Guest guest Posted January 5, 2006 Report Share Posted January 5, 2006 Exactly....I think the harder you make it for yourself the shorter time you will stick with it. MB quick and easy.. Pam, I totally agree with you about food prep. I need for it to be quite simple and quick.. that is the best way for me to keep on this food plan. I find that if I am in the kitchen taking a lot of time preparing something, my naughty hand starts reaching for things I shouldn't have. I am learning my limitations ... that's for sure!! And ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted January 5, 2006 Report Share Posted January 5, 2006 Everyone likes quick and easy. Thing is, quick and easy is what's put us in the position we are today -- a society filled with people suffering multiple health problems, obesity and worse. Every time someone on the groups starts looking for " quick and easy " I just cringe. Sure, we all want to cut down on the time we spend in the kitchen but instead of looking for " quick and easy " I suggest looking for improving your kitchen skills. For example, it's a HUGE hassle to prep veggies -- right? Peeling and especially chopping just takes FOREVER it seems. Have you ever watched a cooking show though? The cooks on these shows just ZIP through vegetable prep -- and they do it ON SCREEN. Their veggie prep isn't done behind the curtains all the time. I am forever amazed at just how quickly these chefs can chop garlic or an onion. It's just nothing for them to do and it's over in mere seconds. The reason they can do this is lots of practice. They learn techniques in school, then they apply these techniques in their every day work. I submit that ANYONE can do the same and there are plenty of cooking schools all over the country where you can learn the exact same skills. Case in point -- we have a school here that has individual classes in all sorts of skills and cooking methods, all with no pre-requisites of any kind. Another thing worthy of consideration is HOW you prep the meal itself. Depending on what you make, it can take a lot of work and effort in the kitchen, requiring a great deal of attention. On the other hand, there are MANY dishes that you can put together with around 15 minutes of actual kitchen time and the remainder of the time the dish cooks you just have to look in on it every so often. Crock pot dishes are great for this -- you toss the ingredients in the pot, set it to cook on low, then go to work and when you come home dinner is ready. Baking dishes, especially casseroles, are good here as well -- prep the ingredients, put in the baking dish and toss in the oven for 45 minutes (or whatever). Lastly, stews and soups go REALLY well with this as you generally just combine all the ingredients in a pot with water, turn it on, then stir it every so often. (It just doesn't get any easier.) Lastly, when you just don't feel like cooking, it's important to have leftovers and frozen meals to fit that bill. If there's 4 in your family, cook for 6 -- just take the 2 extra servings and make up a plate/bowl to toss in the freezer. Make soups and stews to freeze for later nuking. Casseroles freeze well also. So rather than looking for " quick and easy " try using some time saving tips and enhancing your skills in the kitchen. Believe me when I say it will make all the difference. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted January 5, 2006 Report Share Posted January 5, 2006 In a message dated 1/5/2006 7:24:14 PM Eastern Standard Time, hayescol@... writes: I had one of those pampered chiefs chopper things...I think I may have used it once in 5 years...LOL That's so funny....I use mine constantly! Probably one of the best kitchen tools I own. I find it easy to use and it pops right in the dishwasher. Different strokes (or chops!) for different folks, right!? LOL. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted January 5, 2006 Report Share Posted January 5, 2006 Left over's are my blessing! My hubbie takes them for lunch, I eat them for breakfast and even sometimes again for dinner. Main dishes & veggies. Right now in my fridge is a meatloaf, salmon, broccoli, spinach quiche and at least 2 other veggies. I strongly second ' suggestion to make those extra servings. MB RE: quick and easy.. Everyone likes quick and easy. Thing is, quick and easy is what's put us in the position we are today -- a society filled with people suffering multiple health problems, obesity and worse.Lastly, when you just don't feel like cooking, it's important to have leftovers and frozen meals to fit that bill. If there's 4 in your family, cook for 6 -- just take the 2 extra servings and make up a plate/bowl to toss in the freezer. Make soups and stews to freeze for later nuking. Casseroles freeze well also. So rather than looking for " quick and easy " try using some time saving tips and enhancing your skills in the kitchen. Believe me when I say it will make all the difference. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted January 5, 2006 Report Share Posted January 5, 2006 I've noticed that because I tend to like watching cooking shows, I've picked up on how to prepare things more quickly than a lot of other people. I can chop stuff up in no time. It's fun! Noctaire noctaire@...> wrote: For example, it's a HUGE hassle to prep veggies -- right? Peeling and especially chopping just takes FOREVER it seems. Have you ever watched a cooking show though? The cooks on these shows just ZIP through vegetable prep -- and they do it ON SCREEN. Their veggie prep isn't done behind the curtains all the time. --------------------------------- Yahoo! DSL Something to write home about. Just $16.99/mo. or less Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted January 5, 2006 Report Share Posted January 5, 2006 > I've noticed that because I tend to like watching cooking > shows, I've picked up on how to prepare things more quickly > than a lot of other people. I can chop stuff up in no time. > It's fun! LOL I've been working on the whole onion chopping thing. The take an onion, slice it in half at one end, then slice into it horizontally and vertically without actually separating the peels from the root. Then they cut across the front (top down) to get nicely chopped onions. I'm getting better at it, but I'm nowhere near as good as the TV chefs. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted January 5, 2006 Report Share Posted January 5, 2006 I have been working on that one too! Pretty cool once you know how to do it! MB > It's fun! LOL I've been working on the whole onion chopping thing. The take an onion, slice it in half at one end, then slice into it horizontally and vertically without actually separating the peels from the root. Then they cut across the front (top down) to get nicely chopped onions. I'm getting better at it, but I'm nowhere near as good as the TV chefs. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted January 5, 2006 Report Share Posted January 5, 2006 Cleaning up those things is more of a hassle to me than to just chop with a good ole knife. When I have a big job I pull out the mini chopper or food processor. I had one of those pampered chiefs chopper things...I think I may have used it once in 5 years...LOL MB ---- Original Message ----- From: Lani To: South-Beach-Diet-Getting-It-Right Sent: Thursday, January 05, 2006 4:38 PM Subject: RE: quick and easy.. I cheat with this and have a food chopper. LOL It's a snap for me to chop veggies - the hardest part for me is the cleanup (but then, I don't like to clean anything). Lani Noctaire noctaire@...> wrote: LOL I've been working on the whole onion chopping thing. The take an onion, slice it in half at one end, then slice into it horizontally and vertically without actually separating the peels from the root. Then they cut across the front (top down) to get nicely chopped onions. I'm getting better at it, but I'm nowhere near as good as the TV chefs. --------------------------------- Yahoo! DSL Something to write home about. Just $16.99/mo. or less Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted January 5, 2006 Report Share Posted January 5, 2006 I have a chopsters that I use to cut up a lot of things. It chops a bit too finely for some operations and if I'm just slicing an onion or couple of pieces of garlic, I don't see the sense in dirtying it up. Nice thing about it though, when I'm done I can just toss it into the dishwasher for a quick and easy clean so it's not too bad. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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