A Simple Guide to Cooking Delicious Food that You May Not Even Notice is Healthy

“Cooking can be easy and fun and healthy food can be delicious!”
~ Randy Rabney

At this point most of us know that the way we eat has a direct impact on our health. While we may have the best intentions, things like time, convenience, lack of knowledge and cost often seem to play a role in the decisions we make about how we feed ourselves and our family. In our busy world it just seems easier to reach for the frozen or boxed meal or even take out without realizing what relying on such heavily processed foods are doing to our health in the long and short term.

We all have areas in our lives where we are more confident than in others. There are things that we do well without much difficulty and things that we find much more challenging. Then there are the areas that are really challenging for us, sometimes so challenging that we actually get stopped and don’t make happen what we want to make happen.

So what if your area of challenge is cooking or feeding yourself and your family in a way that you feel good about? This can be especially tough because you have to eat, every day, several times a day! I hear from people all the time who say “I don’t cook” or “I’m not a good cook” or “I can’t think of anything new to make for dinner” or “I can’t seem to make healthy things that my family will eat” or “I’d really like to be doing things differently and I just can’t seem to do it”. If this is you or even close to your situation, I want to start to support you in moving forward now. I am going to break down what you need to know and make it easier for you immediately. Sure, you have the option of eating out, bringing food in or if you can afford it, hiring a chef. You also have the option a cooking everything in a very basic way, like steamed or broiled, but to me that takes the joy out of food. The option that you don’t have is not eating. We have to feed ourselves every day, more than once, and if we are parents we also have to feed our children.

I really want two things from my food; I want it to taste great and to nourish me. I think most people can agree with that. Everyone should be able to have that. So take a breath in and read this article as I simplify what you need to know to make quick, healthy and delicious food at home.

1. Set up your kitchen so it works for you. You don’t need a lot of equipment but there are some items that will make your life in the kitchen easier. At a minimum, you need a cutting board that provides a good size work area, a sharp chef’s knife that you learn how to use and some decent pots and pans. I’d also recommend some nesting bowls. There are definitely other things that I suggest and like to have but for now we will start with this. Keep ingredients in your house that are the foundation of your meals. Have condiments that you like, such as hot sauce or dark sesame oil, and some basic items that you can use to prepare a meal, such as eggs and onions.
2. Get to know your ingredients and choose the best ingredients you can get. From both a taste and health point of view, the ingredients you choose are everything. I cannot over-emphasize the importance of this, it is the foundation of healthy cooking and there are several articles about it on my blog. Get the freshest possible ingredients and know what you are buying. Was your produce grown organically? Where did your eggs, meat and dairy come from? How was the animal treated and fed?
3. Master a recipe and then use the technique to make a different meal. For example, learn to make a frittata. Once you are comfortable with the technique, change the ingredients for a completely different flavor experience. So once you are comfortable with making a frittata that has onions, spinach, feta and dill, next time make it with leeks, asparagus, basil and Parmigiano instead. It’s a great way to prevent boredom, increase variety in your diet and experience what is seasonal as well.
4. Learn which flavor combinations work for you and repeat them in different forms. Here’s an example of what I mean. I have a quesadilla recipe that I love. In there, I use the combination of sautéed onion, kale and tomatoes. These three ingredients taste great together. When you make the quesadilla, you know that, but why should they be limited to the quesadilla? Add some Parmigiano and use them in the frittata that you know how to make or serve them as a side dish with some grilled or pan seared fish. Feel free to add some fresh basil or eliminate the tomatoes, maybe add some fresh garlic or substitute the garlic for the onions. Do you see where I’m going with this?

Would you like me to guide you step by step on how to choose the right foods for you and your family, help you to stock your pantry and kitchen so you have what you need on hand and teach you how to make delicious, quick and healthy meals that you'll get to taste during class? In my new 4 part, live and in person group program I will do exactly that, at a fraction of the investment that it costs to work with me privately. Space is limited. Interested? Find out more here. http://theconsciousplate.com/blog/delicious-for-life-a-step-by-step-guide-to-a-lasting-lifestyle/