For the next installment in our Healthy & Whole series, we’re honored to bring you this news from our friend Jeanine of Love and Lemons. Jeanine has been a source of encouragement and inspiration over the years with both her fabulous design aesthetic and imaginative recipes. She helped us design our kitchen and was always a supportive friend. This year we were delighted when Saveur awarded it Best Food Blog: something we’ve known for ages! As Jeanine’s blog is known for her striking aesthetic, we caught up with her to ask her how she creates a meal. We believe that everyone is an artist insideNo matter how uncreative you feel – and I hope it inspires you to explore your creative side in the kitchen!
I’m a visual thinker through and through. I truly believe we eat with our eyes first—but this isn’t an article about food styling or photography. Today I’m sharing some thoughts on my approach to food, which is usually inspired by some basic design elements and principles. Here are some tips and tricks I use to get my creative (green) juices flowing:
shape
There’s a reason kids’ food often comes in the form of animals and cartoon characters. Eating shapes is fun (animals not so much for me…) and shouldn’t just be for kids. Tired from your afternoon smoothie? Freeze it in small cups and enjoy a healthy popsicle instead.
shape
When I look at my fridge and try to make dinner from leftover ingredients, I often think about the shape. Can yesterday’s salad become today’s pizza topping? Can these frozen veggies and some leftover cheese be turned into a fancy frittata? Remember that it’s the flavors that make a meal good, so have fun taking apart and putting back together some dishes. One day, those leftover peanut noodles turned into spring rolls the next afternoon.
Color
I’m not a qualified nutritionist, but I know that colorful food is not only visually appealing, it’s the best way to ensure you’re getting a variety of vitamins and nutrients. We’re drawn to colorful natural foods for a reason (and unfortunately that’s why all junk foods are so bright…), vitamin C and folic acid) and red (lycopene).
value (light and dark)
When I’m combining ingredients, sometimes it’s a fun creative exercise to narrow my options down to just one color: both for the challenge and to surprise people’s taste buds when they taste so much variety from just one color. . This matcha mint tea, for example, is made with 3 ingredients in 3 different shades of green. Each brings a unique taste. And oddly, color matching works more often than you might think…
textures and contrast
“Lettuce” to be honest – salads can be extremely boring, but with a variety of contrasting textures and flavors, they can be amazing. I like to combine crunchy or crunchy ingredients with soft and creamy ones. And I almost always combine something salty with something sweet. Opposites attract in every way of life. This refreshing watermelon salad combines sweet and crunchy watermelon with salty feta and creamy avocado.
Repetition
Who said variety is the spice of life? Try cutting different vegetables into similar shapes. This eggplant tian is really nothing more than baked eggplant and squash, but the flavors (and visual appeal) run high due to the repetition.
balance
As in life, healthy eating is about balance and not (in my opinion) deprivation at all. Every once in a while a girl needs a cocktail or a cupcake.
healthy and whole series
introduction
Slow it down
be brave
be inspired
what we eat
About food and guilt
About Food and Judgment
Eat mindfully
From inspiration to recipe
For food and money
Everything in moderation
Eat emotionally healthy
And more!
