Hey all!
It’s so nice to be back in the blogging world. I guess I didn’t realize how much I really miss it when I’m away. Anyway, I’ve been meaning to update you on my recent foray into cooking, so I’ll take this opportunity to let you know what I’ve been up to in the kitchen, as of late.
After we got married and finally got our lives organized, I decided it was time to become a little more domestic. While our various activities and commitments pull us in a lot of different directions and we can’t always sit down and eat together, I wanted to make more of an effort to cook something homemade for dinner every night, instead of blowing our money on eating out or getting quick, unhealthy alternatives.
During my time as a vegetarian (I became one senior year of high school and hopped back on the carnivore bandwagon last year) I started buying more organic foods, with an eye towards healthfulness. In college, I discovered that I have IBS (I’m convinced the horrible habits I developed through my eating disorder are what caused it) and I’ve found that the best “cure” for me is eating fresh, whole, unprocessed foods with as few additives as possible. Lately, our shopping cart is filled almost entirely with organic foods. Yes, it’s super expensive, but I’ve found that you can stretch your dollar very easily with one simple change: making food from scratch.
I think if you’re anything like me, this phrase can seem very daunting. I’m used to buying my granola from a box on the shelf, my veggie burgers from the freezer section and my pancake batter from Bisquick. But as I’ve gotten more comfortable being in the kitchen and making my recipes using the pre-made stuff, I realized I actually really enjoy cooking and the challenge that making something from scratch poses for me. I also like the challenge of going through the grocery store and seeing how many meals I can make while staying within a certain budget.
One rule I’ve learned: avoid the middle of the grocery store and you’ll save a ton of money and buy healthier foods that are essential to your diet. The stuff in the middle aisles is unnecessary and you’ll find that you can avoid it entirely after a while without missing any of it.
There have certainly been trials and errors with this part –I’ve learned that buying certain vegetables frozen is a better route for us to take and that I should check the fridge and cabinets before shopping so we don’t overbuy–but it’s a fun experience that is proving to save us money in the long run. Plus, it’s a hobby that I’m truly enjoying because it’s A) rewarding and B) a big EFF YOU to my eating disorder.
So, while I’m by no means a food blogger, I’m going to try to document my efforts to make new foods from scratch and see how it impacts our health and our budget along the way. Our crazy busy lives will definitely pose a certain challenge, but I’m excited to embark on a new adventure toward being healthier and saving some moolah.
My first order of business is to invest in some quality cooking/baking utensils that will make the sometimes very time consuming process of cooking food from scratch a little less so. I just got a bread maker from my mom that I’m pumped to use, but here’s what else is on my wish list:
1. A food processor
I can’t wait to make homemade hummus, guacamole, veggie burgers, tomato sauce, etc etc etc. Our blender just isn’t cuttin it (literally)
2. A pasta machine
I am so excited for this one. Pasta is so easy to make (though it is super time consuming) but I’d LOVE to make fresh pasta to go with homemade sauce. YUM!
3. A good set of knives
This was my fault for not registering for these when we got married. We have a knife set from Adam’s dad that got us by when I wasn’t really cooking much, but now that I am, we need some quality knives that are good for chopping, cutting bread, dismembering intruders, etc.
I’m sure I’ll think of more to add to my list as I begin to get a little better at this, but that’s all for now. Look for my next post where I attempt to make veggie burgers from scratch!
Peace, love & carbs,
Melissa
I have always love my Cutco knives very expensive but worth it.