So my intention was to do Part III of the biggest myths, but I have the urge to talk about something else.
My friend always tells me how she's not creative in the kitchen, but that I am SOOOOO creative. Well, I'm here to de-bunk THAT myth. I am really NOT that creative in the kitchen!
My mom loves to tell the story of when I was being a bratty 15 year old. She told me put the spaghetti noodles in the pot. Meaning to get them started cooking on the stove. Well, being the brat that I was at the time, I put that entire BAG (yes plastic bag) in an empty pot on the stove. I said, "What? You told me to put the noodles in the pot and I did!" And then my mom quickly proceeds to tell people how far I've come by adding spinach to my blueberry protein muffins and using Kashi cereal instead of rice krispy's for "Marshmallow Treats". And all the delicious dinners I make.
But here's the deal, as my dear friend said, "Vicki knows how to turn something bland into something tasty with 'a dash of this and a dash of that'". But here's my secret. I LOOOVE seasoned salt. But it is fuuuuul oooof SUGAR! So, I just looked up the ingredients on the internet - where you REALLY CAN FIND ANYTHING!! I wrote them down and put them in the FRONT of my recipe binder, where all of my other printed recipes are. Sometimes I put all of those ingredients together, with much less or no sugar. If I haven't made the time to do that I just add them separate to whatever I'm cooking - I use the SAME INGREDIENTS PEOPLE!! Onion powder, Garlic powder, Oregano, Paprika and a bit of Salt all go a loooong way when it comes to flavor-flave!! I might get "creative" when it comes to adding more of this or that because the taste is just a bit off sometimes it works, but my family will definitely attest to all of the FAILURES in flavor that I've had as well. Those are times I REALLY got creative- not so successful.
(moving onto deeper things)
All of this "creativity" started when I was FORCED to find dairy free recipes for foods when my son was born and allergic to dairy. Everything I ate had dairy. (If you know me and have been reading my blogs or emails you have heard this over and over again. It IS a recurring theme and obviously, literally, a life changer for me.) I mean, butter and sour cream and cream of whatever soup make EVERYTHING taste good. Milk products tend to be fattening and have their very own built in sugars and added salts. So of course it tastes good, it's full of JUNK! Oh what society's taste-buds have come to!! And eating out is THE WORST. People do NOT realize the dairy that is added to foods and seasonings! I thought Chick-fil-A was safe. It's certainly healthier than it's competitors, but NO!! The chicken's MARINADE has dairy products in it! Here's another great story. We went to a Vietnamese restaurant, seeing as my husband is Vietnamese. We ordered the "homemade soy milk". Hmmm, I thought! Now that's some work. When we asked how they made it.... (this is good) "We use whole milk and soy flavoring" !!!!What The!!!!! I CAN NOT STRESS TO YOU ENOUGH, You DO NOT KNOW what is in your FOOD that YOU DO NOT MAKE!
(moving to deeper issues)
My journey began, and still, does involve dairy allergies and there are other allergies. But what about the DISEASES! Obesity, Diabetes, Heart Disease. So much of these are caused by FOOD and what is IN THE FOOD. Sugar, Salt, Preservatives, Hormones, soooo much JUNK!! I know life is busy, but wouldn't you rather be busy than dead!!?? Because, maybe right NOW you're alive and your surviving with the help of meds. But I guarantee you, as I am witnessing first hand with my dad, your future is going to SUCK! Not only are you going to live the last of your days miserable, in pain, and in the hospital, but your family is going to suffer watching you. If only everyone took the time to really find out and understand what is in their food. And more importantly what your body needs to function! Protein yes, but not full of fat. Carbs yes, BUT ONLY SO MANY and only good stuff like whole wheat, multigrain pasta, bread, potatoes - no need for crackers & chips!!! And did you know that Veggies are not only CARBS, but are full of the vitamins and nutrients need to fight bad stuff like colds, flu, cancer, soreness, eye sight, brain function, energy, menopause....etc. And although our bodies do NEED fat to function - brain function, joint lubrication, feeling full when you eat, we ONLY NEED SO MUCH OF IT! And we usually get it when we eat meat or drink milk. We can easily get it naturally - avocados, nuts - there is NO NEED TO ADD IT TO OUR FOOD aka butter, creams, etc!
