Im a horrible cook - HELP!

emmaleigh47

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?

eating4balance

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

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

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

Eatbetteramerica.com has some very easy and healthy recipies.

Cbaker5156

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

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

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

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.

LorinaLynn

I started cooking following recipes out of Glamour and Cosmo. They're usually pretty simple and healthy.

Giovanni_P

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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!

and if i could marry my crockpot i would.

emmaleigh47

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?

sophiajackson99

Hi Emmaleigh! I can totally relate! I'm 43 and my only real accomplishment in the kitchen is an omelette. I started the year by setting a goal of making one new thing in the kitchen each week. Mostly I focus on a new ingredient which makes it more interesting for me. I chose chipotles one week and then looked for recipes to use them in. I just typed "chipotle recipe" in google and a thousand sites came up. Since I'm a newbie, I tend to stick with the ones that have fewer ingredients (not as overwhelming) and I make something so that I can take it to work for a few days or freeze a good portion of it. It is all so giddy new to me that I find it fun! Just give it a go and see what you like. As Julia Childs says, BE FEARLESS and above all, HAVE FUN!!

angelahanks

Try www.skinnytaste.com It is a blog where a woman develops her own Weight Watchers recipes. I have tried several and they are fabulous.
Another thing that has helped with family meals is to make a variety. For example, my family makes a lot of homemade pizza. I used to make two pizzas (to feed four). I would end up eating three or four pieces of pizza for dinner. Not good. Now, I make a simple fruit salad and some steamed veggies to go with it. I end up eating one piece of pizza, fruit and veggies instead. Much better.

Good luck!

reginarb

I have found alot of use out of my search bar when I don't know what to do with food, how to cook, chop or tell if it is good. I just type in "how to chop peppers" and there is usually an ehow.com article or video that will give you complete instructions on that type of food. The other day I wanted to cook asparagus for my family for the first time, but I did not know the first thing about it. So I just typed in "how to tell if asparagus is good" and "how to cook asparagus" My 3 year old, 7 year old and husband all loved it.
I also have a good crook pot recipe book called "Fix it and Forget It Cookbook". It has a ton of simple recipes that are simple and a few that are fancy. I use my "Taste of Home" cookbook for fancy stuff and allrecipes.com most of the time. Trial and error is the best way to learn. I sometimes forget which way I liked things best so write down what you get right so you can do it again. Feel free to add me as a friend.

fzyfrog

Italian Chicken

1 bag frozen (or 3 lbs fresh if you don't like frozen) boneless skinless chicken breasts
16 oz fat free sour cream
1 can 98% reduced fat cream of mushroom soup
1 packet of italian dry salad dressing mix (I use Good Seasons Zesty Italian)
16 oz mushrooms (I use canned)

Throw it all the crockpot
Cook on high 6-8 hours stirring occassionally
Makes 8 large servings and less than 300 calories
Can be put over pasta or veggies

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?

PrairieRoseNE

Go to your library and ask if they have any back issues of Taste of Home's "Light & Tasty" magazine. All their recipes include the nutritional information. So before you make the recipe, you'll know the Calories, Carbs, Sodium, etc..... Taste of Home also has a website with tons of recipes & info. Good luck!!

thankyou4thevenom

I am also a horrible cook. I've forced myself into cooking as I've chosen to do the Tesco diet.
While I still don't enjoy cooking all that much I am getting better. Practice is what you need. Cook anything and cook often.

getalife9353

I can cook about anything with a recipe, but being a single guy, it's just a lot of trouble. I don't like to spend time cooking or doing dishes, so I keep it simple.
Crock Pot meals are easy as others have already mentioned.

If you like vegitables, it's pretty easy to steam or microwave fresh vegetabels. For me there is no substitute for FRESH vegitables.

My usual dinner is some variation of this 1 skillet dinner... I use a large non-stick skillet and prepare all of the following in it, I sometimes use a tablespoon of olive oil, but not usually.

You say you don't know how to cook, so I am giving instuctions below as if you do not know anything....

