Eating a healthy and balanced diet is definitely a challange at times. Especially when life gets in the way. Suddenly we have to balance and plan for weddings, birthdays, holidays, family events. (Oh, the joys of being an adult - please notice, I didn't say grown up *smirks*) And don't forget about the every day things like work, walking the dog, housework, and soccer practice or dance recitals. (Or those lovely days when everyone in your house gets sick and everyone has to take the day off.)
I myself, can be really bad with poor eating habits. In the past many of my coworkers have marvelled at my healthy eating habits, and they are there, trust me. I love finding new and tasty recipes to try so I don't get bored with my menu all the time. What my old work colleagues didn't see often were my snacking habits. This girl is a fan of nachos (with shredded cheese or movie theatre style, doesn't matter), Dill Pickle and Miss Vickie's Salt and Vinegar chips, Ice Cream, a long list of baking goods and powered doughnuts just to name a few. And sour candies! (sour keys, please, don't get me started.) I wouldn't just get one snack item, I had to get it all.
So while my eating habits is something some would envy, there is tons of room for improvement.
Another thing that makes healthy eating difficult is when you have a picky eater in your house or someone with different dietary needs due to allergies or health concerns. (Or someone who places restrictions on their diet.)
In my house right now, I am trying to focus on eating and cooking with more whole food items. Whole foods are foods that are unprocessed and unrefined, or processed and refined as little as possible, before being consumed . Some examples are: apples, carrots, chicken breast, fresh spices or herbs (only because the taste is much different than the dried), cheese and nuts.
It's true that making meals from whole foods may take longer, but if you manage your time well you can really get it down to a science and cut down the time you take to do things.
Some things that I do to help cut down the time it takes to prep and cook meals are things like, taking the skin off the chicken legs before I bag them into portion sizes and freeze them; I wash and cut up veggies I use often so they're ready for salads or snacks; when I cook I make sure I have all of my ingredients and tools on hand and measure out the amounts I need so I don't fumble around looking for things (or, forget them. That is the sad, sad voice of experience. I can't tell you how many times I had to toss something because I forgot a key ingredient.)
This week, I've done some new things that I don't often get to do in my house. I *love* experimenting with new recipes and cooking. It's something you can't always do with baking. But like I've stated before, if you have a picky eater, you know how it can be. You're stuck eating the same foods over and over and slowly add new meals that are accepted - or, if you have someone whose gone on a diet, making two meals. Back to the original thought: this week, I've been able to try new things, as well as attempt some things I haven't attempted before. *Big grin*
This week I successfully baked potatoes! I tried it a couple of years ago with grim results and I haven't tried again since. I'm proud to say that they were awesome. I've also done some roasted veggies and herbed chicken. In my house, the good old reliable is "Shake 'n Bake" or if we're in the mood to mix things up, we make a fresh sauce which I prefer a lot more to Shake 'n Bake.
Today, I'm working on some beef stock to make a beef stew in the next day or two. I'm not a huge fan of soups or stews, but every now and then I try them out so there is some variety and hopefully it's acceptable. Also on the go today, I'm making some meatballs without the bread crumbs. I've done this before with varied results. Some didn't turn out so well because I was in too much of a rush, my skillet was too full and didn't handle them gently enough and they fell apart. Today I'm going to give myself lots of time so I don't need to rush or over-fill my skillet.
I'm also really happy that I'm using more fresh herbs in my cooking this week, and they can be super cheap. I love fresh herbs because they are more fragrant, they taste different than the dried stuff. And plus, who doesn't love the smell of fresh basil?
What are some new recipes that you are trying at home? What are some of your tips for making cooking easier and faster? Let me know!
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