Great Escapes

As I piled groceries into my cart on Sunday I realized that we'll be eating our way around the world this week. This is a happy and delicious coincidence rather than the result of a grand scheme, though as colder days loom my menu planning was perhaps influenced by a subconscious longing for far-away places and bright, vivid flavors. By Thursday we will have visited Italy (capellini with scallops), Mexico (three-chile chicken), India (curried lentil and potato stew with okra), Asia (steamed fish with jasmine rice and bok choy), and the Middle East (spiced Israeli couscous and roasted squash). Freud would probably read some deep meaning into all this but I was just going for low calorie, fast and budget-friendly dinners. As a bonus I'm finding that while I chop, stir, and linger over a plate the scents and flavors transport me, no suitcases required. Stay tuned for recipes.