Does cooking ever make you feel like this?

Maybe it’s just me, but I’ve never really enjoyed cooking. The kitchen was a place that has always seemed like a different planet to me. All those shiny objects and weird looking thing-a-ma-jigs made me want to run in the opposite direction. I mean, what was actually going on in there anyways?! Most of the time, whenever I tried to use any of the “stuff” that was in there, my food came out looking un-identifiable. Don’t get me wrong, I used to love baking. I could mix cake batter with the best of them, and oh was I good at dumping loads of sugar, peanut butter, cocoa and condensed milk in a pan to make delicious fudge, but real food? Fo’ get a ’bout it!

I used to joke that my brother got all the cooking genes from my parents. He scooped ’em all up and hoarded them to himself. He went to the Culinary Institute of American and everything and continues to put me to shame. The last time he came to visit me, he made every meal in the house a feast. But I digress…

My point being that I’ve come a long way baby. I mean, don’t get me wrong, I might not enjoy it as much as some people do, but I will make meals for the betterment of my health and happiness because that old saying, “You are what you eat,” really is true. Junk in = feeling like junk and rich nutrients = much happier body and mind. Don’t just take my word for it. We’ve all tried the junk in junk out experiment, so let’s rock our bodies and minds with some slammin’ food.

Here are 5 tips that you can use to get your groove on in the kitchen:

1. Never underestimate the power of your blender! Seriously, take a couple fruits that you like, add in some almond milk or coconut water, a couple handfuls of greens and you have an antioxidant, nutrient rich meal. If you want to get fancy and add in some super foods like goji berries, spirulina, maca or raw cacao, hey I won’t stand in your way. This is also a useful tool for making some delicious and healthy soups.

2. Vary your cooking styles. Steaming, sauteing, roasting and baking are simple, easy and quick ways to cook food.

3. Keep it simple. Pick two to three ingredients, but no more than five. Everything does not have to be gourmet!

4. Cook once, eat twice. Make a double batch of quinoa that you can use for dinner tonight and then mix in some almond or coconut milk with fruit and maybe some cinnamon in the morning for a warm, healthy breakfast treat.

5. Experiment. Watch what others buy, and try out new recipes. Cooking more makes a better cook. The more you cook, the faster you will become, the better it will taste, and the more you will enjoy eating healthfully.

Bonus tip: Skip the self-criticism! Remember to be gentle and patient with yourself, and most importantly, have fun!

Does cooking ever make you feel like this?

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