Your favorite meals

Hello All!!  I am committing to a healthier me and that includes what I am eating.  I eat fairly-ish healthy.  I cook my own meals at least 95% of the time. I buy  mostly (90%) fresh foods, frozen and a few packaged foods.  I try to buy in bulk when I can & store in my mason jars.

Each season has its own favorites:  Summer is mostly pasta salad with chicken, fresh cut veggies, and a few favorite fruits that I have on hand at any given time. I love to cook out as well with some favorite meats & veggies.   Fall & Winter are usually stews, soups, crock pot meals.  Often I cook with potatoes (at least 4x/week), rice 1-2x/week, and the staples of peas, green beans, corn, cabbage, etc.  Spring is similar to F&W, but a little less heavy.  

I do crock pot year round, I love cooking that way... dinner done!!!  

But I am looking for new meal ideas or recipes that I can add to my collection (I lost my recipes at my storage unit - mice attack).  I am trying to cut out as much package sugars.  Only natural sugars already in the food & honey.  So any new "sweet" ideas would be greatly appreciated.  I would consider unsweetened applesauce, etc. But really trying to cut back on processed/boxed type foods as much as possible.

Looking to learn how to make a delicious homemade tomato sauce & other condiment type foods.  I tried a few times and it just did not taste right to me, not sure if chef error or I just need to acquire a taste for homemade sauces, soups (ie tomato), etc.  

All your ideas, shares and suggestions are greatly appreciated!!!  --Tess

I think cooking for yourself gets you the first step to healthy - you're more in control of what you eat.

Did you see the permies recipe index Tess? That might be a good place to start.

I have a number of favourite recipes that I'll cook depending on how I feel and what I have to use up. I do like one pot meals (less washing up) and also meals that can be made into leftovers as ready meals to save preparation another time. I rarely follow a recipe so have a generic 'curry', 'chilli' 'risotto' etc. recipe, which probably bears little resemblance to an authentic one, but works for me.

We do have puddings (my husband has a sweet tooth!) but I admit I am less adventurous here and more likely to just have a biscuit or slice of cake. I suppose a more healthy pudding of ours might be a fruit crumble (or apparently my version is a fruit crisp? with oats in the topping). We also make a wicked bread and butter pudding with dried vine fruits, cherries and marzipan. Not particularly low calorie, but reasonably frugal, freezes well and definitely comfort food for the winter season!

Nancy Reading wrote:I think cooking for yourself gets you the first step to healthy - you're more in control of what you eat.

Did you see the permies recipe index Tess? That might be a good place to start.

I have a number of favourite recipes that I'll cook depending on how I feel and what I have to use up. I do like one pot meals (less washing up) and also meals that can be made into leftovers as ready meals to save preparation another time. I rarely follow a recipe so have a generic 'curry', 'chilli' 'risotto' etc. recipe, which probably bears little resemblance to an authentic one, but works for me.

We do have puddings (my husband has a sweet tooth!) but I admit I am less adventurous here and more likely to just have a biscuit or slice of cake. I suppose a more healthy pudding of ours might be a fruit crumble (or apparently my version is a fruit crisp? with oats in the topping). We also make a wicked bread and butter pudding with dried vine fruits, cherries and marzipan. Not particularly low calorie, but reasonably frugal, freezes well and definitely comfort food for the winter season!

Thank you Nancy!! I do the same, I follow a 'recipe', but mostly when I cook, it is from memory or what I like &/or have on hand.  I LOOOOVE cabbage rolls, can't get enough of those!  Love chili.  I make one mean, messy lasagna.  I usually have left overs, especially when I use a crock pot.  

I usually have meals for at least 3 days.  It's just me & my grandson (who is horribly picky), so when I cook, we almost always have leftovers.  Sometimes, I do cook smaller meals.  I also love to make one & done meals -- a taco night or some other type of 'special' meal.  Mostly I stick with what I know.  But I am looking for other ideas... I love to cook & I love to eat even more!!  I am open to new twists on some of the dishes.  

Recipe, for me, is a basic, general list of ingredients & maybe a dish name.  I will definitely check out the recipe index!  Thank Nancy  --Tess

Winter is Borscht.  Each time it is made differently.   This time of year it is perfect for the last of the root crops.

My favorite meals? Hummmm.

