Often, I come across people who tell me,”I just don’t like cooking.” Now, maybe they live by themself and cooking or time in the kitchen reminds them of days gone by. That’s fair and understandable and there is nothing wrong with that. I don’t live by myself, there is someone to cook for and it’s understandable to see how that could make a difference. If I was solo, I envision either make an effort to invite someone over occasionally or finding myself reading while eating or listening to something good (a podcast or good music) or watching a movie. That’s just my vision without being in that situation. However, if that’s not you and you just haven’t given cooking regularly a try, stay with me and let me have a few minutes of your time. It’s not that hard, keep an open mind…
Start with how you think about food and food preparation. You NEED to eat and it’s proven that eating healthy is good for you and preparing your own meals will save you money over eating out. These are reasons at the top of the list for the why. Honestly, it will take a little planning, time and some organization on your part. That’s ok because the results will be so worth it.
Breakfast is a great place to start because it gets your day off to a nice start. My recommendation is a protein smoothie since it is quick, once you find a product you like, order it, have it on hand-subscribe if necessary, more on that in a bit-have any fruit necessary in the freezer ready to go and good water in the fridge. Have an efficient blender and a good travel cup. (I do not get paid to say this) Ka‘Chana is the protein powder I use. I like their flavors, it’s high in nutrition, they have a rewards program, the subscription program is very easy to adjust/edit as needed and it tastes great! There are many other good products on the market, do your homework and ask your friends. A protein shake allows you to go on auto pilot in the morning and get your day going without much thought. Before you know it, `1/3 of your daily meals are taken care of. Yes! One more thing. I make an effort to consume my breakfast BEFORE my coffee to avoid sugar spikes. A cup of coffee on a full stomach is better for you. Take two cups on the go, your smoothie and your coffee to go-avoid buying coffee out when ever possible to save money. Make it a treat, you can do your own coffee, make it custom and get in the habit. YOU WOULD BE SURPRISED HOW MUCH YOU CAN SAVE!
(If smoothies aren’t your thing, look for a few breakfast recipes for egg dishes, egg bites, quiches, frittatas, soufflés, or other appealing dishes for you. When I make the Party Quiche from my book, I enjoy a slice and then slice the remaining, placing them in a glass freezer container, with parchment paper between slices so it is easy to remove a slice and heat up in a toaster oven to have for breakfast or a snack. I have several on itsagreatdayto.com pictured below are a few of my favorites if I’m not having a smoothie or want a little break from the daily routine. Again, these are on my recipes pages, just do a search in the search bar.
These are all favorites of my family when we want a break from a smoothie.
Lunch. this one is a little more difficult. Why? Because there are many variables to deal with such as if you are away or work outside of the home and are there other people to consider. For these reasons, it takes a little more thought. If you work from home, or have children at home to care for, this is an easier picture and your circumstances are a little more predictable. If you work outside of the home, my suggestion is that you start taking your lunch. Why? It gives you more control of what is going in your body. Get yourself a nice travel lunch container with storage containers. I like a nice thermos for soups and stews and glass or silicone containers. Do a search on amazon. For kids, you won’t want glass. Have a safe and easy to clean your water bottle. Make sure all little crevices are able to get to, to clean. A little side bar on water. A good way to filter water is something to consider. A Brita or comparable filter is something to think about. You use water for so much food preparation and drinking, consume as clean of water as you can. Check what the different filters take out of your water. Do your homework on this, assess your or your family’s needs and act accordingly. Start by getting you water tested and see what your needs are.
Here we go, a few good options for lunch-all from my website too! You left, Chicken Noodle Soup, top right Pasta e Fagoli Soup, bottom left a Mediterranean Salad-I have several of these on the website in different varieties-and my Egg and Cottage Cheese wrap, yes, you make the wrap yourself, easier than you would ever imagine and the homemade dressing recipe is on that one too. All are on my RECIPES Page.
