Does Healthy Cooking have to be Complicated?
By: Jen Mueller,
SparkPeople Blogger
3/16/2012 2:00 PM
: 21 comments
: 6,320 Views
As my kids get older, I find myself focusing even more on meal planning. I want my kids to try a wide variety of foods. I don’t expect them to like everything I cook, but I want home cooked, healthy meals to be second-nature to them. Growing up, my mom was (and still is) a great cook. She was always trying new recipes, and now I’ve become just like her. My husband commented the other day that “you never know what we’re going to be having for dinner” because I’m constantly mixing things up. Granted, I’m just like my mom in that I don’t deviate from recipes. Someday I’d love to learn to really cook, where I can throw together a bunch of random ingredients in my refrigerator to create a delicious meal. But I’m not at that point yet.
I try to choose recipes based on a number of factors: the number of ingredients involved (if there are a bunch of items I’d have to get at the store or I’ve never heard of some of them, I’ll probably stay away from that one), time to prepare (with little kids it’s got to be something I can put together quickly), how healthy it is (I stay away from dishes with lots of creamy sauce, fried foods, etc.) and whether or not I think my kids will actually eat it. I try to plan my meals a week at a time, and then grocery shop for the ingredients all at once. It’s quite a production to get all three of my kids in and out of car seats and walking around a grocery store, so I don’t want to have to do all of that just to pick up some spices for tonight’s dinner.
Recently I read a review of a new book called “An Everlasting Meal: Cooking with Economy and Grace” by Tamar Adler. Her premise is that cooking does not have to be complicated, and with a few basics (like a pot of boiling water, some fresh vegetables and a chicken) you can create good food. She encourages people to spend less time stressing out about how to cook food, and more time enjoying it. For instance, she suggests buying a large amount of fresh vegetables that are in season, preparing them all at once, and then using those as ingredients in dishes throughout the week. This helps avoid wasting vegetables that turn brown in your refrigerator before you have a chance to use them. She suggests that cooking shows on T.V. are one example of how the average person has been intimidated into thinking that cooking has to be complicated.
I like the idea that cooking can be simple. My preference at this point is to choose simple recipes instead of trying to create dishes from scratch. But either way, I’m still creating healthy meals for my family to enjoy.
Are you interested in learning to cook healthy dishes without spending all day in the kitchen? Check out SparkPeople’s Healthy Cooking Challenge, 10 Easy Ways to Lighten Up Any Recipe, and SparkRecipes, where you can search for recipes based on a variety of factors, including preparation time.
Do you cook a lot at home? Why or why not? Do you have any tips for those just starting out?
I try to choose recipes based on a number of factors: the number of ingredients involved (if there are a bunch of items I’d have to get at the store or I’ve never heard of some of them, I’ll probably stay away from that one), time to prepare (with little kids it’s got to be something I can put together quickly), how healthy it is (I stay away from dishes with lots of creamy sauce, fried foods, etc.) and whether or not I think my kids will actually eat it. I try to plan my meals a week at a time, and then grocery shop for the ingredients all at once. It’s quite a production to get all three of my kids in and out of car seats and walking around a grocery store, so I don’t want to have to do all of that just to pick up some spices for tonight’s dinner.
Recently I read a review of a new book called “An Everlasting Meal: Cooking with Economy and Grace” by Tamar Adler. Her premise is that cooking does not have to be complicated, and with a few basics (like a pot of boiling water, some fresh vegetables and a chicken) you can create good food. She encourages people to spend less time stressing out about how to cook food, and more time enjoying it. For instance, she suggests buying a large amount of fresh vegetables that are in season, preparing them all at once, and then using those as ingredients in dishes throughout the week. This helps avoid wasting vegetables that turn brown in your refrigerator before you have a chance to use them. She suggests that cooking shows on T.V. are one example of how the average person has been intimidated into thinking that cooking has to be complicated.
I like the idea that cooking can be simple. My preference at this point is to choose simple recipes instead of trying to create dishes from scratch. But either way, I’m still creating healthy meals for my family to enjoy.
