Confession: this post is designed mostly to make you drool, and to inspire you. And its theme—quick and easy—is perfect as I sit here in the middle of my California vacation in need of a quick post that allows me to say hi to you all with time to spare to walk the dog, hit the beach, and meet friends for dinner. Man, I love vacation.

 

 

 

Nearly every time I tell someone that I’m getting a Masters degree in Gastronomy (which is usually followed by me clarifying, “That’s food studies.”), they then make the assumption that I eat really healthy, really good, really quality food all the time—food that I cook at home, from scratch, every single night, of course.

 

 

 

Funny thing is, I think I cook less now than I ever have before. When reading an article or writing a paper or doing some other kind of assignment is hanging over your head 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, it’s hard to justify the time it takes to cook. Luckily, I am in a food program, after all. So some days I can justify cooking as “studying.” Or “research.” This most certainly works for the consumption of wine and baked goods.

 

 

 

I find the best nights are those when I can cook a little something delicious that doesn’t take too long, so I get to enjoy good food and reduced stress. For this purpose, a little high quality pre-made food helps a lot. A few weeks ago at my farmers market I discovered The. Most. Delicious. Ravioli I may have ever had. And voila. An easy, healthy, quality, partially homemade meal was born.

 

 

 

These ravioli are made from scratch locally in Boston and then flash frozen, so they’re easy to whip up in an instant—well, three minutes to be exact. They have some amazing fillings, including goat cheese and beets (which I have yet to try). But the kind I’m currently addicted to is filled with fresh summer zucchini and caramelized onions. Boil for three minutes, top with good quality olive oil, salt, freshly cracked pepper, and a boat load of freshly grated pecorino romano cheese. Pair them with a zucchini that you quickly sautée in a little olive oil and season with salt and pepper. And like I said, voila! Dinner is served.