But we continue to live in a society of busyness and laziness. No offense is intended to my awesome friend (only gratitude for giving my brain and you all something to think about and ponder on.) But you seriously don't have to be creative to cook delicious and HEALTHY food. You do need to take TIME TO PLAN, TIME TO RESEARCH recipes, TIME TO PREPARE the foods. I start cooking my dinner at 4p if I'm doing really good so that I can be done at 6p - I'm SOOO NOT EFFICIENT in the kitchen. I can do some stuff in an hour, but very little in under that. I take TIME TO PLAN: meat that I can use in several different recipes. I take TIME TO RESEARCH recipes, especially when I'm bored of burgers, spaghetti and pizza. And like I just said, I take TIME TO PREPARE my food so that it will be done in time for dinner. I also create a menu based on our evening activities. If we have stuff to do, I find something quick to make or I make it the night (or two nights) before. There's nothing wrong with GRILLED chicken fingers for your kids. And they really don't take that long to make. You can marinate them yourself as soon as you get home from the grocery store. The grocery store even sells chicken strips unbreaded! I usually just buy the chicken breast and cut it though. The more work I have to do, the less expensive it is and usually the less processed.
(even deeper things)
But I digress. If you read the Bible or at least respect some of what it says, here is a verse I always come back to in this crazy society we live in:
"Do not be conformed to this age, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may discern what is the good, pleasing, and perfect will of God." Romans 12:2
This world is about being being busy and lazy and giving into a society of fast, processed, and unhealthy foods. This world is about Kids being out and about, Parents being chauffeurs and doormats, Families staying busy doing sports or music. Well, I say God intended families being together doing healthy things, including eating. So Renew your goals, Renew your life, Renew your body and Renew your health. TAKE SOME TIME to be healthy for yourself and for your family.
My friend always tells me how she's not creative in the kitchen, but that I am SOOOOO creative. Well, I'm here to de-bunk THAT myth. I am really NOT that creative in the kitchen!
My mom loves to tell the story of when I was being a bratty 15 year old. She told me put the spaghetti noodles in the pot. Meaning to get them started cooking on the stove. Well, being the brat that I was at the time, I put that entire BAG (yes plastic bag) in an empty pot on the stove. I said, "What? You told me to put the noodles in the pot and I did!" And then my mom quickly proceeds to tell people how far I've come by adding spinach to my blueberry protein muffins and using Kashi cereal instead of rice krispy's for "Marshmallow Treats". And all the delicious dinners I make.
But here's the deal, as my dear friend said, "Vicki knows how to turn something bland into something tasty with 'a dash of this and a dash of that'". But here's my secret. I LOOOVE seasoned salt. But it is fuuuuul oooof SUGAR! So, I just looked up the ingredients on the internet - where you REALLY CAN FIND ANYTHING!! I wrote them down and put them in the FRONT of my recipe binder, where all of my other printed recipes are. Sometimes I put all of those ingredients together, with much less or no sugar. If I haven't made the time to do that I just add them separate to whatever I'm cooking - I use the SAME INGREDIENTS PEOPLE!! Onion powder, Garlic powder, Oregano, Paprika and a bit of Salt all go a loooong way when it comes to flavor-flave!! I might get "creative" when it comes to adding more of this or that because the taste is just a bit off sometimes it works, but my family will definitely attest to all of the FAILURES in flavor that I've had as well. Those are times I REALLY got creative- not so successful.
