In every nutrition presentation I do, the meal matrix slide is always the most popular one. With everyone laying low in their homes lately, I thought it would be helpful to discuss HOW to put a meal together. Many people I talk to know how to follow a recipe but have no idea how to make dinner with a bunch of ingredients. I think now is a great time to get back to basics on many levels, so let’s talk about how to build a meal…

This is based on the matrix in the upcoming book, Sacred Cow: The Case for (Better) Meat, that I co-wrote with Robb Wolf. When I first attended his nutrition workshop, nearly 10 years ago, his matrix was the most helpful and memorable slide. It’s been updated and adapted for the “How to Eat Like a Nutrivore” section of our book, highlighting the most nutrient-dense choices you can make. While the book is mostly focused on why meat is healthy and can be produced in a sustainable and ethical way, we both felt that it was important to include a chapter on what you, the reader, can do to have a better impact on the planet. Taking care of your health by eating well is certainly one of the most important steps any individual can take.

Don’t like some of the items on this list? Make your own!

Make a list of ten meats, ten veggies, ten fats, ten herbs and spices, and ten other components like fruits and nuts. If you take one item from each of these columns, combine them and consider that a meal, you have ten thousand meal options. If that was one meal a day, you would potentially not see the same meal for twenty-seven years. By focusing on what you can eat and not what you’re removing, the opportunities for meals are virtually endless.

Ok, that’s all great, but what does this look like?

You might be wondering what a day of food could look like eating this way. Basically, I look in the fridge, figure out what protein option I have, then toss the other items in the pan or on the plate.

• Breakfast: 3 pasture-raised eggs in an omelet with organic spinach and a side of fresh/frozen organic berries.

• Lunch: Big salad filled with colorful vegetables like peppers, carrots, tomatoes, cucumbers, topped with some pumpkin seeds for crunch and a 4–6oz piece of wild salmon.

• Dinner: 4–6oz grass-fed steak with some sweet potato and roasted broccoli.

Books that can help you learn to be a better cook:

Kitchen Express by Mark Bittman – What I love about this book is that it’s just meal ideas, not actual recipes. Each “recipe” is a paragraph, about 6 – 8 lines describing what you do. Imagine your grandma on the phone telling you how she makes her famous chicken soup – that’s how it’s written.

Here’s an example: Shrimp with Cilantro, Garlic, and Lime

In a large bowl, combine a handful or so of chopped cilantro, some minced garlic, the zest and juice of a lime, a tablespoon of fish sauce, salt, and pepper. In vegetable oil, cook a pound of shrimp until pink and no longer translucent, three or four minutes. (Or use squid; cook it for even less time). Toss the shrimp in the cilantro mixture and serve alone, over noodles or rice, or even as part of a salad.

The book contains a detailed pantry list, suggestions on what to have on hand in your fridge and freezer, and a nice substitution matrix. Most of his recipes also have suggestions on substitutions as well. Yogurt for sour cream, apples for pears, parsnips for carrots, etc.  I recommend this book for folks who are intimidated at the idea of cooking without a recipe but want some guidance to venture out of the box.

The Flavor Bible - This was my secret weapon when I was writing my cookbooks. I’d think of a classic recipe, then take one or two ingredients and swap them out for something unexpected. For those of you who are creative, this book will help you discover new twists on your favorite recipes and will give you inspiration to create new dishes.

The way this book works, is each ingredient has a list of items that pair well with it, and certain items are listed in bold, indicating a classic match. Bacon, for example, has a long list of great options to pair with it, like beans, avocados, potatoes, salmon, and in bold are eggs, lettuce, onions, tomatoes, and vinegar. Then, they list “Flavor Affinities” such as: bacon + arugula + egg + pork belly or bacon + chanterelle mushrooms + salmon + shallots.

It’s really fun to sit down with this book, flip to an ingredient you’d like to explore, then see all of the cool pairings and combinations you could make with what you have on hand. I’m always gifting this book to my foodie friends. Many have suggested Ratio to me, and I have it, but I don’t love it in the same way as I love The Flavor Bible.

Other books that help you learn to cook:

The Joy of Cooking is a great encyclopedia of basically every classic recipe. Once you learn more about how to substitute ingredients, you can really get creative using the recipes as a jumping-off point to make tons of unique meals.

The recipes in Well Fed, Well Fed 2, and Well Fed Weeknights by Melissa Joulwan usually offer a bunch of modifications. Her Turkish Chopped Salad can be transformed by different dressing ideas into a “French-Ish” or “Italian-Ish” salad. 

Two other books that are on my list to check out in the near future include Salt, Fat, Acid, Heat, by Samin Nosrat, which has been sitting on my shelf, unread, ever since it came out. I’ve heard great things about it! Also, the 4-Hour Chef by Tim Ferris, which is described as a “choose-your-own-adventure guide to cooking, which is exactly how I love to learn. I ordered it earlier this week.

What other books have you found helpful? What creative meals have you put together recently? Please share in the comments or let me know on social!