The golden rule
In my kitchen, I apply a golden rule that I learned by observing the fishermen of my village: three things are enough to make a perfect meal. Fresh fish, a seasonal vegetable and a lemon. That's all. No need for endless ingredient lists, no need for sophisticated techniques. These three elements, if chosen carefully and respected, create complete harmony. It's a lesson in minimalism that goes against everything consumer society tries to sell us. Satiety does not come from multiplicity, but from rightness.
When you limit yourself to three things, you are forced to aim for excellence. The fish must be impeccably fresh, the vegetable must be bursting with life, and the lemon must be juicy and fragrant. This requirement transforms the act of cooking into an act of conscious selection. We don't fill our plate at random, we create a balance. This simplicity is reassuring for the mind and soothing for the body. It brings us back to the essential and frees us from the tyranny of superfluous choice.
The force of the void
The fascinating thing about simplicity is that the absence of frills creates incredible presence. When there's no heavy sauce to mask the taste, when there's no mountain of rice to drown out the flavors, each ingredient begins to shine with its own light. We really taste the delicate flesh of the sea bream, we smell the elegant bitterness of the broccoli, we perceive the liveliness of the lemon. It is a total sensory experience, where each bite is an authentic encounter with the material.
This presence forces us to slow down, to be attentive, to savor. We no longer eat automatically, we eat consciously. The void left by superfluous ingredients is filled by the intensity of those that remain. This is the secret of coastal gastronomy: doing a lot with a little. By purifying our plate, we purify our perception. We rediscover that wealth is not in accumulation, but in clarity. Minimalism is a magnifying glass that magnifies the beauty of the world.
Fullness without the weight
We often believe, wrongly, that we need to eat a lot to be full. But true satiety is about nutrient density, not volume. A simple meal of fish and vegetables brings deep fullness that lasts for hours. It is a feeling of satisfaction that comes from within, a recognition by the body that it has received everything it needs. There is no feeling of 'too full', no digestive heaviness. Just inner peace and available energy.
This satiety is of a different quality from that provided by starchy foods. It is thinner, more durable, 'cleaner'. It leaves the mind free and the body dynamic. At 35, I have learned to cherish this feeling of satiated lightness. It's my natural state of functioning, the one that allows me to be fully myself throughout the day. Simplicity is not a deprivation, it is an optimization of our well-being. It's choosing quality of life over quantity of food.
Simplified dialogue
The human body is an incredibly intelligent machine, but it can be overwhelmed by the complexity of modern nutrition. When we give him a simple meal, made up of raw and identifiable ingredients, we simplify his work. It doesn't need to sort through additives, manage sugar spikes or fight inflammatory fats. It can focus on what matters: extracting nutrients and distributing them where they are needed. The body appreciates this clarity and returns it to us with radiant health.
It is a simplified dialogue between us and our biology. By eating few, high-quality foods, we send clear messages to our cells. We tell them that we respect them and that we want their best. This newfound harmony is the basis of longevity and vitality. Satisfying simplicity is a form of applied wisdom, a recognition that we are part of a larger whole. The coast teaches us this humility and this strength. Life is simple when you know how to listen.
The wealth of the little
Simplicity in cooking is the shortest path to real satiety, stable energy and lasting inner peace.
I invite you to try the three ingredient rule. Choose a fish, a vegetable and a lemon. Prepare them with love and attention. Savor the clarity of each flavor and the depth of satisfaction that follows. No longer try to fill the void with excess, but let quality nourish you. You will see that minimalism is the greatest wealth. The table is set, the essentials await you. ¡Bom apetite e viva a simplicidade!
