My vent about my recipes

[pacific breeze]

I've been a bit lazy about cooking lately because I've been so busy with other things, but even then, I don't eat that kind of crap. I can't imagine feeding it to a child on a regular basis, but my youngest step-daughter is verging on this kind of thing with her child and it really upsets me.

[Laurent]

Yeah, I'm not a paragon of healthy eating, either. I do try and make good, smart choices if I'm eating out, but I can't eat take out every day - it literally makes me sick. I feel like crap and my skin starts breaking out, nevermind the fact I'm unfortunately someone who has to watch their weight LIKE A HAWK. I gain weight easily, so if I ate like that I'd be buying my clothes from Omar the Tent Maker very soon.

[pacific breeze]

^^I know what you mean. I'd be visiting the camping section of our local department store.

[A*O]

I gain weight just looking at a bag of fries so I guess I automatically cook healthier stuff for myself and the family instead of relying on junk. Plus I actually enjoy cooking. I find it very relaxing and fulfilling in a Stepford kind way LOL. But I know lots of people hate the whole process of creating meals and understand why it's so tempting not to bother. Unfortunately, the quick and easy food is usually junk, unless you go for sushi or a "healthy" (HA!) Macca salad.

[nwgirl]

When we got our floors done last week, my kitchen was torn apart and everything was covered in an inch of dust, so I couldn't use my kitchen and man did I miss it. I work from home, so I had to eat out way more than my son and husband, and I still feel gross a week later. Sometimes I get tired of always cooking, but I was rip roaring ready to get back in there and start cooking again. I even went so far as to put the kitchen back together myself instead of waiting for the work guys to do it - that's how eager I was.

[VenusInFauxFurs]

I have to cook. I can't eat out very often at all. Up until this year we traveled a lot. Even then, I'd find myself, in the shops bringing back food to the hotel room, preparing sandwiches and salads. If I eat out too often, I find myself gaining weight. I always feel bloated. It's like occasional restaurant meals -- no big deal, but when we were constantly traveling back and forth it was awful. All I wanted to do was go and cook a proper meal.

[McJag]

^^ that reminds me, Venus. I love room service!!

[JamieElizabeth]

I don't cook really.
I've been on the Atkins diet, and eating meats. No bread.

[Flak]

Thanks for the recipes! I make fresh lasagna every other week, but I've never done roll-ups. It looks fantastic!

I think that another factor to consider in this argument is involving the children in their food. My daughters cook with me almost daily. (Sometimes cooking is my relax time, and they need to go read a book, lol.) My 6yo can make honey blueberry muffins without a recipe, because we have been doing it for years now. The friends I have whose children will only eat chicken nuggets, etc generally view food preparation as a responsibility instead of a teaching tool. "Gotta feed them, so do it in the least intrusive way as possible so we can move on."

[pacific breeze]

I always watched my mother and my aunts cook, and they would put me to work. I think that is the best way for any child to learn how to cook. I was quite an accomplished baker when I was 10 -- way more proficient than I am now!

[A*O]

If you want a lo-carb 'lasagne' then substitute steamed sliced eggplant/aubergine for the pasta sheets and bake as usual.

[pacific breeze]

^^I've done that. Another thing I've done is to use zucchini rounds, or use 2 layers of wholewheat pasta instead of three. My lasagnas tend to be composed of whatever I've got on hand at the moment.

[A*O]

My grandmother was a superb cook - especially cakes, pastries and general baking. She had an old fashioned coal fired Aga/range in her kitchen that was always working to provide the household's hot water as well as for cooking. It had about 4 different ovens, all at different temperatures which she used constantly to bake whatever depending on the temp and time of day. My abiding memory of her is a kitchen table covered with jars of flour, raisins, butter, etc etc and her skillful hands preparing trays of shortbread, cupcakes, sponges and anything else you can think of. She never used a recipe - years of experience and practice was enough. And the smell.......