inspiration Archives - Carma's Cookery

Inspiration To Spice Up Supper

One of the reasons I’m a recipe and cookbook collector — or should I say, junkie? — is that I get easily bored eating the same things over and over. I, and perhaps you, as well, try to prepare meals at home, at least in part, so that I can be eating well and more healthfully. And, making meals at home — especially if you’re busy — takes some planning. Without the planning, you’ll be more likely to pick up something that’s quick and tasty, but probably not all that good for you. But what happens when you get bored with the meals you’re making? It’s easy to do when you’re in a cooking rut. But, you don’t need to head out to the nearest takeout joint. Instead, spice up your dinner with some of these tips below.

Bored Buster #1: Go with a Theme

Mexican Mondays, anyone? There’s a whole world of food out there, so why not travel across the globe from the comfort of your own home during dinner time? Pick a food type and make that your mission for the evening. We’re all guilty of relying too heavily on those go-to dishes that we can make with our eyes closed; indeed, it’s this autopilot nature that makes preparing the meals boring. We’re just not challenged enough! Selecting to make a meal from say, India, will test you in the kitchen and keep you engaged on the task at hand.

Here are some additional theme night ideas:

Alliteration Themes: Thai Tuesday, Hawaiian Hump Day, Throw Back Thursday (vintage recipes), Finger Food Friday, Salad Saturday and Slowcooker Sunday

Fun Themes: Movie Monday – recipes inspired by your favorite films; TV Tuesay – recipes inspired by your favorite TV shows; Disney Princess High Tea

Cuisines of the World: Try your hand at Indian, Swedish, Hungarian, wherever your tastbuds (and cooking skills) want to go

Bored Buster #2: Add New Equipment

Never underestimate just how big a difference a new gadget can make. I’m still working my through all the cool kitchen gadgets I got when I got married last year! These gadgets are fun to shop for, and you’ll start planning the meals you’ll make with them even before it arrives. Then you’ll be excited to get into the kitchen once it’s in your hands. We’ve come a long way over the past couple of decades, and now there are dozens of cool kitchen gadgets that can put the fun back into cooking. Even the basics can be fun! There are some seriously awesome chopping boards available, ones with art, slogans, fun facts and more. Who knew taking care of the legwork of cooking could be so enjoyable?

Bored Buster #3: Mix up the Drinks

We tend to make dinner time all about the food, but that part only accounts for a percentage of the whole experience. The rest is in the atmosphere, who’s there, the music, and of course the drinks. If your dining routine has become second-nature, mix it up by adding some new and interesting drinks to the menu. Choose wines that complement the meal you’ve prepared. Look for after dinner drinks that will cap off the experience; this Kikori whiskey review, for instance, makes a note of its smooth taste, which will be perfect after a meal. You normally build the dining experience around the food; for once, build it around the drinks you’re serving.

Bored Buster #4: Make it an Event

If you’re one of those people that thinks happiness is only real when it’s shared, then it could be that you’re not so much bored with your food as you are bored with being in the kitchen all by yourself! On select nights, get the family to pitch in and help. You’ll enjoy the cooking process much more if you’re having fun with the ones you love!

Plan B

Finally, if you’re really tired of your food, give yourself the night off and check out a local restaurant. But there are rules:

No Fast Food! Make sure it’s high quality so you can savor the flavor.

Either try out a new restaurant or a dish from your favorite restaurant that you haven’t tried yet.

For many, eating healthy can be tough. That’s why it’s something you have to make the decision to commit to. Having a generally healthy diet is better for you than yo-yo dieting and limiting what you eat when you want to lose weight. However, if you’re trying to be a healthy eater, you can sometimes get bored or frustrated. I know I’ve been there. Sometimes you just what to put a frozen pizza in the oven. And that’s OK sometimes, but just don’t do it all the time. If you often find yourself getting bored of eating the same old things, you need to keep discovering a new healthy recipe to enjoy. That’s part of the mission of Carma’s Cookery, to help you be more creative in the kitchen. The good news is this: It’s easier than you might think to find healthy food you’ll love.

Healthy Recipe Inspiration Idea #1: Look Online

If you’re stuck for ideas and you need one quickly, looking online is always the best thing to do. However, you might get a little overwhelmed if you’re not great at making choices. Simply searching for healthy recipes will get you started. But if you want to narrow it down, try adding some extra keywords like quick, mid-week, soup, protein, or anything else you think of. You can find huge archives of recipes, like Food Network, as well as people sharing recipes on their blogs and personal sites. And if you need some extra guidance, there are plenty of videos too.

My Favorite Recipe Sites

Taste of Home: Home cooked recipes for all types of people.
AllRecipes.com: A great resource! Pretty much anything you could want to make can be found here.
Betty Crocker: I’ve got the cookbook at home, and love receving recipe ideas from their weekly email.

Healthy Recipe Inspiration Idea #2: Follow the Fads

Sometimes, seeing what’s currently popular can be a great way to find some new ideas. There are always newly popular healthy foods that can help to inspire you. If you take a look at the healthy food trends in 2017, you’ll find things like jackfruit, skyr, and coconut flour. All of these ingredients can get you thinking, or you can just search for recipes that use them. Of course, sometimes these healthy foods can be hard to find if they’re not well-known. Try buying them online or looking for specialty shops that sell healthy food or perhaps ingredients from around the world.

Healthy Recipe Inspiration Idea #3: Buy New Recipe Books

If you enjoy cooking, you probably like leafing through a new cookbook. Although lots of people just use the internet these days, a recipe book can be lots of fun. I love my collection! Crucially, they tend to have lots of recipes from one chef. This is great if there’s someone you like and who you know can offer you lots of healthy recipes. If you want healthy food, look for books with a healthy theme. They might be vegetarian or vegan recipes, or they could just have a healthy twist to them. For some ideas, take a look at the cookbooks I’ve reviewed.

Some of My Favorite Healthy Cookbooks

The New Laurel’s Kitchen: I swear by her recipe fo soy burgers!
Whole Body Reboot: The Peruvian Superfoods Diet to Detoxify, Energize, and Supercharge Fat Loss: I love leafing through the pages for inspiration
The Six O’Clock Scramble Meal Planner: I have to admit that after receiving a review copy of this cookbook for people with diabetes, it has become my go-to when I want quick, healthy meal ideas.

Healthy Recipe Inspiration Idea #4: Turn to Health and Fitness Groups

If you’re looking for a source of healthy recipes, other healthy people can help you out. You don’t necessarily have to be losing weight to benefit from the recipes from dieting and fitness groups. They often have great suggestions for making healthy swaps in your ingredients too. Maybe you’re also a member of a running group, you attend a fitness class, or you have friends at the gym. You can ask for healthy recipe recommendations to try out.

You don’t have to run out of ideas for healthy food. There are so many things you can cook, so stay inspired and creative.

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Take Charge of Your Health!

Changing your eating habits can be tough. But it doesn’t have to be if you take a little time to think it out and create a plan.

This Healthy Eating Worksheet will walk you through the process of creating a healthy eating plan. All you need to do is print it out, set aside some time to complete it, and then fill it out. Then you can create your plan, knowing that you have addressed potential obstacles and came up with some creative ways to handle them.

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