If I don’t mind spending a fortune, I’d say prime rib with baked potato. Or lobster stew. But that’s just an infrequent treat for us. And these are not something I make at home.

If I don’t mind eating commercial food, then I guess it’s orange chicken — breaded chicken nuggets baked then slathered in Chinese orange sauce. Totally unhealthy and only indulged in a couple times a year.

Now for healthy, homegrown food—- it’s got to be our breakfast smoothies. We’ve been eating them for years and haven’t tired of them, maybe because they are always different.  I blend up a variety of fruits and veggies. No set recipe, just what’s in season. For example, this morning was guavas, a banana, steamed greens (Chinese cabbage, lettuces, pipinola (chayote) shoots, cholesterol spinach leaves, and (for the first time to try them) pumpkin leaves, cooked soybeans, a small piece of cooked pumpkin, one hard boiled egg, and enough homemade pineapple/sugar cane juice to make the ingredients blendable. As I’ve said, every day is different ingredients, but I aim to include fruit, greens, a protein source, and other veggies. The liquid might be fruit juice, veggie juice, or milk (sheep, goat, or cow depending upon what’s available).  Breakfast is normally our main meal. Lunch and dinner are usually just snack or small sized meals. So breakfast is a hot cup of coffee and a jumbo smoothie.

Get me into a good restaurant, and it’s prime rib, steak, or lobster for sure. My hubby opts for pork chops.

Do I love comfort meals? Of course! But they are not our normal fare. So anytime I wrap myself around a plate of French toast or gravy over rice, hubby knows that I’m stressed out.

This thread might give you some inspiration for meal ideas

https://permies.com/t/360/1126/dinner#3730572

John F Dean wrote:Winter is Borscht.  Each time it is made differently.   This time of year it is perfect for the last of the root crops.

John, I've never heard of Borscht.  I will check it out.  Thank you!!  --Tess

Hi Tess,

It is peasant food … and I mean that in a good way.   Every culture has multiple versions of food thrown together … stew, shepherds pie, jambalaya, chop suey (Literally means ‘this and that’).

"Eat as closely to Nature as possible" is my motto.
Lately I've been roasting chickpeas as a snack, and I was pleasantly surprised how much a frozen banana (with a few other ingredients; there are many recipes online) can emulate ice cream as a healthy sweet treat.
I also LOVE kale chips. Break the leaves into pieces the size of a business card or smaller, drizzle oil & salt on them, mush them around to coat them all, and spread them on a baking sheet & put them in the oven low & slow until they're crispy. You may want to turn some or all of them, especially to make sure they don't fall flat on the pan and burn; just turn them upside down or make them lean on others.

My tomato sauce comes out differently every time. We usually sautee diced peppers & onions & garlic, and maybe add other veggies like zucchini, or even chopped greens. We use a large can (28oz) of diced tomatoes, some tomato paste or a can of tomato sauce (not marinara with ingredients; just canned tomato made into a sauce texture), and let it simmer. If you want it thicker, use an immersion blender to puree some amount of it. I also add a can of red or kidney beans because I don't eat meat, so it adds protein. We like the sauce chunky. You can use typical Italian spices, but honestly I think you'll just have to experiment, and write down everything each time so you can repeat it or change it.

And I highly recommend (to everyone) that in your mission to eat healthier, to try switching to pastas & breads that are as whole-grain as possible. Also try brown rice instead of white, and try new grains that are whole grains. Mix them in with processed (white) at first if you're not used to it, and increase the proportion. Many people do great with cooking at home, but if they are eating 1-2 servings of white flour products at every meal, well, that's a processed food people don't think about.

John F Dean wrote:Hi Tess,

It is peasant food … and I mean that in a good way.   Every culture has multiple versions of food thrown together stew, shepherds pie, jambalaya, chop suey (Literally means ‘this and that’).

Thanks, John!  That is basically how I cook.  Whatever I have on hand &/or whatever I am in the mood for.  I keep hearing: plan your meals, plan your week, plan... but I can't do that.  I never know what I will be in the mood for on any given day!! LOL  But I do try to plan ahead to make sure I have food stuffs on hand to cook. I haven't had sheperd's pie in a loooonngg time.  I think I am going to make that this weekend!!  Even more, my grandson loves it!  a 2fer win win on that dish.

--Tess