So here's the problem: I can't cook.

amberlyn2008

I am determined to begin cooking healthy meals for me and my husband but honestly.. I am very intimidated and do not even know where to begin.. Keep in mind I am a newly wed, and had a mother who wouldn't let me anywhere near the kitchen when she was cooking! Anyone know of any easy healthy meals or recipes to get me started?

waverly9876

I feel the same way you are. My mother was a great cook and never let me in the kitchen.
I am going to bump this so that I can be a better cook for my bf. Good luck!

tam120

I subscribe to Cooking Light magazine, it's fantastic, has 20 and 30 minute meals, vegetarian and budget minded recipes. They have a website if you want to try some recipes.
http://www.cookinglight.com/

BTW, being able to cook is really a state of mind. If you think of it less as a chore and more as a hobby or something new to try you'll have much better results. When I get home from work most of the time I don't want to do anything but if I convince myself that I'm creating something that's fun and healthy and something new that will surprise and delight my husband it's no longer a chore.

sarah307

i can't cook either! AH bumping for a later read

HJSilva

Do you have a dream dinners near you?

http://www.dreamdinners.com/main.php?static=index

kayemme

lucky for you, the solution is simple: just do it anyway.

the learning curve is very quick, so don't worry yourself too much!

Perfectlycrooked

Cooking's easy and fun(: look up step-by-step recipes!

Squeeky18

The "Company's Coming" series is a good one, the Betty Crocker Red Book, and there's tons of recipes on allrecipes.com. So long as you can measure accurately, you should find yourself whipping up great food in no time. Start with the basics (chicken, beef) then move on to more delicate dishes. You'll enjoy learning how to make healthy meals in a jiff. OH! and the slow cooker (crock pot) can be your best friend. Throw stuff in first thing in the morning, it's ready when you get home in the evening...and you can make double batches so you can keep leftovers for lunches and such.

whiskyzee

I really like allrecipes.com because you can see recipe ratings and reviews (and read about how other people screwed it up/fixed it). This is pretty much how I started. I found a couple things that I was comfortable with (ok, grilled cheese and spaghetti), and did some common sense things to make them healtier (whole wheat, low sodium,etc.). Then, when I got bored, I branched out--and so did my husband. His go-to "meal" for the longest time was a bowl of Cap'n Crunch, but now he makes an awesome 3 cheese manicotti.

mussmom

Congrats on the wedding! I hope you find lots of help and suggestions! I find the easiest things to cook that are healthy are veggies. You really can't miss when you just chop them up, throw them in a nonstick skillet with a bit of olive oil, put the lid on and cook on medium, or a bit less. Cook until they are the crunchiness that you want. Also, buy chicken breasts or breast strips frozen and put them in a skillet with water to cover the bottom of the pan. Cook on med. until the meat is white. You can add to your veggies, or cool, then chop and put in a freezer bag. Then defrost when you want. Buy fully cooked frozen shrimp at Costco, throw them in with veggies. A steamer is a good investment. You can cook just about anything: frozen fish, frozen veggies, fresh veggies. Just follow the guidelines on the side of the steamer. You are welcome to add me as a friend if you want- I love to cook and can successfully sneak in chopped veggies into spagetti sauces Kids have not a clue.

aflane

I've got one for you, that's SUPER easy, healthy, low cal and yummy. What more could you want? Here you go:

EGGPLANT PARMESAN

Ingredients:
1 Whole (fresh) Eggplant -- pick one that's dark purple, uniform in color, nice size and firm (no mushy spots)
1 Jar of your favorite type of tomato sauce (I normally use 1/2 - 3/4 of a jar)
1 package sliced Mozzerella cheese

Directions:
1. Preheat (turn on) your oven and set the temp to 400 degrees.
2. Get out a nice sized round casserole dish -- glass cleans up easiest
3. Cut off the ends of the eggplant and throw those away. Then cut the eggplant into 1/2" thick round slices. Then cut those round slices in half, so you have half moon shaped slices. It's just easier to get everything layered in the dish this way.
4. Place a layer of sliced eggplant in the dish. Then spread a couple of spoonfuls of tomato sauce. Then more eggplant, then more sauce.
5. When around halfway done with the layering, tear up 2 or 3 slices of cheese, put those between the layer for cheesy goodness.
6. Finish layering until all the eggplant is in the dish, top with a little more sauce and 2 more slices of torn up cheese.
7. Bake for about 30 minutes, until it's all brown and bubbly.

