Today’s post comes from Green Mountain’s Robyn Priebe, RD.
I find that lately I’ve been getting pretty fired up (in a good way) about preparing food. I’m excited by the idea of trying a new recipe or thinking of creative ways to sneak in the healthy “stuff” so my husband doesn’t know there is pumpkin in his pancakes. I think part of the reason I enjoy cooking is that I try not to get stuck in a rut where I’m making the same food over and over and over again. I can see why people sometimes dread the process of beginning to cook again if we’ve fallen out of the habit and we remember it being a boring chore.
One way to keep it interesting is by challenging yourself to make one new recipe per week or month. I always find it’s helpful to focus on food groups that are often neglected, like vegetables or whole grains. It may also be helpful to pick a food you haven’t ever tried or something that you haven’t had in years. Not only does that encourage variety, but it helps keep our meals interesting.
Finally, I also like multi-tasking when preparing food. I find I really look forward to cooking if I pair the activity up with either good music or a podcast (my latest addiction). Recently I whipped up a bunch of food in just two hours and the time flew by since I was enjoying a pretty entertaining podcast.
What’s your take on cooking? Do you love it? Hate it? Any tips for making it more of a joy and less of a chore?
7 Responses (Add Yours)
You hit the nail on the head with this post. This is what I started doing back in the early summer. I planted my first vegetable garden this past year and told myself I was going to learn to cook. Not just follow a recipe but learn to really cook. That meant I needed to step out of my box and try new things, new flavors. Honestly, it changed my life. This winter has been a little more difficult for me, because the excitement of the garden is not there but I am slowly getting back on track. Thanks for the great reminder and the hit on the head!
.-= Julie – Big Girl Bombshell’s last blog post..Healthy Recipe for the S.O.U.L =-.
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I love cooking! I think the more you do it, the better and faster you get – so my advice is to start simple and keep doing it. Pretty soon you will experiment on your favorite recipes and have fun :D
.-= Lori’s last blog post..Cold and cruising thoughts. =-.
I really love cooking! But I used to hate it when I was younger. I think, though, that you appreciate food more when you cook it yourself.
One way to make it more interesting is to cook a meal with someone else or cook FOR someone else. Making it a shared experience is that much more enjoyable.
.-= Sagan’s last blog post..January’s Nutrition Challenge: Raw Food Diet =-.
I really love to cook, but the key for me is not feeling rushed. I try to make a few different dishes each weekend that I can use throughout the week for lunches and dinners. It’s fun to have different projects going in the kitchen, and then be able to enjoy them on a weekday night when I am pressed for time.
.-= Kerry’s last blog post..Chicken and Vegetable Potato Soup =-.
Pumpkin in pancakes-that sounds like something I would do. And cooking is best while moving in the kitchen to great tunes. Cooking is a highly creative endeavor, and greatly enjoyed.
[...] Taking the Boredom/Choredom Out of Healthy Cooking [...]
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