Make Healthy Cooking More Fun.
You probably know that preparing your own food is a great way to eat healthier and lose weight. If you are like me and love to cook, then you have an added bonus.
If you’re uncomfortable in the kitchen, it can be difficult to stop relying on dining out, but if you are determined to keep from gaining those extra pounds then I would suggest you try to enjoy your own food and the satisfaction it can give when the meal is tasty.
That’s especially true if you grew up without many culinary role models, and now you think it's too late to learn. On the other hand, you might be eager to bake cookies and fry bacon, but you draw a blank about what to do with asparagus and brown rice.
I can assure you it is never too late to learn how to cook to a competent and good standard.
The truth is all cooking, whether it is healthy or not, can be a lot of fun. Try out these suggestions for changing the way you eat and enjoy new recipes in the process. You may even find that you enjoy the process and start to develop your own take on adding different flavours to foods.
How to Make Healthy Cooking Easier.
Everybody can feel the frustration when you don’t understand some of the words used in a recipe or worse still you are halfway through a recipe and realise an important ingredient is missing.
As far as missing ingredients are concerned, I would like to say that you should always double check your shopping list before you go to the store, and if you are not sure of what a particular ingredient is then look it up before you go. You can also use your favourite search engine to check if that are any substitutes you can use if a product is not easily sourced in your area.
I am sure I will make you happy when I tell you that there are many quick and simple ways to make healthy and tasty meals faster than you can get a takeout.
Try these techniques
1. Organize your kitchen. I am not asking you to go in for a major renovation, unless of course you feel your kitchen needs it, as there are still many things that can be done to make your working area more efficient. Those essentials that you are always using need to be within easy reach and you can install racks to expand your cabinet storage.
2. Some basic tools can speed up meal preparations. Keep your knives sharp. Far too many accidents occur in the kitchen that can be attributed to using blunted knives. Your knives should be sharp enough to do the work without you exerting pressure.
There are many kitchen gadgets that can help you produce good food. In my kitchen I find a combination microwave and an air fryer absolutely essential, but of course you can make do with an oven and hotplates. If you have the budget for it, I would also suggest you have a food processor and a slow cooker
3. Stock up on staples. Fill your pantry and freezer with ingredients you use frequently. Tinned items and jars last for a long time providing they haven’t been opened. Once you do open them look for any storage and time usage to make the best of them.
That may include olive oil, tomato paste, rice, and flour. Add items you use often to this list.
In the freezer keep a good supply of frozen vegetables. These are often much fresher than what is classed as fresh vegetable these days. Many are frozen within hours of being picked meaning they keep their freshness until you decide to use them.
4. Cook in batches. One way of cutting down on the amount of time you spend in the kitchen is by making a larger portion than you need and then freezing extra portions for a future date. These can then be defrosted and used with a minimum of fuss and time.
Where possible use parchment paper or spoon rests to avoid making a mess on the work-surfaces.
How to Make Healthy Cooking More Social.
Try using some, or all these strategies to combine cooking with socializing.
There is no reason in the world why you cannot assemble an album of your personal recipes. You can even add pictures and stories to make it more personal. Let people know you never used to like cooking but found a new lease of life when you got used to it.
5. Send gifts. When you are more sure of your cooking abilities you can give gifts of homemade food. This can be a thoughtful and affordable present for any occasion.
Bake and decorate low sugar cakes for birthday parties. Hand out bags of chocolate dusted almonds for wedding favours.
7. Prioritize family meals. Food should be shared so why not try to sit down with your family for at least one meal a day. When you do this, you can share in conversation while eating wholesome food. Get your family’s reaction to your cooking skills. If dinner is difficult to coordinate, gather for breakfast.
Once you are cooking, you can be proud of making nutritious meals and snacks. With practice and using a little creativity in your new skillset you will soon be surprising yourself at what you can achieve.
Now in addition to eating healthier you will be saving money and spending more quality time with your loved ones.
