I love cooking. I am the kind of girl that gets super excited when I am gifted a new kitchen gadget, I LOVE experimenting with new recipes at home, new flavors, and ingredients. The entire process I am obsessed with. From growing my own food to shopping for the ingredients (and cooking tools!). Prepping, chopping, and cooking are all my ideas of fun. To me, it is more than getting a meal on the table. It is a family event, an expression of love, caring, and a responsibility to my health.
I am extremely aware that what I just described does not exactly strike a chord with a lot of people. In fact, it is not common at all to share my love of spending hours on cooking meals each week. To some, cooking is simply a chore and can be an extremely daunting task. Some just don’t understand how to enjoy cooking at home. However, we can’t completely avoid cooking. Especially if we are concerned with optimal health (physical, emotional, or financial!)
Cooking does not have to be a chore!
I think I may have heard every counter argument to cooking at home. Cooking is too hard, I don’t like to do dishes, I hate cooking, eating healthy is too expensive, I don’t have the right supplies, the recipes never turn out right for me, take-out is easier/cheaper/faster/tastes better. The list of reasons people use to justify why they object to cooking at home could go on and on. I get it. We are all guilty of it. We get into a rut where nothing at home looks good, tastes good, is worth the time, effort, or money. Grabbing a quick bite to eat somewhere else seems like a much better idea.
I am going to let you in on a little secret. Cooking for yourself, in your own home, does not have to be stressful, expensive, tedious, or difficult. Above all, in the current pandemic we are battling, it is safer!
You don’t need to be a master chef to master the art of cooking at home (and actually enjoying it!). I’m talking about a few easy things we do in the MVF kitchen that help us enjoy cooking at home. I hope they help you learn how to enjoy cooking at home too!
Tara’s Tuesday Tips: How To Enjoy Cooking At Home
Clean Your Kitchen
Clear the counters, organize the pantry, get rid of old spices or dry goods that you haven’t used recently. Make room for new ingredients and new ideas. Clean and organize really well to start. Then, get in a habit of keeping it that way. Find a good time of the day to clear the counters, empty the dishwasher, and clean the sink. Do it that way every day. That is what I do and it works! This is listed first because it needs to be done first!
Involve Your People
Whoever you live with, get them in on it. Allow them input on foods they might be interested in trying. Learn the spices or flavors they enjoy eating, those that they don’t particularly care for, and those they are yearning to try. Perhaps a weekly meal planner will help that they can write on. Make cooking a family event a few times per month so that everyone can appreciate what goes into getting a meal on the table. No one is too old or too young to learn how to enjoy cooking at home.
Have A Little Confidence
A recipe is just a starting point, there are no mistakes that cannot be fixed. Taste test as you go along to be sure you are on the right track. A little anxiety will push you; a lot of anxiety will derail your efforts. Give yourself grace. It is just one meal. You will make mistakes, but everyone makes food mistakes, everyone!!!
Use Your Kitchen Gadgets
I AM TALKING TO YOU! Take the Instant Pot out of the box. Dust off the air fryer, find all the pieces to the spiralizer. These things make you a kitchen rock star … use them! Do not be afraid! I’m going to let you in on another little secret. There is a video on the internet that will explain every kitchen tool you have but have been too afraid to use. You are not alone. You tube is your friend. Start here with my favorite Instant Pot Recipes and Air Fryer Recipes!
Let Your Veggies Take A New Shape
Spiralize, use a crinkle cutter, if you always cut your carrots try shredding them. Another kitchen rock star move. It is fascinating how much better a dish goes over when you cut the ingredients into an interesting shape. A new vegetable or even a different cooking method. Steam, sauté, bake, pressure cook, or air fry! Be sure to include your something new with something familiar just in case. TRY IT! Trust me. Start with How to Make Perfect Zucchini Noodles or Sweet Potato Crinkle Fries!
Make Spices Your Friend
Always using red chili pepper? Try smoked paprika or chipotle pepper powder. Garlic or onion powder your go-to? Try 21-seasoning blend or Trader Joe’s Vegan Chicken-less seasoning salt. My best advice here is not to rely on salt to flavor everything. Boring! Again, don’t be afraid! Every mistake can be fixed.
Plate Your Food As If You Were Going To Photograph It
I LOVE LOVE LOVE food photography (obviously). There is just something about photographing my art. Yes, your food is your art, your creation. It deserves a nice plate, a placemat, maybe even a fancy napkin and a pretty glass to go along with it. Treat your food as your creation from the time you dream up the recipe to the time it hits your fork. This gives you a better appreciation for what you have created, and you might actually realize you love cooking! You may have heard the phrase, “We eat with our eyes first”. There is actual research that supports this quote. Food that looks good has been found to taste better.
Don’t Try Something New When You Are Pressed For Time
This is a recipe for failure. Make your creative day your least busy day of the week. On that day, try some meal prepping so that you don’t turn to fast food or packaged food on the busy days. Commit to one new recipe a week or a month and you will see, it will turn into more!
Prep
Yes, I said prep. Chop everything ahead of time. I seriously do this. I wash, dry, cut, and portion out veggies for the entire week of recipes. Two main reasons I do this. Firstly, if I chop it I feel forced to use it because I do not want it to spoil. Secondly, if everything is chopped, I can focus on being creative instead of the busy work.
Track Your Savings
Seriously. Eating at home is cheaper for one person or for 20 people. No arguments here.
Make Healthy Dressings Your New Go-to
This was been a game changer for us after we went completely plant-based. I was so afraid of our food being boring. I created a post of my favorite oil-free salad dressings. They aren’t only for salad. Use them to dunk veggies in, to change up a sandwich or a wrap, drizzle them on potatoes or noodles or broccoli. All my dressings are oil-free and guilt-free so use them as you like! That way, you can still have your usual salad/rice/quinoa/noodle base and change up the flavor with the dressings.
Throw Away The Self-criticism
There is no place for that in the kitchen or anywhere for that matter. Do not resort to eating out of a package because you think you can’t cook. Yes, you can! Some day starts today. Eat, drink, and be thankful.
Need Some Recipe Inspiration To Get You Started?
Start with my most popular recipes:
- Air Fryer Buffalo Tofu
- Chipotle Copycat Recipes
- Air Fryer Green Beans
- How To Saute Frozen Spinach
- Cilantro Jalapeno Hummus (Oil-Free!)
- Vegan Buckwheat Chocolate Chip Cookies
- Instant Pot Vegan Lentil Soup
- Instant Pot Steel Cut Oats
- Quinoa Cracker Recipe
All the best,
Tara 👩🏻🍳
⭐️ Did you love learning how to enjoy cooking at home ? Leave a comment below! We love comments ⭐️
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