Full disclosure: I'm a huge nerd.

Full disclosure: Essentially every time I cook something, I pretend I’m on Top Chef. It doesn’t matter what it is, I could be toasting sesame seeds, or mixing together a green salad, my mind automatically goes there. I contemplate what sort of challenge the dish I’m making could be for, how I would justify my choice to the judges, what I would say to defend my dish. Of course I’m not that creative when it comes to cooking challenges so more often than not, I start to think about a farmers market challenge, or “create a salad that can be considered an entire meal” or something ridiculous that would never actually be a challenge on Top Chef… how am I this big of a dork? Sometimes I just imagine that I’m having the judges over for dinner, and I wow them with my simple peasant style dishes. Seriously, nerd alert.

As the weather starts to get warmer I’ve been adopting a "less is more" mentality. Less makeup, less layers, less complications, less complicated recipes. There is something really pleasant about simplifying a meal. Letting the ingredients speak for themselves, not making anything too hard or too pretentious. Just simple, clean flavors. Easy and hearty one dish meals are what I’m all about lately. Is there anything better on a random 80 degree spring day than a basic capresé salad? Fresh mozzarella, semi decent tomatoes, a little basil, black flake salt, a drizzle of olive oil and vinegar.

Lately my go to meal has been a mixture of quinoa, French lentils, lightly steamed kale, and this tahini dressing. It is so basic, so filling, so hardy, so healthy, so delicious. I absolutely adore when simple flavors meld together into an amazing dish.  It might not be a Top Chef worthy dish, but it is a winner in my book. (and in my fantasies… as all the judges muse over how surprised they are by a meatless meal blowing them away, and how the simplicity of the dish, and the sweat tangyness of the dressing just blends everything together perfectly).