Portion Control

I've been learning how to cook.  I know!  It's exciting for me, too.

I have known for a long time that more wholesome, natural foods are better in countless ways but lacked the discipline to follow through.  But recently I've picked up some books on nutrition and all the benefits of staying away from refined and processed foods, and I am a convert. It's time to take action to improve our health and well being, and to feel younger and stronger. Friends are having serious health issues and the healthy lifestyle is no longer an option. 

So we are onto healthy and leaner, better quality food that deserves to be prepared well.   Giana and Ina and the Neelys spend afternoons with me at the gym. Menus are explained and techniques are modeled as they prepare all sorts of dishes that help me focus away from the treadmill and onto menu ideas. It's ironic, but it works.

It is very cool that they explain why the ingredients blend together and how marinades and seasonings should be paired. There are all sorts of shortcuts and tips, like cutting raw bacon with a kitchen shears, or why a gazpacho is better when it is not completely pureed, or the best way to extract the flavor from herbs.

Recipes are right on the web for things like the best St. Louis ribs this side of ... St. Louis, and heavenly mac and cheese. There is feedback, too, from the you-n-me's who have tried the recipes, made substitutions and recommendations. Sometimes the recipes tank but you hear about that, too.

You know I really thought if you have a couple of signature dishes you do well, and a great dessert, you're good to go (kind of like having a little black dress for any occasion). But learning how to cook a lot of different things well, with a great variety, helps the time on the treadmill whiz by and now the boys come home with a curiosity about what's for dinner.

All that's left to nail down is portion control. God help me.