Fast Food and Health - Bittman's Kitchen Express
Make Quick, Delicious Meals That Don't Pose a Health Risk
Aug 28, 2009
Fast food has a bad reputation - for good reason. On the one hand, it’s consistent, convenient, fast, fun and family-friendly. Then there is its dark side. This food has been tied to some of the greatest health risks in generations.
Previous studies have linked the over-consumption of fast food to obesity, diabetes, heart disease and even some cancers. Now, a University of Michigan study has concluded that fast-food indulgence may be tied to strokes as well. In a February 18, 2009 Reuters News article, “Study Ties Fast Food to Stroke Risk,” writer Julie Steenhoysan noted that the study found stroke risk rose one percent for each fast-food restaurant in a neighborhood. The greater the temptation, it seems, the more likely people are to succumb.
Minimal Recipes
Now, imagine eating good, fast food that doesn’t pose the same health risks as -- well, as your neighborhood is likely to pose. Mark Bittman, “The Minimalist” columnist for The New York Times, manages to take on that challenge in his newest cookbook, Mark Bittman’s Kitchen Express: 404 Inspired Seasonal Dishes You Can Make in 20 Minutes or Less. (Simon & Schuster, 2009)
Nothing sums up the nature of Bittman’s cookbook better than its subtitle. Bittman’s minimalist style is served well here. His recipes come without those long, tiresome ingredient lists found in most cookbooks. In Kitchen Express, each recipe appears with a descriptive title and a brief paragraph in which ingredients and directions appear as one form – complete, succinct and easy to understand. Brilliant. Bittman, after all, is a proponent of imprecise recipes. He’d rather see the cook take on his or her time in the kitchen as an adventure rather than as a robot who simply follows directions. “Specificity is fine for baking,” he says – but meal preparation begs for a more creative flair.
Cooking by Seasons
By dividing the book into seasonal sections, it’s easy to flip to the recipes that call for ingredients on hand right now. In other words, cooks who have a supply of fresh or canned pumpkin won’t have to flip through dozens of strawberry recipes on the way to finding a great dessert. The seasonal division is also the author’s subtle plea to buy the freshest and finest ingredients possible. With minimal ingredients, it goes without saying that each ingredient has to shine.
For the most part, the recipes here are meant for adults with a more sophisticated palate than those who enjoy more typical fast-food fare. The convenience factor? That’s relative. This obviously isn’t pull-up-to-the-window easy, but in terms of dishes that can be turned out quickly and with large doses of flavor, this is convenience “fast” food at its best.
In summer, try a tomato, goat cheese and basil strata or a warm corn salad with ham. If fall’s here, make the walnut-coated fish or the chicken with sweet-and-sour sherry sauce. Winter may call for a meatball sub or maple-ginger glazed chicken with pecans. And spring? What about shrimp with asparagus, dill and spice or beef and corn tacos?
Here’s an example of Bittman’s minimalist recipe style. Remember, what and how much of each ingredient to use is a creative choice. Enjoy!
Pear, Bacon and Goat Cheese Sandwich
Fry a few slices of bacon until crisp. Smear slices of good bread with goat cheese and later with thinly sliced pears and the bacon. Drizzle with a little balsamic vinegar and serve.
