I’m not a food snob, despite what some of my friends think when they find out I have an affinity for gourmet restaurants and I’ve had a food blog {or at least part time food blog} for almost seven years. I’m a practical foodie. There’s as much room in my kitchen for the boxed and canned as there is for the farm fresh and whole. Especially now that I’ve got a beautiful and wonderful but awfully needy tiny person taking up a majority of my waking hours!
And guess what? Keep an eye on ingredients and nutrients on both, and you can get good and healthy meals from each. Fresh, simple, non-gourmet. Good food.
Sometimes that means journeying into condemned territory. Like indulging in the occasional fast food meal along with the boxed items, or throwing a pre-made pizza in the oven instead of cooking from scratch. Or choosing, even preferring, imitations to the real thing.
That’s me when it comes to crab. I love crab cakes and crab soup, but that’s about the only thing I’ll use real crab in. It’s too expensive, and I honestly don’t love the taste of it. Imitation crab, on the other hand, is one of my favorite things in the world. It’s a pre-cooked mixture of Alaskan Pollock and King Crab and it’s tasty enough that I could just snack on it right out of the bag. It’s saltier than the real deal, though, so if you’re using it in recipes, cut back on your salt.
One of my favorite ways to use it is to throw it in this tasty layered crab salad. It’s great for an appetizer or a really light meal, quick and easy to make, and you can vary the presentation by serving it up on crostini or mixing it with egg salad for a sandwich that’s out of this world.
Layered Crab Salad
Serves 4.
What You’ll Need:
- 1/2 lb crab meat {or imitation crab}
- 1 tbsp chives, chopped
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- handful Roma tomatoes
- 2 avocados, pitted and diced
- salt and fresh black pepper to taste
How to Make It:
1. Finely dice the crab or imitation crab and place in a small bowl. Add one tablespoon of olive oil and 1/2 tablespoon chives and gently mix until combined. Place in the bottom of 4 small bowls or stemless wine glasses.
2. Slice enough Roma tomatoes to make a layer over each of the layers of crab meat.
3. Top the tomatoes with avocado, and sprinkle lightly with salt and pepper to taste, and the remaining chives.
4. Serve immediately.
And yes, this is just one more wonderful way I sneak more avocados into my diet. Remind me when he’s old enough to thank my son for triggering a very delicious and healthy craving throughout my pregnancy with him and after!
Update: My friend Naomi offered up the yummy twist of adding green onions to this. I haven’t tried it yet, but that sounds like a fantastic add!
So how about you guys? Are you food snobs? Are you all about convenience? Or are you somewhere in the middle?
