diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index 53aff25..01e3d65 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -10,10 +10,22 @@ generate structured (configuration) files on the fly.
 
 Each (configuration) template file is broken into two parts:
 
-* The leading YAML front matter (or *variables* or *meta data*)
+* The optional, leading YAML front matter (or *meta-data* variables)
 * And the actual Twig template contents
 
-Each section starts with a three-hyphen divider (`---`), so that a full file would
+In its most simple form, a template without the optional YAML front matter would
+look something like this:
+
+```
+timeout = {{ data.timeout }}
+{% for interface in data.interfaces %}
+auto {{ interface.name }}
+    address {{ interface.address }}
+{% endfor %}
+```
+
+If you also want to include *meta-data* variables, then
+each section starts with a three-hyphen divider (`---`), so that a full file would
 look something like this:
 
 ```
@@ -30,7 +42,7 @@ auto {{ interface.name }}
 
 ### Meta variables
 
-The template files start with the meta-data in the form of a YAML front matter.
+The template files can optionally start with the meta-data in the form of a YAML front matter.
 This syntax is quite simple and is pretty common for template processors and
 static site generators such as [Jekyll](http://jekyllrb.com/docs/frontmatter/).
 
@@ -52,6 +64,7 @@ Can contain any *Twig template*.
 The input variables will be accessible under the `data` key.
 
 The meta variables will be accessible under the `meta` key.
+If no *meta-data* variables are present, then this key defaults to an empty array.
 
 ## Install
 
diff --git a/tests/ConfgenTest.php b/tests/ConfgenTest.php
index 6b3b46d..0b7ca8f 100644
--- a/tests/ConfgenTest.php
+++ b/tests/ConfgenTest.php
@@ -72,6 +72,17 @@ public function test05Empty()
         $this->assertFileNotExists('empty');
     }
 
+    public function test06Simple()
+    {
+        chdir(__DIR__ . '/fixtures/06-simple');
+
+        $this->confgen->processTemplate('example.conf.twig', $this->loadJson('data.json'));
+
+        // output file successfully generated
+        $this->assertFileEquals('example.conf', 'example.conf.expected');
+        unlink('example.conf');
+    }
+
     private function loadJson($path)
     {
         return json_decode(file_get_contents($path));
diff --git a/tests/fixtures/06-simple/data.json b/tests/fixtures/06-simple/data.json
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..94bf520
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/fixtures/06-simple/data.json
@@ -0,0 +1,7 @@
+{
+    "timeout": 20,
+    "values": [
+        10,
+        12
+    ]
+}
diff --git a/tests/fixtures/06-simple/example.conf.expected b/tests/fixtures/06-simple/example.conf.expected
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..53feb02
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/fixtures/06-simple/example.conf.expected
@@ -0,0 +1,6 @@
+# just a sample
+timeout = 20;
+
+[all]
+add 10;
+add 12;
diff --git a/tests/fixtures/06-simple/example.conf.twig b/tests/fixtures/06-simple/example.conf.twig
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..253d190
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/fixtures/06-simple/example.conf.twig
@@ -0,0 +1,7 @@
+# just a sample
+timeout = {{ data.timeout }};
+
+[all]
+{% for value in data.values %}
+add {{ value }};
+{% endfor %}