Im a horrible cook - HELP!

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emmaleigh47
emmaleigh47 Posts: 1,670 Member
in Food and Nutrition
I am a horrible cook ... my mother was a great cook but never did teach me anything. And my husband, well he is even worse than I am! I would love to get away from alot of the processed foods that we eat (alot of canned soup, pizza, and tv dinners) because I think this is a key to getting healthy...

But I am a horrible cook -- where does one start? I like most veggies and fruits, most meats.... if I was being honest I would say I am a relatively picky eater, but I do try ....

Anyone wanna mentor a terrible cook? Ideas for meal planning ... idea for learning?
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Replies

  • eating4balance
    eating4balance Posts: 743 Member
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    I would suggest starting off with basic, no-fail (but healthy) recipes like:

    Breakfast: omelet, egg casserole, breakfast wraps
    Lunch: homemade chicken salad, grilled chicken, leftovers
    Dinner: Chili, spaghetti, biscuits, grilled chicken wraps, pizza, lasagna
    Snacks: veggie pizza, fruit salad, blueberry muffins, healthy apple pie


    Don't start off too difficult, and only make things that you know you'll eat. Also, don't start making substitutions until after you have mastered a recipe.

    If you would like help or recipes for anything listed above, or anything that you want to make, just let me know. I love cooking :)

    I suggest two websites as well: hungry-girl.com and allrecipes.com
  • fzyfrog
    fzyfrog Posts: 456 Member
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    Crock pot recips are an easy way "cook". If you can thrown ingredients in a crock pot, stir it up, then you pretty much got it in the bag. It's cooking without actually cooking. I also suggest checking out some cookbooks that say specifically that they are easy and require only a few ingredients.
  • LizGogol
    LizGogol Posts: 73 Member
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    A really easy recipe and is delicious and healthy is Salmon Cakes. All you need is to mix bread crumbs, a can of salmon, some spices, green onion and eggs. Moosh them in a bowl with your hands into patties. And fry them in a no fat cookie spray or oil and voila! Easy and delicious!!

    This is one of my favourites right now
  • kngarber
    kngarber Posts: 227
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    Eatbetteramerica.com has some very easy and healthy recipies.
  • Cbaker5156
    Cbaker5156 Posts: 76 Member
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    Ok.. I knew there was a reason for us to meet.. I love to cook. You can ask me anything.. You need to visit allrecipe.com. They have thousands of recipes with detailed instructions that have advanced search engines.. Like you can search by name, or ingredients you have on hand. As well as by user ranking.. I use it all the time... I have to say that im in to grilling veggies these days. Love grilled squash, or green tomatoes.. Good luck...
  • JMun
    JMun Posts: 409
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    Do yourself a favor. Pick up a nice cookbook. I started with "simple vegetarian pleasures". I picked a recipe per week and went for it! Lots of trial and error but I've built up a nice library of no fail recipes that I can whip up in 30 mins or less.

    Grilled Pickerel w/ squash au gratin & green beans
    Portabello mushroom w/ roasted red peppers sandwiches & snap peas
    Poached haddock & cranberry kale salad & roasted baby potatoes
    Omelette's (green onions & cheese) w/ refried black beans, salsa & mushrooms


    Experiment with veggies :) We eat a lot of steamed and roasted veggies. Requires minimal effort and few ingredients. Good luck :)
  • live2smyle
    live2smyle Posts: 592 Member
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    When I got married almost 15 years ago I could make sauce from scratch. That was it. I really sucked. I learned watching the food network...No lie. But they did not have a whole lotta healthy on the food network back then :/ Sooo with that said I am the best cook I know. However if you eat here u gain weight from the smell alone :/

    I guess I am telling you this to let you know your at an advatage...Dont look at this like its a disadvatage cause its not! Your going to learn how to cook healthy thats heads above anyone I know!!! Its heads above me!

    If I were you I would look at the food you like. Start there with say your favorite soup. There are a TON of websites that offer up some really good recipes! Hungrygirl is one of them, allrecipes is another I use. Then if there is anything your not sure on how to do google it or youtube it. Theres almost always something on youtube...I once found a link for someone on youtube on how to seperate an egg...The info is there dont be afraid to access it and attempt it!

    Last thing I am going to tell ya is that there will be plenty of times u mess it up and burn it lol. Thats ok :) Keep on trying! You will get the hang of it! :flowerforyou:
  • Carl01
    Carl01 Posts: 9,370 Member
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    I`m a guy that can cook although no one taught me either.
    My first rule of cooking is KISS (Keep It Simple Stupid)...if it takes as long to read the ingredients in a recipe as it does to eat it then I don`t bother.

    Pretty much I just improvise and that works as I am the only one that has to eat it...like Italian but don`t want pasta?
    Get some zucchini squash and eggplant,slice up in a crockpot and cover with sauce and maybe some extra seasonings,a few hours later and you are done.
    My rule of thumb for baking is 350 degrees for everything like mac N cheese or potatoes of some variety,will take some trial and error for times/portions but not difficult.

    Just don`t be afraid and say "I can`t" is all. :smile:
  • LorinaLynn
    LorinaLynn Posts: 13,247 Member
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    I started cooking following recipes out of Glamour and Cosmo. They're usually pretty simple and healthy.
  • Giovanni_P
    Giovanni_P Posts: 107
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    Crock pot recips are an easy way "cook". If you can thrown ingredients in a crock pot, stir it up, then you pretty much got it in the bag. It's cooking without actually cooking. I also suggest checking out some cookbooks that say specifically that they are easy and require only a few ingredients.

    I agree. This is the best way to get started without burning your food to a crisp.
    One thing to remember about cooking from scratch. Turning up the heat does not make the food cook any faster.

