Cook For A Healthy You

Close your eyes and picture this… You take a bite of your food. You chew it well, noticing how delicious it tastes, swallow it, and savor every bite as it goes into your stomach. Then what happens? It gets digested and eventually assimilated into your bloodstream. The nutrients from the food we eat create our cells, our tissues, our organs, our brain, our skin, our hair, and even our thoughts and feelings. So why not give your body the best nutrient-rich foods you possibly can? Your health depends on it!

When I cook each night in my own kitchen, I remember I do it for me and my family, giving them a home cooked meal that’s fresh and made with pure love. It nourishes our body in many ways. I get to use the freshest ingredients, especially when I can pick herbs and vegetables right from my own organic garden. I get to control how much salt, spices or sugar goes into my food. I get to choose the most nutritious and nurturing foods to feed my family and friends. It amazes me how many people eat out, especially during weekdays. Today, people eat most of their meals out, in restaurants, delis, fast food or simply snacking along the way. Growing up, my mother cooked every night during the week. Saturday nights were considered a “treat” because that was the only day we ate out or ordered in. Sunday’s were your traditional Italian dinner, macaroni and meatballs (or gravy). No matter what, we sat around the table, without distraction, and shared about our day. I didn’t realize it back then but, it was good quality family time. This is something that is lacking today because of modern schedules which can cause distance in family relationships. It’s rare that everyone gets a home-cooked meal together. We are always on the go, working crazy hours, and taking our kids to all kinds of extra activities. As crazy as our days can be, my family always comes together for dinner each night. It reminds me of my childhood and I hope when my son is my age, he does the same thing with his family. This ritual bonds families and helps foster familial relationships.

We need to find creative ways for families to eat more nutritious foods, homemade foods. I know it’s difficult when moms and dads are working full time, longer working days, and children participating in multiple activities. It’s also unfair to put all the responsibility on one person to cook dinner for the entire family. So what can we do to make home-cooked meals happen more often and have help from everyone? I think everyone should participate in food shopping, preparing, cooking and cleaning up after dinner. If you can sit around the table and eat together, I think you can help prepare a meal and/or take 5 to 10 minutes to clean up together. There is plenty the kids can do to help prepare a meal. They can wash vegetables, peel potatoes, set the table and clear the table. When the kids get older, they can even help chop the vegetables. When I was a kid, my mom would prepare a meal before going to work and when I got home from school, I would put it in the oven for her. When I got older, I found myself cleaning the chicken, preparing it and placing it in the oven. My responsibilities grew as I did. If you live alone, you can prepare meals before you go to work. Keep it simple this way you don’t have to rely on take out every night. I realize every household is different, everyone has different schedules but you can find a routine that works for your family. Remember, this is to ensure optimal health by eating nutrient-rich foods. Not just for you but for your entire family. It will also teach life lessons. These are the messages we want to send our children.

Another important aspect of cooking is having foods that are fresh. Foods that are fresh certainly affects us differently than foods that have been sitting out for days in the grocery store. Getting produce straight from the farm and cooking them soon after being bought truly gives you the most nutrients. The distance foods travel just to get to your plate makes a big difference in freshness. Many fruits and vegetables don’t arrive in the supermarket until weeks after they have been harvested. Then they sit on the shelf for a few days and then a few more days in your refrigerator. These delays happen in many restaurants too. I would love it if restaurants looked to work with our farmers to locally source produce, meats and seafood. Wouldn’t you enjoy eating more fresh foods in a restaurant? And we need to support our local farmers!! This would definitely help! I absolutely love eating at a restaurant near my home called Farm to Table. There food is so fresh and tasty. It’s amazing and they never disappoint.

In certain countries fresh foods are valued. People go shopping and cook vegetables the same day. Americans prefer the convenience of shopping once a week, storing produce in their fridge, and cooking it throughout the week. I would advice you to look towards your local farmers. They sell to the public through farmers’ markets. This is one of my favorite things to do with my family. We enjoy walking around a farmers market. They sell, fresh fruits and vegetables, locally grown honey, herbs, and wine from vineyards that hand pick their grapes. They hand pick their grapes to avoid choosing moldy grapes. Did you know about this? The next time you go to a vineyard, ask the farmers how they collect their grapes. You’ll be surprised by the process. Also you can join a CSA (Community Supported Agriculture) group. A CSA is when a group of people pledges to support a near by farm in an economic partnership. Basically, members of the farm pledge in advance to cover the anticipated costs of operating the farm. In return, they receive shares of the farmer’s harvest throughout the growing season. It can be expensive to buy a share but if you know someone who is willing to share the expensive, it makes it more doable. The health benefits exceed the cost.

Some experts say that food prepared at home by a loving person has a different nutritional effect than the exact same food prepared in a restaurant. When I cook at home, I always think there’s love in the food and care in the preparation. This can create a higher quality of energy. Have you ever noticed the craziness in a restaurant kitchen? It has a lot of stress and hectic energy, not the energy you find in a home kitchen. At home, the food is made by someone who loves you. I realize we live in a demanding world and we all need to eat out from time to time. Just don’t make it every night. It can have a negative impact on your health. Once in awhile is okay.

Here are some tips about healthy cooking. Commercial produce is okay just make sure it’s the freshest food possible. I understand that buying organic isn’t always ideal because of the expense but fresh fruits and vegetables are the healthiest and it will nourish your body much more than processed foods. Canned and frozen foods are also okay. Frozen foods are usually picked fresh and then frozen quickly. Frozen is always a better option over canned so when possible, choose frozen over canned. Organic is great for many reasons. Not only does it taste better and is good for your body but it’s also good for the environment. Local fruits and vegetables are even better to buy. These foods are always in season and are easily available through your local farmers. Support your farmers! Remember, fresh is best! Stay along the perimeter of your supermarket and away from the inner isles. The inner isles contain all ultra-processed foods which we know is not healthy for us. Put your energy into buying fresh ingredients and whole foods. Keep cooking simple! Prep your food when you get home from shopping so it’s easy to grab and go during the week. Another tip would be to cook once but eat twice. I am a big fan of leftovers. It’s a timesaver and yet you are still eating a home cooked meal. You should also change flavorings and condiments. It changes the meal in a simple way and still tastes delicious. Do you use different spices, dressings and condiments to mix things up? You will not get bored. Experiment and have fun in the kitchen. No one is judging your meal. If anything, they are thanking you for a home cooked meal. Also, remember, it’s okay to make mistakes. In the beginning it may seem difficult but stick with it. Cooking will become easier, more enjoyable, and very rewarding. You will save a lot of money, gain health, vitality and build relationships with your family and friends.

It is important to have a balance. Be flexible and remember it’s a learning curve! Have fun with it! Sooooo, what are you cooking tonight?