The five foods I can’t live without

You’ve seen the “desert island” lists before, those fantasy lists detailing the top five books/records/people/etc that, were you stranded on a deserted island, rank the top 5 you couldn’t live without. But what about food? What if I had no fantastical desire to be stranded on an island (as sexy as it may sound), but rather just needed to compile a list of my five most coveted foodstuffs?

As much as I love food, the answers were surprisingly easy to come by. Here they are, in no particular order, for I love and crave them all equally:

Avocado. Six year-old me wouldn’t have touched an avocado if it were the last food available on Earth. Now, grown-up me cannot get enough. Avocado sushi? Yes please. Guacamole? I could eat it with a spoon. In paninis, salads, even on pasta? Avocado has a place there, too. I’ve been known to become fanatical about the fluctuating cost of these fleshy green beauties (see my Twitter feed) and have taken to frequenting local farmer’s markets for the best possible bargain on my favorite fruit.

Pita bread. Versatile, healthful, what more could you ask for in a bread? I use mine as a base for quick veggie pizza, slice them up and toast as pita chips, or use it to make breakfast fruit pockets (see previous post). Thankfully, there are a few companies in Tampa that produce excellent pita bread, and the best are sold at local health food stores.

Noodles. I never met a noodle I didn’t like. Soba, somen, vermicelli, bean thread, spaghettini, ramen; noodles made from spinach, noodles made from rice. Doesn’t matter. If it’s noodly, I’m addicted to it and have been since I was a toddler. You’ll find me trawling the local Asian markets’ noodle aisle like some kind of stalker. Don’t mind me; I’m just setting up for my next fix. (I still have yet to try shirataki noodles – I’m a little wary because someone once told me they ‘smell weird.’)

Hummus. I’m always in search of the perfect hummus. I’ve even tried making my own, and while the taste was okay, I couldn’t get the texture just right. I’m particular to garlic hummus, but have had some smashing ones from local restaurants and even Trader Joe’s (a jalapeno/cilantro hummus? Yes please!). I find it hard to live without hummus because I love snacky-type things, and hummus has quickly replaced bean dip as my go-to guy, whether I want to dunk chips or a carrot stick (or the aforementioned pita chips).

Sushi. You may argue with me on this one, but is there anything more sublime than sushi? Perfect little pockets of (usually) healthy goodness, dipped tenderly in a heady soy sauce, daubed with a smidge of fiery wasabi, and edible in one bite? The perfect finger and party food, sushi is something I would grandly weep over if it disappeared. You’ve got your sushi connoisseurs, your purists, and your simple “hey, let’s grab sushi” once-in-a-whilers; I’m somewhere in between. I’ve had fabulous sushi and horrid sushi. You know which is which once you take one bite. Lucky for me, it’s become so commonplace that even my local supermarket carries in in ready to go lunch packs; no waiting involved. My perfect roll: brown sticky rice, nori on the inside, avocado, carrot, asparagus, and topped with a spicy sauce. Were I stranded on an island and had only this to eat, I would be a very happy girl indeed.