I love buying cookbooks, but then again, I love buying books period. I’m a reader and that’s been my excuse to have a pile of books stacked up in my ‘I’m going to read these one day’ pile. That is until the Holy Spirit told me to stop buying books until I started reading what I had and giving those away I was never going to read. LOL!! But in my defense, I do purchase a lot of my books (especially cookbooks) 3rd party used through Amazon or Alibis Books. And that always made me feel better because cookbooks can run a pretty penny. Even so, I still suggest that you buy one geared toward how you want to eat. You might be toying with become a vegetarian, or vegan. Maybe you don’t know how to cook beans and brown rice so they’re tasty. You could have been raised (like me) using a lot of animal fat to season your foods and now desire a healthier way of cooking and eating. Trust me…there is a cookbook out there with your name on it.
Another great source for recipes with a vast variety of dishes is the Food Network. Their cooking shows are very inspiring and you can print recipes off the website. A few years ago I gave up cooking collard greens because I only knew how to fix them seasoned with pork and I made the decision that was no longer a healthy choice for me. I had a lot of friends tell me to used smoked turkey, but it just didn’t taste that great too me. But last year I was watching one of Aaron McCargo Jr’s segments and he did a “spicy sweet collard greens” which uses 3 tablespoons of olive oil, onions, garlic, crushed red pepper flakes, a little sugar and ½ cup of chicken stock. OMGoodness, this recipe is fantastic!!! If you choose to make them, please do not use the “1 tablespoon” of crushed peppers….that is too much! I fixed greens just about every week until they were out of season. What a healthy alternative to animal fat.
If you are not that familiar with cookbooks, I suggest stopping by your local bookstore and peruse through some until one appeal’s to you. Still not really sure, buy used through a 3rd party and if it ends up in a pile for your next garage sale, you won’t have invested much. ~Smile~
For all you gals out there who work outside the home and still have to cook when you get home I would like to suggest one of Robin Miller’s cookbooks. She used to have a show on the Food Network where she showed you how to cook for most of the week (in one sitting) with your proteins. If she sautéed chicken breast, she would make two completely different meals with them and her recipes are very health conscience and budget friendly. Most of her recipes are for a family of four, but she helps you plan meals in a way where you won’t have to spend much more than ½ hour preparing dinner after a long workday. In the end your family doesn’t end up eating late or fast-food for supper. It also gives you more time for those other things we all have vying for our attention.
Start out slow, make one new recipe a week or a couple on the weekend that you can reheat during the week. I’m not suggestion you bog yourself down with trying to cook from a cookbook everyday, but variety can add a little spice to life. How often have we looked at that package of chicken and wondered, “What am I going to do with this tonight?”
Monday we looked at setting realistic goals for ourselves, Tuesday we started working on loving who we are, and today we can start thinking about how to change the way we view food and cook it. These lifestyle changes in the long run can make a huge difference in our overall state of health and life.
Tomorrow we look at how to realistically incorporate exercise into our daily routine.
Love & Hugs
Ponnie
See you tomorrow!
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