Healthier Meals Without Knowing How to Cook
By Sara Butler
So, you struggle in the kitchen. Look, not everyone can be Julia Child, so forget about becoming the next big thing in the cooking world and focus on what you can do. One thing guaranteed you can do is put a little effort into the kitchen and prepare some healthy meals at home. Use the meals you eat out at restaurants as inspiration and make a few changes that are healthier. In fact, you don't need a recipe at all, you simply need to know a few simple kitchen rules to begin cooking healthier at home.
Learn to Build
Do you know the building blocks of a healthy meal? If you're not exactly comfy in the kitchen, then it'll pay to know the basic formula of a nutritious meal. All you need to build something in your kitchen is a protein, a vegetable, a source of healthy fat, and a carbohydrate. Voila! Healthy meals will start flying out your oven.
Focus on One Ingredient
While a healthy meal is well rounded, to cook without a recipe means that you need to pick one item to be the star of the dish -- everything else will be the supporting cast. Choose one practical ingredient to be the star and then add herbs and spices you enjoy to add flavor to it. The rest of the meal can be built around this and having one thing to focus most of your energy on will make the whole thing feel less overwhelming.
Know a Few Techniques
You don't need to know how to sous-vide something in order to produce a delicious and healthy meal. All you need to do is master a few basic cooking techniques. Invest the time to read about roasting, boiling, and sauteing to cover all your bases. That way you can saute vegetables, roast some chicken, and boil a few eggs without a hitch, helping you to create simple but delicious dishes.
Stock the Pantry
One of the keys to successful home cooking is having ingredients on hand. You may change what you shop for each week when it comes to the ingredients in your dishes, but also make sure to always stock certain items in your kitchen such as various herbs and spices. Experiment with flavors but don't forget to taste as you go!
Cooking at home isn't complicated, it just takes practice! Do your best to commit to cooking and you'll become more confident as time goes on.
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