(moving onto deeper things)
All of this "creativity" started when I was FORCED to find dairy free recipes for foods when my son was born and allergic to dairy. Everything I ate had dairy. (If you know me and have been reading my blogs or emails you have heard this over and over again. It IS a recurring theme and obviously, literally, a life changer for me.) I mean, butter and sour cream and cream of whatever soup make EVERYTHING taste good. Milk products tend to be fattening and have their very own built in sugars and added salts. So of course it tastes good, it's full of JUNK! Oh what society's taste-buds have come to!! And eating out is THE WORST. People do NOT realize the dairy that is added to foods and seasonings! I thought Chick-fil-A was safe. It's certainly healthier than it's competitors, but NO!! The chicken's MARINADE has dairy products in it! Here's another great story. We went to a Vietnamese restaurant, seeing as my husband is Vietnamese. We ordered the "homemade soy milk". Hmmm, I thought! Now that's some work. When we asked how they made it.... (this is good) "We use whole milk and soy flavoring" !!!!What The!!!!! I CAN NOT STRESS TO YOU ENOUGH, You DO NOT KNOW what is in your FOOD that YOU DO NOT MAKE!
(moving to deeper issues)
My journey began, and still, does involve dairy allergies and there are other allergies. But what about the DISEASES! Obesity, Diabetes, Heart Disease. So much of these are caused by FOOD and what is IN THE FOOD. Sugar, Salt, Preservatives, Hormones, soooo much JUNK!! I know life is busy, but wouldn't you rather be busy than dead!!?? Because, maybe right NOW you're alive and your surviving with the help of meds. But I guarantee you, as I am witnessing first hand with my dad, your future is going to SUCK! Not only are you going to live the last of your days miserable, in pain, and in the hospital, but your family is going to suffer watching you. If only everyone took the time to really find out and understand what is in their food. And more importantly what your body needs to function! Protein yes, but not full of fat. Carbs yes, BUT ONLY SO MANY and only good stuff like whole wheat, multigrain pasta, bread, potatoes - no need for crackers & chips!!! And did you know that Veggies are not only CARBS, but are full of the vitamins and nutrients need to fight bad stuff like colds, flu, cancer, soreness, eye sight, brain function, energy, menopause....etc. And although our bodies do NEED fat to function - brain function, joint lubrication, feeling full when you eat, we ONLY NEED SO MUCH OF IT! And we usually get it when we eat meat or drink milk. We can easily get it naturally - avocados, nuts - there is NO NEED TO ADD IT TO OUR FOOD aka butter, creams, etc!
But we continue to live in a society of busyness and laziness. No offense is intended to my awesome friend (only gratitude for giving my brain and you all something to think about and ponder on.) But you seriously don't have to be creative to cook delicious and HEALTHY food. You do need to take TIME TO PLAN, TIME TO RESEARCH recipes, TIME TO PREPARE the foods. I start cooking my dinner at 4p if I'm doing really good so that I can be done at 6p - I'm SOOO NOT EFFICIENT in the kitchen. I can do some stuff in an hour, but very little in under that. I take TIME TO PLAN: meat that I can use in several different recipes. I take TIME TO RESEARCH recipes, especially when I'm bored of burgers, spaghetti and pizza. And like I just said, I take TIME TO PREPARE my food so that it will be done in time for dinner. I also create a menu based on our evening activities. If we have stuff to do, I find something quick to make or I make it the night (or two nights) before. There's nothing wrong with GRILLED chicken fingers for your kids. And they really don't take that long to make. You can marinate them yourself as soon as you get home from the grocery store. The grocery store even sells chicken strips unbreaded! I usually just buy the chicken breast and cut it though. The more work I have to do, the less expensive it is and usually the less processed.
(even deeper things)
But I digress. If you read the Bible or at least respect some of what it says, here is a verse I always come back to in this crazy society we live in:
"Do not be conformed to this age, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may discern what is the good, pleasing, and perfect will of God." Romans 12:2
This world is about being being busy and lazy and giving into a society of fast, processed, and unhealthy foods. This world is about Kids being out and about, Parents being chauffeurs and doormats, Families staying busy doing sports or music. Well, I say God intended families being together doing healthy things, including eating. So Renew your goals, Renew your life, Renew your body and Renew your health. TAKE SOME TIME to be healthy for yourself and for your family.
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