Eat the food. It's VERY hot, so be careful. This recipe feeds 4, so for only 2 people, yummy leftovers. I made this last week, and if I remember correctly, the cals are only 350 or so. However, the sodium is higher than I'd like due to the tomato sauce and cheese. Drink more water and you can enjoy this one with a clear conscience.

FairyMiss

as well as cook books i would recomend watching cooking channel. you can get recipies from books, but you can see the techniques watching people cook.

i want to say it was the new iron chef micheal something that said "i can teach you a recipie and you can make a meal, I teach you a technique an you can make a 1000" or something very like that

mussmom

Love the profile pic! (sorry, off topic)

alacarte

Baked chicken is easy, place boneless, skinless chicken breasts in really any baking dish that has been sprayed with "pam" and bake at 350 for 30 mins on each side. Really great if you put some salsa on the chicken before cooking Salt and pepper to taste.

Buy a vegetable steamer, place it in your pot with some water, place veggies in the steamer, put it on the stove and away you go. When the veggies are fork tender they are done. Super easy.

You might want to buy a cookbook that explains some cooking terms, like how to saute, or cut up a whole chicken, it might help you feel a little more comfortable in the kitchen.

mussmom

Gahh-I'm obnoxious. But I just thought of a book I used when my kids started eating solid- it is called "Super Baby Foods" and it is amazing. Takes you through everything from first foods and on.

lauristewart

I don't cook either....I LOVE Lean Cusines or WW Smart ones.....I usually add veggies to it......then I can eat a snack at night, like popcorn or yogurt and fruit......they are great tasting!!

inertiadriftsc

There are many great healthy meals that are super simple to cook! so first, the plain meats without anything super special done to them are probably the easiest thing to learn (and one of the most important to master!)

one of my favorite meals is baked chicken and potatoes. Here is the recipe:

a tyson chicken breast (or two, I usually can't eat a whole one usually)
one medium yellow onion
a dozen or so baby Carrots or 4 whole carrots
2-3 yellow potatoes
Olive oil
Italian seasoning
garlic
salt
pepper

preheat your oven to 350 degrees
So, dice the yellow onion (this is a great video with a cool trick to cut onions consistentlyhttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OiZr9cPPe1Q)
cut the yellow potatoes into chunks about 1/2" square
slice the carrots into about 1/4"-1/2 slices

in a glass baking pan (like this guy http://www.pyrexware.com/index.asp?pageId=11&CatID=388&SubCatID=393&upc=71160060593) take a tablespoon of regular olive oil and spread it on the bottom of the pan to keep things from sticking.

now put the chicken breasts onions carrots and potatoes in the baking pan. Use a tiny bit of oil (a teaspoon is plenty) and put it on the chicken breasts to allow spices to stick. using about 1.5 tablespoons of Italian seasoning mix sprinkle it over the chicken, also spread about 1.5 teaspoon of garlic powder, a teaspoon of salt and a half teaspoon of black pepper. Bake for 45 minutes approximately, OR better using a meat thermometer get the temperature of the CENTER of the chicken breast and cook until the temperature reads 165! At this point pull it out, let it sit for 5-10 minutes to let the chicken temperature rise to 170 degrees and enjoy, the potatoes should be done (you can stick them with a fork with little resistance) and everything else will be done too!

Good luck!

