WOMEN AGES 50+ FOR JANUARY 2025

https://healthie-production.s3.amazonaws.com/documents/2056343/original/Learners_Guide-Session-20.pdf?response-content-type=application/pdf&X-Amz-Algorithm=AWS4-HMAC-SHA256&X-Amz-Credential=AKIAYNW7O223XBP4ECLD/20250119/us-east-1/s3/aws4_request&X-Amz-Date=20250119T163545Z&X-Amz-Expires=10&X-Amz-SignedHeaders=host&X-Amz-Signature=15e4650fe36c86d9b8bd319f5b853d8991fd05cbe5d7c652aacd5d931840112e

Session 20:
Cooking 101
Overview
The goal of this session is to help you to feel more at
ease in the kitchen. To accomplish this, you will learn
about the benefits of cooking, mindfulness while
cooking, and important kitchen tools to have on hand.
You will also be given time saving tips and simple meals
ideas to get you started.
Benefits of Cooking
➢ Improves overall health
➢ Aides Weight Loss
● People who cook at
home more than 2
times per week eat
better quality foods with more nutrients and
fewer calories, fat and sugar.
➢ Relieves Stress
● Cooking can relax and recharge you. It can
also relieve boredom and provide a sense of
accomplishment.
➢ Saves Money
➢ Increases Mindfulness
● Cooking gives you a chance to get back in
touch with the food you eat.
1
Mindfulness While Cooking
The kitchen is one of the most creative places to
practice mindfulness. Cooking provides a chance to
be present and aware, as opposed to stressed and
distracted. By allowing the process of cooking to be a
mindful experience, you are able to observe your
thoughts and feelings and explore each of the five
senses, while also creating satisfying & nourishing meals.
❖ See Handout: Mindfulness When Cooking
✓ Skill Building Activity: Make Dinner Mindfully (your
coach will lead you through this activity)
Important Kitchen Utensils and Tools
Before you start cooking, make sure that you have
some of these basic kitchen utensils and tools. These
cooking essentials will help you prepare healthy and
delicious meals at home.
➢ Non-stick skillet and pot
➢ Heat-resistant spatula
➢ Sharp cutting knives
➢ Wooden spoons
➢ Cutting board
➢ Measuring cups and spoons
➢ Mixing bowls
➢ Whisk
2
➢ Food processor or blender
➢ Crock pot
✓ Skill Building Activity: Do you have the kitchen
essentials? (your coach will explain this activity)
Tips to Save Time in the Kitchen
➢ Make enough food to have leftovers
● Try to cook enough for at least 2 dinners and 2
lunches and give yourself a break the next day.
● Freeze any leftovers, which will provide you with a
home-cooked meal when you need it.
➢ Plan ahead
● Try to plan out your menu for the week and then
go grocery shopping for the ingredients.
● Your coach can help you to plan meals and
prepare a grocery list.
➢ Prep ahead of time
● Find recipes that allow you to do steps in advance.
● Consider chopping your veggies and fruit,
preparing a sauce, or pre-cooking parts of the
meal in advance to shorten the final cooking time.
➢ Eat more fresh foods
● Find recipes that use more fresh ingredients. This
will help decrease your time over the stove and
help you save time in the long run.
● These types of recipes are loaded with nutrients.
Try adding salads or raw food recipes for dinner.
❖ See Handout: Kitchen Hacks
3
Simple Meals to Get You Started
You don’t need to be a professional chef to be
confident in the kitchen. Many recipe websites have
beginner recipes. There are often step-by-step videos
as well. If you are a beginner, start with very simple
meals. Ask your coach for the 3 basic recipes noted
below. Once you feel good about cooking the easier
recipes, you can try more difficult ones.
❖ See Handout: Scrambled Eggs
❖ See Handout: Grilled Cheese
❖ See Handout: Oatmeal
Summary
Cooking your own healthy meals is a great way to
improve your health, reach your weight loss goals and
save money. Cooking can also be relaxing and
enjoyable. Practicing with simple meals will give you
the confidence to move forward in your cooking
journey.
Keep Moving
4
Dance while you cook. Clear some space in your
kitchen, turn up the music and dance while you wait for
the water to boil, the oven to pre-heat, or the eggs to
set.
Activities
□ Plan one dinner meal for this week. Make enough
for leftovers for the next day.
□ Look into taking a free cooking class offered at
grocery stores, vocational schools or home
extension offices.
□ Goal setting: Work with your coach to set one goal
this week associated with this session. Example: I
will make a grocery list for the upcoming week.
List your goal here or message it to your coach
______________________________________________________
______________________________________________________
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Discussion/Questions
□ Ask your coach for a few favorite basic recipes.
