18 Dec Inside the Fridge welcomes Southern healthy food blogger Marisa Moore

Southern girl and wannabe world traveler, Marisa Moore is a registered dietitian nutritionist, food and nutrition communications consultant and recipe developer based in Atlanta, GA. She’s a self proclaimed “Salsera” which means Marisa can Salsa dance with the best of them.  Connect with her on Twitter, Instagram or Facebook and check out her blog at www.marisamoore.com/blog.

ITF: Where do you shop for food?

MM: All over. I get the day-to-day stuff at Publix but I love walking to my neighborhood farmers market on weekends and Dekalb Farmer’s Market (a massive year round indoor market) for great produce finds. When I’m looking for very pretty produce, seafood or just when I crave brown rice salmon sushi, I head to Whole Foods.

ITF: Do you love food shopping or dread it? Why?

MM: Love it. Whenever I travel, one of my first stops is the local farmers market. I could spend my day and all of my money gawking at seasonal produce and looking for new foods to try. I’m a sucker for new foods.

ITF: What is the single most important thing on your mind when you are shopping for food?

MM: Making something that tastes really good.

ITF: How many times a week do you eat out? Eat in? Remember there are 21 meals a week (on average).

MM: Hmmmm. I eat homemade foods more often than not. I’d guess I eat out not more than 2-3 meals a week on average.

ITF: How do you plan your weekly meals? Create a spreadsheet or fly by the seat of your pants?

I tend to plan on the fly. I keep a list of recipe ideas on my phone. When it’s time to shop for groceries, I think of how I can make the most of the meals I’d make. I love cooking but hate the clean up. So I’m always looking for a way to cook once and eat (at least)  twice!

ITF: What is the most coveted food in the fridge right now for each member of the household? Why?

MM: Greek yogurt. I eat yogurt almost every day as a filling morning snack. It’s the most coveted item in the fridge for me because of its versatility. I eat it with homemade jam or fruit and nuts. In cooking, I use Greek yogurt to create creamy sauces and soups. In the summer, it’s the perfect base for frozen treats.

ITF: What is the oldest item in the fridge right now?  Be honest..it’s okay. I just ate ¾ of something that expired last year.

MM: Probably the carrots. They look a little dry and cracked.

I’m a bit of a food safety freak. So, I don’t usually leave much in the fridge beyond its prime. Every now and then, a half empty carton of chicken broth will hang out a little too long because I forgot to label and date it.

Marisa talks healthy foods for travel on CNN

ITF: Do you believe in leftovers? 

MM: Don’t know how I’d make it without them. Leftovers are my jam! I cook with leftovers in mind. I often make my meals to serve at least 4 to enjoy for dinner or lunch a couple times and/or freeze to enjoy a few weeks or months down the road.

ITF: What convenience product can you not live without?

MM: Canned beans. Occasionally, I will buy dried beans and cook a big batch but I always keep a variety of beans in the pantry for quick vegetarian meals. My favorites include garbanzo beans, black beans and cannellini beans. Black beans form the base for healthy nachos while cannellini beans with leftover greens and tomatoes make a quick Italian meal.

ITF:  What cooking utensil/piece of equipment/appliance do you live for?

MM: My immersion blender is the best thing ever. I use it to make smoothies and puree soups directly in the pot. Again… I love anything that makes clean up easy. 

ITF: What food/s are important when recalling food memories?

MM: I grew up in the south, raised by my grandparents. I was lucky to have access to lots of fresh produce that they’d harvest in the summer and we’d get to enjoy all year long. Because of this, I love pretty much any fruit or vegetable. 

ITF: What are your go to food/nutrition/culinary/cooking website, book or cookbook?

I love Pinterest for inspiration. However, I still end up making Cooking Light recipes more than any other.

ITF: What was the last meal you cooked from scratch? What was the menu?

MM: The last meal I cooked from scratch was quinoa patties on top of coconut milk braised kale. 

ITF: If one person could cook for you tonight, who would it be ?

MM: My Grandma. Unfortunately, she is not able to cook these days but what I wouldn’t give to have her recipe for chicken and rice. I still haven’t figured out how to make chicken and rice like hers. And her pineapple cake was pretty amazing… I’d love a slice right now.

ITF: What words of wisdom or advice do you have for other folks who are doing their best every day to fill the fridge?

MM: Build your menus based on what you have on hand. It encourages you to be creative but also helps reduce waste.