    Le Cordon Bleu graduate with 20+ years experience in a the kitchen.
  • jules_lives_outloud
    jules_lives_outloud Posts: 55
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    start easy. crock pot cooking is awesome when planning ahead. Stick with recipes under 5 ingredients. A favorite here is chicken and peppers. A healthy version of philly cheese steaks. As for pizza, you can't go wrong with making pita pocket pizza. It gives the pizza love without lasting to the hips for a lifetime. I was a horrible cook when I started this. With motivation, you can do it. Spark People recipe site is a great place to start. Real foods that are healthier. Half of all meals cook come from spark recipes. Soups, soups, soups :) Make a double portion so you can cook once and eat twice. You can do it lady
  • GinaJ2006
    GinaJ2006 Posts: 67
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    I love my betty crocker cookbook, because it has illustrated pictures on how to do just about everything, has definitions for all the cooking terms, yields and equivalents, as well as recipes. I don't do the recipes as much since I look most recipes up online, but it's a great reference for all the basic stuff. I didn't really know how to cook much when I moved out of my house either. I remember one Thanksgiving my mom joked that she was exhausted from opening cans all day lol. You can also find you tube videos that show you how to do just about any cooking technique. And don't be afraid to try knew things. You may mess up a few meals, but it's a learning experience and it just takes practice to have it down. Good luck!
  • aigéan
    aigéan Posts: 69
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    I think if you're able to follow a recipe exactly, you should be able to cook! Maybe look up some beginner recipes online, or buy some cook books. They give you the exact measurements you need for everything and tell you how long to cook it, etc. As long as you have measuring cups, can read, and have the right ingredients, it shouldn't be a problem! :)
  • MB_Positif
    MB_Positif Posts: 8,897 Member
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    Best advice...keep it simple. Look for healthy recipes with 5 ingredients or less. That helps keep you from getting too stressed about the preparation. Lots of good recipes in Oxygen Magazine! Add me if you'd like, I have lots of recipes I could pass on!
  • anorton45
    anorton45 Posts: 62
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    My first attempt at making gravy in my 20's for my hubby was a disaster. It was a big ball of flour in the skillet. I was mortified.

    I love to cook, and I would be happy to share recipes and help you learn how to cook. PM me or friend me if you'd like some yummy easy recipes.

    Alicia
  • backinthenines
    backinthenines Posts: 1,083 Member
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    I'm a decent cook but also a bit of a lazy cook...

    I make a lot of stews. I have a massive pot so can make a lot of portions. A favourite is a nice beef goulash. Lean stewing beef, a few carrots, a swede ("rutabaga" in US?), some button mushrooms, 3 red bell peppers, a bit of garlic, paprica, pepper... leave to stew on slow boil for 90 mins -- Done!! Lovely.

    I also have a 3 tier steamer which is super practical. It needs zero supervision so you get on with life and do other stuff while food is steaming away. It also is a cooking method which retains the most nutrients!! I literally just throw in a load of veg in one tier, a fresh piece up fish with a slice of lemon on another tier... turn it on for 25 mins and when it goes ping I have a lovely healthy meal.

    I eat very healthily and I promise you I don't spend hours chopping and cooking.
  • anorton45
    anorton45 Posts: 62
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    Here's a pretty easy recipe to make.

    Pork Tenderloin Recipe For Healthy Cooking
    Ingredients:

    Pork Loin (approximately 2 lbs)
    1/4 cup butter
    1/2 cup mushrooms
    1 cup celery
    1 medium onion
    1 chicken bouillon cube
    3/4 cup water
    2 TBSP flour
    2 tsp salt
    1/4 tsp pepper
    3 TBSP soy sauce


    Brown the meat in the butter. (This just gives the meat a pretty color. I usually do this and dump everything else in the crockpot, but I'll write it as my recipe actually reads) Add mushrooms, celery, onions to skillet. Crush chicken bouillon and water, stir untill dissolved. Stir into flour, salt, pepper, blend until smooth. Add to vegetables and cook until thickened. Stir in soy sauce. Pour veggie/sauce mixture over meat. Cook in oven at 325 for 1 1/2 hours or on low in crock pot all day. The gravy is good with mashed potatoes or rice.

    When I brown the meat, I don't slice the pork tenderloin, I cook it in the roast form and just keep turning it till it's a nice brownish color. sometimes I don't even brown the meat, I just dump everything into the crockpot.
  • LindaSueBakk
    LindaSueBakk Posts: 145 Member
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    Try allrecipes.com and skinnytaste.com. You couldn't go wrong with a Betty Crocker cookbook for learning basics. I got married when I was 27 and could hardly boil water (really!!), now I love to cook and bake. And you're right, it is a lot healthier...
  • crazymama2two
    crazymama2two Posts: 867
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    Crock pot recips are an easy way "cook". If you can thrown ingredients in a crock pot, stir it up, then you pretty much got it in the bag. It's cooking without actually cooking. I also suggest checking out some cookbooks that say specifically that they are easy and require only a few ingredients.

    I agree. This is the best way to get started without burning your food to a crisp.
    One thing to remember about cooking from scratch. Turning up the heat does not make the food cook any faster.

    Le Cordon Bleu graduate with 20+ years experience in a the kitchen.

    HAHAHAH i love that - turning up the heat comment!! good one! :D

    and if i could marry my crockpot i would.
  • emmaleigh47
    emmaleigh47 Posts: 1,670 Member
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    Wow - thank you sooo much for all of the posts and great ideas.
    Am I the only one though who feels overwhlemed when planning meals - looking at those website etc?

    I want to learn how to chop ... peppers especially because red peppers would be a great healthy snack...

    Crock Pot...you know what I have 2 of them (wedding presents) and they have never been used.....

    Does anyone want to provide some single but GOOD crock pot recipes?

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