□ Share with your discussion group how you plan
meals with limited time.
□ Answer this question within the community
board: “I like cooking because….”
5
“This is my invariable advice to people:
Learn how to cook - try new recipes,
learn from your mistakes, be fearless,
and above all have fun!”
– Julia Child
6
Mindfulness When Cooking
Cooking is an excellent activity to do mindfully.
When you take the time to focus on this activity you
can feel more gratitude and appreciation for the
food you are creating.
Here are some tips to help you cook mindfully:
● When you are cooking, only cook.
o Rather than multitasking, try single tasking.
o Not only have studies shown that it is more efficient,
but it also makes it possible to be mindful.
● Focus on each task, keeping your mind from
wandering to future plans or replaying events from
the day, etc.
o If your mind begins to wander, that is okay just gently
bring your attention back to the task at hand, which
is cooking.
● Chop the vegetables with careful attention.
o This will help prevent kitchen knife accidents.
o You can also experience the sensations from cutting
the vegetables, such as the aroma and texture.
● Pay attention to all of the aromas present.
o 70-75% of our taste comes from the aromas of our
food.
o Our sense of smell is keen so enjoy the different
aromas by focusing on them.
DPP: 5 Kitchen Hacks
1. Speed up ripening:
● If you want your fruit to ripen quickly, place the
fruit in a brown paper bag. The fruit gives off
ethylene gas, which is then contained and
concentrated in the bag. This gas will help the
fruit to ripen.
2. Measure sticky foods without the mess
● Coat the measuring cup or spoon with hot water
or cooking oil before measuring sticky foods
(maple syrup, honey etc.) to avoid messy clean
up.
3. Plastic wrap:
● Store plastic wrap in the refrigerator or freezer. It
makes it easier to pull off and wrap food without it
getting tangled on itself
4. Eggshell:
● If you get pieces of eggshell in your bowl or
batter, use another piece of eggshell to pick up
the pieces (the eggshell acts as a magnet).
5. Prevent boiling over:
● Keep pots from boiling over by placing a wooden
spoon across the pot.
Scrambled Eggs
Basic Scrambled Eggs
Yield: 2 servings
Ingredients:
● 4 eggs
● ¼ cup low-fat milk
● Salt and pepper to taste
● Cooking spray
Kitchen utensils needed:
✔ Skillet
✔ Small mixing bowl
✔ Fork or whisk
✔ Spatula or wooden spoon
Directions:
1. Beat eggs, milk, salt and pepper with a fork or whisk in
bowl until blended.
2. Lightly coat skillet with cooking spray.
3. Heat skillet over medium heat until hot.
4. Pour in egg mixture.
5. As eggs begin to set (harden), gently pull the eggs across
the pan with a spatula, forming large soft egg clumps.
6. Continue cooking by pulling, lifting and folding eggs over
until thickened and no visible liquid egg remains.
7. Remove from heat and serve with a side of fruit and a
glass of low-fat milk.
Grilled Cheese
Basic Grilled Cheese Sandwich
Yield: 1 serving
Ingredients:
● Whole grain bread, 2 slices
● Low-fat cheddar cheese, 1 slice or ¼ cup grated cheese
● Olive or canola oil, 1 tsp. (a small amount of butter may
be used in place of oil)
Kitchen utensils needed:
✔ Skillet
✔ Spatula
✔ Small spoon
Directions:
1. Add a small amount of oil on one side of each slice of
bread. Use a spoon to spread the oil evenly over the
bread.
2. Put the oiled bread face down into a medium, low heat
skillet.
3. Add cheese to the bread slice in the skillet.
4. Add a second slice of bread, oiled-side up, on top of the
cheese.
5. After one bread slice is evenly browned, flip the sandwich
over and cook the second side until evenly browned.
6. Pair with a side of fruit and a cup of tomato soup for a
healthy and balanced meal.
Oatmeal
Basic Oatmeal
Yield: 1 serving
Ingredients:
● ½ cup oats (quick-cooking or old-fashioned oats)
● 1 cup low-fat milk or water
● Fresh or dried fruit (optional)
● Nuts (optional)
● Pinch of cinnamon (optional)
● 1 tsp. sweetener (optional: maple syrup, honey,
etc.)
Kitchen utensils needed:
✔Small microwavable-safe bowl
✔Spoon
Directions:
1. Combine milk or water and oats in a 2 cup
microwavable-safe bowl.
2. Microwave on high for 4 minutes for old-fashioned
oats & on high for 2 minutes for quick-cooking oats.
3. Remove from microwave.
4. Stir in chopped fruit, nuts, spices, and sweetener.
5. Enjoy!
❖ For an apple cinnamon variety, add chopped
apple, cinnamon, walnuts and sweetener.