EDIT: This is a full meal! most chicken breast packages(like tyson) each chicken breast is at least 2 portions of chicken, so I would recommend saving some as leftovers

mytime60

I did learn to cook with my mother, however I have found seriously that cooking healthy is easier and less time consuming than what I had been cooking. My biggest used appliances these days are my toaster oven and the microwave. I often broil a turkey burger or chicken tenderloins. Either one with a low cal sauce. Simply put them in the toaster oven (regular oven works too, I just don't like heating the large oven) Both can be done in twenty minutes or less. I can microwave a baked sweet potato in 7 minutes. And fresh veggies in the microwave in 5 minutes or less. Find a couple of receipes you like and give a try. Trial and error is the way we all learned, we just learned at different ages. Good luck you will do fine!

MarshallLuke

Here's the secret to cooking: You can do it. No, seriously. Don't be afraid. If you screw it up, order out and try again tomorrow (you will learn VERY fast).
Best thing you can do to give yourself confidence is to get a slow cooker. It is nearly impossible to mess a recipe up in a slow cooker. You just throw everything together, turn it on, go to work and when you come home... your house smells great and dinner is ready. My favorite slow cooker book is "Fix it and Forget it Lightly".
Now, I am not just blowing hot air here. I used to be afraid of cooking. Then I became a vegetarian and had to learn how to cook. After a week of eating bland food, I knew that I had to start learning. Flash forward a decade: I am marrying the beautiful girl of my dreams because, the first time we hung out I cooked her a delicious meal! (Ok, there is more to it than that, but you get the idea...)
Try this website for just about anything you need: allrecipes.com
Good luck!

inertiadriftsc

Another great recipe that I love that is pretty healthy for side dishes is this one:

This works for either brussel sprouts or broccoli

you need:
A sautee pan
Olive Oil
salt
Brussels sprouts or broccoli (fresh works best but frozen is good too)
garlic clove
Parmesan cheese ground

Peel the garlic clove slice it into thin slices.
if you are using fresh broccoli cut off the stem and break it into pieces like the ones you see in frozen bags
put about a table spoon of oil in a sautee pan and heat it up on medium. When you can put your hand about an inch above the pan and feel the warmth radiating from the pan its ready.
add the garlic slices to the oil if the pan was hot enough you should hear them sizzle (don't worry if you don't just let it cook a little longer) when the garlic starts to slightly brown around the edges add the broccoli or brussel sprouts.
add a half teaspoon of salt
cook for 5-10 minutes (longer for frozen) until the broccoli or Brussels sprouts are at your preferred level of doneness!

sprinkle a small amount of Parmesan cheese on the vegetables and enjoy!

NancyAnne1960

I have the easiest 5 item full dinner that is basically fool proof and taste great!!

2 Pork Chops bone in
Olive Oil
1 can Campbell's Lite Chicken Gumbo Soup
2 Baked Potatoes
Asparagus or broccoli


1. Turn oven on 325 to pre-heat
2. Put washed and fork poked potatoes in oven (cook for roughly 1 hr. 10 min. - medium size potatoes)
3. Brown pork chops in 1 T. olive oil on very hot heat - barely browning, 2 - 3 min. on each side.
4. Put browned pork chops in casserole/pyrex oven proof dish
5. Pour 1 can Gumbo soup over the top
6. Bake 50 - 60 minutes (depending on thickness of pork chops)
7. Boil or steam fresh, washed asparagus for 5 min (start out at 5 min. and more or less until preferred tenderness)
8. Serve up pork chops, cut open baked potato, pour gumbo soup over chop and potatoes, add asparagus.
YUMMY and, basically fool proof. Good Luck!

kristydi

You can learn. Anyone can learn to cook basic stuff. Start trying and accept that you're going to screw up and need a fall back plan (sandwiches or take out or something) some nights. That's ok you'll learn from the mistakes too. My hubby brags to friends about what a good cook I am now, but the first year of our marriage had some interesting cooking adventures. (I'm remembering th time I tried to broil salmon, got it too close to the element and set off the smoke alarms in our apt, then broke the blinds trying to get the window open. The salmon was inedible, blacked is an understatement, the apt was filled with smoke and we went out for chinese)

Do you have the kind of relationship with your mom that you could ask her to teach you a few basic dishes? Or a good friend would work too.

I second watching Food Network, specifically Alton Brown, Ina Garten, and Giadia DeLaurents (sp?)

