Online Recipes

There are countless articles written about meal planning and numerous gadgets out there designed to save time in the kitchen. Yet there are still many, many of us who tense up when asked the dreaded question “What’s for dinner?” Most of the time people don’t know what to cook that’s quick and healthy. Another common problem is we are unable to find or do not have the proper tools to prepare a recipe. Here are a few simple things you can do to make meal preparation easier and faster.

Take 15 minutes and purge your utensil drawer. You may have duplicate items or infrequently used items that are cluttering up the drawer. If you can’t throw them away, move them to another spot in the kitchen that is less often used. This decluttering process may also alert you to basic utensils you may be missing. At a later time you can purge other areas (pots,pans,baking pans, and plastic containers). Cleaning out your utensil drawer is your first priority and will make it much easier to find the tools you need.

If you already own knives for cutting up meat and vegetables, get them sharpened. If you hate cooking, a good sharp knife will do wonders for your attitude. You’ll be able to prepare food much faster and you’ll spend less time in the kitchen. Check your local hardware stores or gourmet cooking stores in your area for sharpening services. If you don’t own the type of knife commonly called a chef’s knife - go out and buy some. These knives don’t have to cost a fortune. Check online or ask friends that cook frequently for recommendations.

Find a cookbook that emphasizes quick, healthy meals with a few ingredients. These books contain recipes that call for, at the most five or six readily available ingredients and you don’t need any fancy cookware to prepare them. I have several of these “easy meal” cookbooks and use them all the time. Again, go online or ask friends for recommendations.

Try as a first step to prepare one recipe a week from the book. You won’t be overwhelmed and feel you have to cook every night. As always, success breeds success. In time you will build up a repertoire of recipes and become more efficient at preparing them. You’ll eat better, feel better and save money.