare a 3 veggie salad or stovetop veggie combo. With little practice, this dinner can be prepared and served within 15 to 18 minutes and is a fabulous weeknight system.

Three-Ingredient Recipes

Preparing whole, natural and organic dishes does not require numerous ingredients. Here are a few ideas from my website at www.kcthor.com, for fast, easy and delicious 3-ingredient dishes:
3-ingredient “Sweet Potato Chips” (Vegetarian)

• 1 lg organic sweet potato (scrubbed and unpeeled)
• 2 tsp melted organic/pastured ghee (clarified butter)
• 1/8 tsp (or to taste) Celtic sea salt

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
Slice potato thinly, in food processor. Toss with ghee and sprinkle with salt. Bake for approximately 15 minutes or until browned. Cool on rack and serve with your favorite dip.
3-Ingredient “Grilled Coconut Aminos Wings”

• 8 organic chicken wings, halved
• Organic coconut aminos sauce (or Bragg’s Liquid Aminos)
• 1/2 tsp raw organic sesame seeds

Grill wings over medium-low heat, turning occasionally and brushing with coconut aminos for approx 20-25 minutes. Sprinkle with sesame seeds and serve with additional sauce for dipping.
3-Ingredient “Breakfast Cookies” (Vegetarian, Vegan)

• 1 cup organic flax meal
• 2 very ripe organic bananas
• 1 tbsp Arrowhead Mills organic peanut butter (smooth or crunchy)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Mash all ingredients together. Drop by the spoonful onto parchment lined baking sheet. Bake for approximately 15 minutes.

Tips:

• Go to www.kcthor.com for more fast, easy & delicious ideas and recipes
• Increase the ingredients in your dishes to create easy leftovers
  • Use leftovers for easy breakfasts and lunches
  • Use leftovers to reinvent another dish
• Freeze or store leftover food items in BPA-free glass containers

These ideas and tips will help you to better understand the Simplicity of Organic Cooking. By creating new habits and with a little practice, you’ll find that your palate will prefer the fresh living flavors of organic foods and ingredients while supplying your body with optimal health benefits. You will also find, as I did, that cooking with organic foods often requires fewer ingredients and less fuss due to the enhanced freshness and flavor of the foods.

KC Thorson is referred to as Wisconsin’s Premier Organic Cooking Coach and has been coaching individuals, groups, and businesses on her fast, easy and delicious concepts for preparing organic foods, for the past 14 years.  In her 14-year career as an organic cooking instructor, educator and recipe author, she has specialized in digestive-friendly, diabetic-friendly and gluten-free organic cooking tips and processes that she has passed on through group and private classes, small business wellness programs, cooking workshops and gluten-free presentations.  Her experience includes co-producing and hosting a local cable TV show ,“What’s Cookin’ with KC,” for over 10 years, 4 years as culinary instructor on an organic farm, including 4 years as a Board of Director, 2 years participation on a project team for a leading cookware company, 2 + years offering personal chef services and creating organic confections for local coffee shops and businesses.  KC enjoys helping others employ simple and healthy ways to include home cooking and fresh, clean foods into their busy lives.