After Home Economics in High School, my foray into cooking ventured no further than heating a can of Baked Beans, or making a five minute trip to the local takeaway. The times I did attempt to, were often met with critiscism from family members – needless to say, I stopped trying. Years later, the day I moved in with my partner, I fretted over what to cook for dinner. (Doing my best to impress) I set out on a 3 hour cooking marathon that resulted in a woeful looking plate of meat and veggies- with a big bowl of stress on the side. I had no idea that decades later, the vision would still be vividly etched in my mind!
When it comes to eating healthy, cooking is where most people come unstuck. It’s not meant to be difficult, we just make it that way. Quite often we’ve had a bad experience (or many) often from analysis paralysis, believing we need to follow huge recipes that consist of vast amounts of ingredients, time and energy. Newsflash! We don’t. Nowdays, content with the fact I’ll perhaps never be a contestant on MasterChef, I am proud to say, I can cook a nutritious meal that is tasty, fairly simple and will have people wanting seconds. And so can you! You just need to know where to start. In fact if you’re new to Cooking, or shudder at the thought, remember it’s just like pursuing any new relationship…
- Get to know each other- Take things one step at a time. Like anything new, it’s a learning experience, embrace it and let it become familiar. Don’t expect to immediately know everything.
- Be patient- Remember that anything worth doing takes practice and a little perseverance. Beginning anything new feels daunting, but over time your confidence will build.
- Understand that every day wont be perfect- So you didn’t get it right first time around? So what? Take each day with a grain of Salt (bad pun intended) There may be times when you mess up a little, and that’s okay.
- Don’t expect to fall in love straight away- Some people expect love at first sight and run like the wind when the sparks don’t fly. Sure it does happen, but it’s rarer than the many relationships which are built gradually. They can still develop into something beautiful and cherished.
- Learn from your mistakes- Making them is important, it provides opportunity for growth. Learn from, and improve on them!
- Keep it simple- Life is so much easier when you don’t overcomplicate things. Enough said.
- Don’t settle for convenience- To not care about the quality, or merely settle is to not care about ourselves. Choosing something that nourishes and sustains us, will long outlive a quick fix
Whether you love it or loathe it, the objective of Cooking is to feed yourself well! If your desire is to feel Fit, Energetic and Strong, it’s a necessity. Even if it means just mastering the basics, your Healthy Body starts in your kitchen!
So tell me, what are some of the things you’ve experienced and learnt (good, bad or just plain laughable) on your cooking journey? Do you cook for love, out of necessity or not at all?
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