Five Simple Ways to Liven Up Your Kitchen
· Invite family and friends over to cook. You may be in a cooking rut or not be inspired to cook. Let friends and family come to the rescue by having them over. Cooking will be a fun, social activity where everyone can participate in making a new recipe or a family favorite with a new and different twist. Plus, eating in good company is always more fun!
· Cook from creativity without recipes. Allow yourself to cook with reckless abandon. Use what you have in your pantry and fridge to create a tasty culinary masterpiece that you can call your own. This takes the pressure off not having the right ingredients and allows you to toss the vegetables you have into a stir-fry or chili. Go meatless by using the beans and nuts in your cabinet or rustle up a broth with various herbs and spices on hand.
· Buy new kitchen gadgets. It’s always fun to get something novel to use in the kitchen like a microplane, a peeler, or even a special knife. You feel empowered when you have tools in the kitchen that can make meal prep easier and more fun. Even if you get a new-fangled meat thermometer or broil pan, it feels like the meat cooks better — and it seems to taste better, too!
· Refresh your refrigerator. Ignorance is bliss when it comes to what’s in the recesses of your fridge. However, when you clear out the clutter and toss dated cartons, cans, and bottles, and refresh with new dressings, yogurt, produce, and condiments, you feel better opening the fridge and creating a new eating experience. A clean fridge inspires you to eat well, too.
· Create cooking ambience with inspiring music. Next time you’re in your kitchen and getting ready to make a meal (or thinking about it), turn on the tunes. Whether you like alternative rock, pop, or classical, let the music move you.
Discover herbs and spices for total body health in an article at www.dummies.com/extras/totalbodydiet.
In this part …
Whip up delicious and nutritious meals for breakfast, lunch, and dinner.
Make room in your diet for healthy snacks and desserts.
Understand the benefits of herbs and spices to add flavor and cut the salt, sugar, and excess calories in your meals and snacks.
Get the basics on creating healthful food in your kitchen in minutes.
Chapter 12. Desserts and Snacks