Lately, I’ve felt a little like a child who throws a fit when they don’t want the type of food you are serving them. No! No! No! I don’t want that! It’s not that I don’t like all of the food in my fridge and freezer; I’m just bored with it. It doesn’t sound appealing. It makes me feel like there is nothing to eat because what I have isn’t attractive and cooking definitely isn’t either when I’m already hungry, so then something out to eat sounds better and that’s where I end up. A habit of eating out too often can prove to be disastrous for me if I am not careful and aware.
What is a girl to do?!
I google searched “I’m bored with food”, and an awesome article from www.theculinarylife.com popped up! Perfect!
Here are the top 10 ways they recommend not getting bored with your food:
· 1. Pick up one new thing from the produce section. Sometimes all it takes to unlock a little creativity in your cooking is forcing yourself to try something new. Never tried leeks? Or perhaps there’s a different color of potato that’s caught your eye? Grab it. Cook it.
· 2. Visit the spice aisle. Most of us cook with salt and pepper, but there’s a whole world of flavor out there, just begging to be tasted! Peruse the spice section and pick something you find intriguing. I personally recommend pimentón dulce or herbes de provence. Both are easy to use and tough to screw up.
· 3. Buy fresh ingredients instead of canned or frozen. There’s no shame in buying convenience foods, but you’re missing out on a whole world of yum by eschewing living produce. Consider using fresh basil instead of dry or fresh berries instead of frozen. You might just be surprised what a difference it makes.
· 4. Try the unprocessed version. Yes, rice actually comes in brown. So does sugar. The next time you’re at the store, shake it up a bit by grabbing a different colored variety of something you normally buy.
· 5. Search the internet. Sites like Epicurious let you search by ingredient lists, so the next time you find a motley crew hiding in your crisper, try to use as many different ingredients at once as possible.
· 6. Garnish it. Just like an old jacket with a new pair of shoes, a new garnish can spice up what’s become the same old dish. There’s a bounty of fresh herbs, artisan vinegars, and new cheeses in the world. Go. Try them.
· 7. Buy a new pot or pan. This may seem like a bonehead recommendation, but think about it: new toys are fun! If you buy a spiffy new piece of cookware, you’ll probably enjoy using it… at least more so than the crappy soup pot your mom gave you when you left for college fifteen years ago.
· 8. Pair it with wine. Sometimes a decent bottle of wine is all it takes to brighten a meal. I’m talking $10 decent, not one-month’s-rent decent. Visit your local wine shop, tell the clerk what you’re having for dinner, and plunk down $10-15. Better yet, invite a friend over and share it.
· 9. Cook the same ingredient four times. This may sound odd, but it makes sense. If you take the same ingredient and cook it four or five different ways, you’re being creative on some level, right? And you’ll most likely try something new, right? Sounds like un-boringness to me.
· 10. Cook with a friend. Hello! No-brainer here! Invite someone over for dinner, or have a small dinner party with three or four friends (or coworkers/family if you’re of the socially anxious persuasion). Cooking with other people can liven up a blasé Wednesday night, especially if you task them with bringing part of the meal (read: alcohol).
And guess what?! As I read through the article, I clicked on the “Epicurious” link to learn more and already found a new recipe, that is SIMPLE, to try. I also LOVE spending time with my husband and as long as we are hanging out, he’s up for anything, so I already showed him the recipe that WE (cook with a friend) can make together. It also looks like a great recipe to make in bulk and be able to use at different times of the day throughout the week to mix it up! I’m already a little more excited about food than I was before starting this blog post and I hope these suggestions help light your fire for food again too!
Until next time,
Hayley Earley, BS, CSCS, Pn1
hearley@mvhospital.net
· 1. Pick up one new thing from the produce section. Sometimes all it takes to unlock a little creativity in your cooking is forcing yourself to try something new. Never tried leeks? Or perhaps there’s a different color of potato that’s caught your eye? Grab it. Cook it.
· 2. Visit the spice aisle. Most of us cook with salt and pepper, but there’s a whole world of flavor out there, just begging to be tasted! Peruse the spice section and pick something you find intriguing. I personally recommend pimentón dulce or herbes de provence. Both are easy to use and tough to screw up.
· 3. Buy fresh ingredients instead of canned or frozen. There’s no shame in buying convenience foods, but you’re missing out on a whole world of yum by eschewing living produce. Consider using fresh basil instead of dry or fresh berries instead of frozen. You might just be surprised what a difference it makes.
· 4. Try the unprocessed version. Yes, rice actually comes in brown. So does sugar. The next time you’re at the store, shake it up a bit by grabbing a different colored variety of something you normally buy.
· 5. Search the internet. Sites like Epicurious let you search by ingredient lists, so the next time you find a motley crew hiding in your crisper, try to use as many different ingredients at once as possible.
· 6. Garnish it. Just like an old jacket with a new pair of shoes, a new garnish can spice up what’s become the same old dish. There’s a bounty of fresh herbs, artisan vinegars, and new cheeses in the world. Go. Try them.
· 7. Buy a new pot or pan. This may seem like a bonehead recommendation, but think about it: new toys are fun! If you buy a spiffy new piece of cookware, you’ll probably enjoy using it… at least more so than the crappy soup pot your mom gave you when you left for college fifteen years ago.
· 8. Pair it with wine. Sometimes a decent bottle of wine is all it takes to brighten a meal. I’m talking $10 decent, not one-month’s-rent decent. Visit your local wine shop, tell the clerk what you’re having for dinner, and plunk down $10-15. Better yet, invite a friend over and share it.
· 9. Cook the same ingredient four times. This may sound odd, but it makes sense. If you take the same ingredient and cook it four or five different ways, you’re being creative on some level, right? And you’ll most likely try something new, right? Sounds like un-boringness to me.
· 10. Cook with a friend. Hello! No-brainer here! Invite someone over for dinner, or have a small dinner party with three or four friends (or coworkers/family if you’re of the socially anxious persuasion). Cooking with other people can liven up a blasé Wednesday night, especially if you task them with bringing part of the meal (read: alcohol).
And guess what?! As I read through the article, I clicked on the “Epicurious” link to learn more and already found a new recipe, that is SIMPLE, to try. I also LOVE spending time with my husband and as long as we are hanging out, he’s up for anything, so I already showed him the recipe that WE (cook with a friend) can make together. It also looks like a great recipe to make in bulk and be able to use at different times of the day throughout the week to mix it up! I’m already a little more excited about food than I was before starting this blog post and I hope these suggestions help light your fire for food again too!
Until next time,
Hayley Earley, BS, CSCS, Pn1
hearley@mvhospital.net
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