Also, for cooking meat, a good thermometer is a great tool. I have one like this (link at the end of my post) that has the probe at the end of a cord so you can stick it in the meat in the oven and keep the part with the temp reading out of the oven. Mine also has an alarm that you can set to go off when it gets to a specific temp. Dry, tough overcooked meat is nasty and an easy mistake to make. The meat thermometer is an easy fix. Remember the temp will continue to rise a bit after you take it out of the over, so set the temp alarm 5-10 degrees before the temp you want.

Meat thermometer link http://www.amazon.com/Polder-Original-Cooking-Timer-Thermometer/dp/B0000CF5MT/ref=sr_1_13?ie=UTF8&qid=1306552477&sr=8-13

baisleac

lucky for you, the solution is simple: just do it anyway.

the learning curve is very quick, so don't worry yourself too much!

JustBreathe418

The two sites I recommend for very easy and healthy cooking are:

www.hungry-girl.com
www.skinnytaste.com

I really like the skinnytaste website because she uses a lot of very basic ingredients that you can just stock your pantry/fridge with and you can make lots of different recipes!

Some of my favorite easy recipes from the hungry girl website that might be a good start are her foil packs and TRIOS (recipes with only 3 ingredients!). You can do a search for those. One word of caution is that a lot of her recipes use processed foods, but she uses a lot of "healthier" processed foods. And let's face it, we can't eat 100% clean all the time!

ImNotThatBob

So many great suggestions, so little time.

Bump, Bump, Bump

>Rob

ivyjbres

OK. Put your favorite vinegarette in a skillet (about 1/3 of a cup, but you don't have to measure, just a squiggle in the bottom of the pan is fine.), and you can cook just about any meat in it. Pork and chicken are my favorite. It adds flavor and keeps it moist, and if you have a lid for your skillet, you can cook from frozen without the outside burning, sticking or drying out. If you pour in a little fresh fruit juice, especially a citrus, you'll get a teriyaki flavor (it does tend to stick more to the bottom of the pan because of the sugar though). Veggies, just pour frozen veggies into a tupperware container, throw it in the microwave for 5 minutes. You don't even have to season it. Canned veggies, different story- butter and a sprinkle of season all. You can throw in some almond slices or something like that to dress them up.
You can turn any cream of _____ (chicken, mushroom, potato, tomato, whatever) soup into a sauce by only using half of the milk called for on the directions. Toss some pasta and veggies in it, good to go.
You can make fat free refried beans by just leaving any kind of beans to overcook in your crockpot. Stir them occasionally to keep them from burning, and just let them cook all day on medium or high, the beans will eventually swell to the point of breaking open and go pasty if you keep stirring it about once an hour. Technically bean curd, but tastes and looks like refried beans. Throw some cheese on it, serve it with pico, no one ever knows the difference.

hjy319

I love my slow cooker, and the Fix it and Forget it Lightly cookbook. Throw everything in, and when you get home, everything is cooked!!

amberlyn2008

Thank you so much

petitedemoiselle

The two sites I recommend for very easy and healthy cooking are:

www.hungry-girl.com
www.skinnytaste.com

I really like the skinnytaste website because she uses a lot of very basic ingredients that you can just stock your pantry/fridge with and you can make lots of different recipes!

Some of my favorite easy recipes from the hungry girl website that might be a good start are her foil packs and TRIOS (recipes with only 3 ingredients!). You can do a search for those. One word of caution is that a lot of her recipes use processed foods, but she uses a lot of "healthier" processed foods. And let's face it, we can't eat 100% clean all the time!

Those are two great sites to start with.

You'll get the hang of it if you follow recipes and eventually, you can branch out on your own. You'll know what basic seasonings you like and can begin incorporating them into your cooking without cook books.

Also, try getting a tabletop grill. That can help with grilled veggies that you can use as sides. Also, I see some other users recommended a crock pot which is great too for easy, slow recipes.

It might take some time until you get your skills where you want them to be, but cooking is fun, so you'll have a great time getting there.