Cooking fatigue
Let’s face it. It’s not easy to perform magic every day creating delicious meals. What happens when you run out of ideas? Here are some suggestions to combat cooking fatigue.
One positive identified from the lockdown has been an increase in home cooking. That’s a good thing.
Families are enjoying more time to make foods from scratch, and they are sitting together appreciating ‘mindful eating’ for the first time.
Look at it as a novelty. Think of it as a breeding ground for future chefs.
However, not everyone’s feeling the same thrills. Doing something new and exciting can be invigorating for some, but mundane for others.
For people who had no idea or have not much interest in cooking, this can be a reluctant chore.
Even though there’s a sign COVID-19 seemingly has reached its peak and there are more relaxed restrictions now than during the enforced isolation of the last ten weeks, more people are rushing to get a cup of coffee at their favorite shop, ordering takeaway restaurant meals, but, the day to day meal preparation remains a challenge for many households.
Many people have lost their jobs and lack income it’s hard for them to get back to eating out or order in, home cooking is an effective way to save costs.
Now, what about the variety? I bet you’re not planning meals like the restaurateur who has the talent and an abundance of resources to achieve great menu results.
It‘s just not fair for those not completely at ease to immerse themselves in the kitchen, cooking fatigue can sneak up on you before you realize it.
Fret not. Help is here.
Change your cooking, use your imagination. Let me draw your attention to a famous phrase: “Keep it simple.”
I’m going to suggest a few easy ideas to get you started that will allow you to take a break from your daily monotony by cheating a little and making some smart moves to fast track your creations.
Don’t worry, your reputation will remain intact with these 15 tips:
- Fasta pasta – freshly made pasta from the shop, or pre-cooked gnocchi and replace the same old tomato pasta sauce with a hummus dip.
- Noodle night – Asian rice noodles only take minutes to be ready, while you prepare all the ingredients to go in the dish.
- Stir-fry veg and steamed rice make a perfect one-bowl meal.
- Double the portions when you cook steamed rice, and do fried rice with leftover rice the next day or so.
- Build a Taco? Make your own burger? Or homemade vegan hotdog?
- Peanut butter banana wrap, a great attraction with children.
- Soup & bread night – use a tin of beans as the base, add veggies, and pasta to build your own minestrone soup.
- Cheats dinner – shop-bought frozen pizza, add your preferred ingredients to the basic pizza, and come out of the oven a gourmet pizza.
- Four ingredients meal – or less? Think grilled eggplant with miso sauce, and some nice steamed veggies that can be ready within five minutes.
- Back to the basics – use spices and herbs to pair with one staple food, think spaghetti with basil and black pepper, simple but tasty.
- Potato salad – again let’s go back to the basics, boil, drain, fluff them up in a saucepan, transfer to a platter, add rosemary salt, and ground black pepper. Job done in under 10 minutes.
- Green salad – with oil & vinegar dressing, add seasoning; make it a main meal by adding something substantial.
- Plan ahead, buy bananas, and Medjool dates when the price is right. Freeze ripe banana chunks and make “nice cream” for dessert, sprinkle good quality chocolate nips, or hot fudge with chopped nuts.
- Cheats dessert – cake mix can be a quick solution, add your own key ingredients to show off (make sure you check the label and look for hidden devils like transfat, excessive sugar or chemical names that you can’t explain).
- Puff pastry is my best friend to make quick and easy dessert, just add fresh or frozen fruits.
I sincerely hope these suggestions will get you started and eliminate your cooking fatigue.
Until we meet again, be well, be happy.
Warmly,
Missey Grace