Back to lunch; salads, stews or an Encore Meal from last night’s dinner are all good choices. My kids liked taking “leftovers”/Encore Meals for lunch. On the weekend or at the beginning of the week, I like to make a good salad or soup/stew to have on hand for a few days for lunches at home, on the go or a mid-afternoon snack. What I would stay away from is processed sandwich meat. Many of these contain preservatives that you are best to avoid when possible. When I mention salads I’m thinking a salad with vegetables with and protein or a hearty grain. Quinoa and Kasha are grains that are good in salads. It’s easy to do a search for salads by ingredients. For example search for a salad with Chicken, Quinoa and vegetables. You’ll get several to choose from. On the topic of salads, make your own dressings. THIS IS SO EASY! Most dressings will keep in a glass jar in the fridge for up to 2 weeks. The base of most include an olive/avocado oil, salt, pepper, a vinegar or fresh lemon juice and usually herbs or additional ingredients for additional flavor, like Dijon mustard. You can shake, whisk or use a hand blender to mix.
When it comes to stews or hearty soups, consider beef/chicken stew, hearty chicken soup or chili. Again, make one of these on the weekend, it can be your Sunday dinner then keep the rest on hand for lunches, freeze a few servings to have on hand for a dinner when you don’t feel like cooking or have a busy night and use up the rest. I HATE WASTE. By freezing some and having the rest on hand for lunch you are using every bit of the soup/stew you took the time to prepare…
Dinners. Dinners are a little more easy to manage because more people are usually at home this time of the day and there are not many other variables to consider. Think protein, vegetables and grains. I like to start with protein when I’m thinking about dinner and select grains and or vegetables that compliment that protein. How about BBQ Beef. I like a slow cooker/crock pot for this. Get it going in the morning before work. When you get home, get some Jiffy corn muffins going while you shred the beef, steam some corn on the cob and prepare a little salad. After dinner, freeze a couple servings and keep the rest on hand for lunches or another dinner that week. Or consider chicken or salmon. Bake or grill enough for one dinner and some more for lunches or some to freeze (I’m talking about freezing chicken, not the salmon, since it might have come frozen.). I like to marinate chicken in a lemon juice/olive oil/salt/pepper/and herb like fresh thyme or chopped rosemary for at least an hour then grill. Or Bolognese. Make a double recipe, you’ll have dinner that night, freeze some for another night of dinner and you’ll have some for another dinner that week and/or lunch at home or on the go or some for an afternoon snack. Make enough, double a recipe, you are going to the effort ANYWAY.
Wild Caught Salmon is often on rotation here. I usually buy it either at Trader Joe’s or ordered through a fishing company in Alaska. Chicken Fried Rice is a dinner prepared in one pot. That recipe also is on my recipes page on itsagreatdayto.com
That’s a quick rundown but I think it gives you some ideas. Find a good place to grocery shop. Get to know the aisles, their rewards/coupon system and what their incentive programs are. I like organic and shopping local when it comes to produce. Fresh is always best and many companies freeze produce very close to picking time. It takes effort and time to be intentional about your food preparation and eating healthy. Remember the saying “you are what you eat”? This is so true. Read labels, look for recipes that are simple and easy to prepare. With the internet (and my website itsagreatdayto.com RECIPES PAGE) you can have so much good information at your fingertips. I have a few favorite food people I follow and I don’t venture far, as I can get overwhelmed. I occasionally find other good recipes elsewhere, but my “favorite go tos” usually keep me busy and I don’t feel inundated. My go tos besides myself are Ina Garten, Giada De Laurentis and Dominic Ludwig.
Lastly, I like to set a pretty table. It’s not necessary, but it adds to the experience. Pretty flowers picked up when doing the grocery shopping are nice to enjoy for a week (or 2 depending on the variety you pick up). If you live solo, invite a friend or some family over. When they offer to bring something, let them.
Setting a pretty table isn’t a necessity, but it’s a joy to me to set down to a pleasant or colorful looking setting. Over 38 years of marriage, I have collected so many pretty placemats, tablecloths and napkins. Dinner here, grilled chicken from my book, homemade coleslaw and Grilled Zucchini with Caprese’ Salad.
I think that covers most everything. We’re moving into the fall and cooler months. The autumn inspires me to do more cooking, maybe it will inspire you also to get into the kitchen. Look through my (Marvelous Mondays) RECIPES PAGE for https://www.itsagreatdayto.com/tag/recipes/ inspiration or take a little time to think, “What sounds good to me?” That’s a great place to start. Wishing you a great day, happiness in the kitchen and lots of good food To nourish your body.