Meat - Boneless / skinless Chicken Breast or Pork Loin chop. (one typical boneless skinliess chicken breast will give about 6 oz of cooked meet - enough for two 3oz servings.) Could also use whole peeted shrimp.
Slice chicken breast of pork loin chop into thin (1/4 or so) slices.
Using FRESH vegitables.... I use some combination of the following: Usually use two or three of the following: (of course you should rinse all vegitables before use)

Brussel sprouts, (cut the hard end off and discart the outer layer of leaves)
broccilli, (cut the crowns off and use them seperatly, also can slice the stem into 1/2 inch or so slice.)
snap beans. (green beans) Cut both ends off, and cut the remiander in halve or not.
Colliflower (cut off and use the crowns, you can probably also slice up the stem, but I don't)
carrots, Cut or slice to desire length.
yellow summer squash, cut into 1/2 in slices then cut in halve.
egg plant. Cut into 1 inch or so cubes.

Usually use the following every time.
de-seeded bell pepper (red or green) Simply cut around the stem and pull it out, cut pepper in halve top to bottom, trim away the white fleshy part. Slice the remaing into 1/2 inch or so wide parts.
mushrooms - whole mushrooms cut in halve or can buy already sliced.
1/2 sweet potato. - wrap whole medium size sweet potato in paper towel - microwave on high 6 minutes, turning over at 3 minutes. Let it set for 3 minutes. 1 sweet potato make 2 servings for me.

Prep whatever vegitables that I choose for the meal. (see notes above for prep)
Heat skillet on medium high. brown chicken or pork for a minute or two on both sides.
Lower temp to midium.
Add a tablespoon or two of cooking wine. Soy sauce will also work, but it's high in sodium.
Throw any dense vegetables into the skillet. (brussel sprouts, carrots, califlower)
Hit start on the microwave to start the sweet potato cooking.
After 3 minutes - turn the sweet potato over.
Throw the rest of the vegitables into skillet, and stir around. If cooking yellow summer squash don't put it in yet.
I usually only season with a little course ground black pepper.
Every minute or two stir the contents of the skillet around.
When the sweet potato is finished at 6 minutes total, add the yellow summer squash to the skillet.
Let the sweet potato set for 3 minutes while the skillet finishes cooking.

I normally allow 4 oz (uncooked) of each vegitable per person.

I sometimes substitute brown rice or a regular bake potato for the sweet potato.
Be warned if you use canned or frozen vegitables it is rather blend tasting. I stop AT the grogery store every couple of days to buy fresh vegitables. A local farmers market would be better, or during season from a home garden.
This takes about 20 minutes total to prep and cook.

Because I eat this most days for dinner, I cut whatever meet / vegitables I buy and store in plastic bags in the refriderater for a couple days. When I get home from work, it is very quick and easy to throw a healthy meal togather in less time then it use to take me to run the fast food resturant.

BryanAir

Any techniques you want to learn, youtube is your friend. There are multiple examples of everything you could want on there.

I learned everything I needed to know about cooking from watching "Good Eats". It is on youtube too.

monicaP413

Yes, allrecipes.com is a great site!! I love it and have found some things that are now my signature dishes. People think I am a great cook because of recipes I found on there! But I have also started to cook more healthy. I just get some veggies, put them on a pan with a little olive oil and garlic salt and bake or broil them. I do the same with chicken and fish (or saute it on the stove with a little olive oil and seasoning- I love Lawrey's seasoning salt) and some rice. Its easy, delicious and healthy! If your mom was a good cook, you have it in you too, you just start doing it and it will build your confidence. Every time you make a meal and someone likes it, you are one step closer to being a great cook. But remember, we all experiment and we all fail from time to time, so if a meal comes out un-edible every now and then, its ok, just don't do the same meal again!!

maffydavison

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.

I love my crock pot. Allrecipes.com has some great ones. One of the benefits you get from a crockpot is that you don't need to add any extra fat for frying or anything. Just put the ingredients in and turn it on low. If you want specific recipes, just friend me and I'm happy to share -- I have lots!

Nice to know we have LCB grad with us. YUM!