Are you interested in learning to cook healthy dishes without spending all day in the kitchen? Check out SparkPeople’s Healthy Cooking Challenge, 10 Easy Ways to Lighten Up Any Recipe, and SparkRecipes, where you can search for recipes based on a variety of factors, including preparation time.
Do you cook a lot at home? Why or why not? Do you have any tips for those just starting out?
 You will earn 3 SparkPoints |
NEXT ENTRY > How It Feels to Lose Almost 200 Pounds
Comments
A recipe is exactly like an equation in Algebra or a step in a chemical experiment. The best thing is, you can do ALMOST anything and nothing will blow up in your face!
For someone just starting out, make sure you have all of the ingredients, prep them and put them into small bowls and simply go from one step to another. I managed restaurants for 20+ years, and when I was training a new cook, I had each step written large on a 8.5 x 11.5 piece of copy paper and posted it where he or she could easily see it (I used 36 or 48 point type). At the end of the step, I had a picture of what it should look like.
The more you practice cooking, the more you will start to get a feel for what three ounces of this is compared to three ounces of that. For instance, three ounces of lettuce looks massive compared to three ounces of beef.
If something calls for a pinch of this or a dash of that, don't worry about the size of your thumb and forefinger. A dash is just enough so if you were a magician and threw it into a fire, you would momentarily get a flash of green flame.
If you are making something with an ingredient you can't stand, try this experiment:
Slice a yellow onion, then taste it - keep that taste in your mind. Take a small pan, spray well with cooking spray and cooked the remaining onion over a medium heat until the onion starts to look clear, and browning. Remove the onion, let cool, and taste. You'll have a totally different, sweet tasting onion.
If you are still concerned, ask a friend if they've made the dish. They will tell you their opinion. If you try a recipe from Spark, read the comments.
Those people who added or subtracted or substituted ingredients - ignore. Read what the people who followed the recipe say. Remember, if you substitute Cole-slaw for onion, whatever you're cooking will taste totally different than the recipe.
I've been cooking for over 45 years. What started me was I found out if I ate out every night, my need for nutrition outran my finances.
My mom cooked American meals that were outstanding and mu god-mother cooked Sicilian dishes that were out of this world. I learned how to prepare some other dishes by asking girlfriends for copies of their recipes.
Back in the dark ages, chefs were generally considered the only men who would not burn boiling water. When I wanted to make a BIG impression on a lady friend, I'd have another couple over and I'd fix Beef Stroganoff. It is a recipe with a secret ingredient that I haven't shared with anyone but my DW (she was really impressed I could do more than grill), my oldest son's wife and my youngest son (I didn't give the recipe because she gave off strange vibes and I didn't trust her, I'm glad I didn't). EVERYONE who we've made it for tells me it is THE Best they've ever tasted.
I give it to them, but at the bottom of the ingredient list are the words:
SECRET INGREDIENT. - 3/17/2012 8:43:54 PM
- 3/17/2012 4:52:00 PM
I also love Kraftfoods.com. They have a nice ingredient search engine that allows one to key in items than want to use or want to avoid to search for recipes. The issues I have with SparkRecipes is the intense focus on low calorie, low fat, and substitutes. I have no health restrictions and am not dieting. I would find SparkRecipes more helpful if I knew how to unconvert them. - 3/17/2012 11:23:54 AM
I cook for myself and my partner and her son even though we do not share a house. To not cook from scratch is to not enjoy food. Shared food is one of the most complete ways to bond. Not cooling from scratch dooms you to an over budget grocery budget and a mediocre tasteless diet. You can cook from scratch in a thirty minute time frame. Check that convience food it may take the same if not more time than fixing the same from ingredients. - 3/17/2012 12:31:48 AM
For people just starting to make homemade food, I would say keep some basic protein that you like in the house. Also, some basic herbs/spices such as garlic, onion, thyme, oregano, paprika. Even a dash of some dried parsley can add a special touch to a dish. - 3/16/2012 11:17:30 PM
Check out kraftfoods.com and search the healthy, or made over meals. I like they are usually easy, quick, and come with nutritional info. - 3/16/2012 5:32:10 PM
Please Log In To Leave A Comment: Log in now ›