Okay, I have started this blog because I am not a chef. In fact, the only "real" education I got was a couple of weeks during Home Economics class in 7th grade. After I got married, the number one thing I turned to when thinking of dinner was Tuna Helper. My idea of a healthy meal was Top Ramen.
Since then, I have bought many cookbooks only to look through them and think of how disgusting the food sounded. I have bought Rachael Ray magazines time and time again only to have cooked a few of her dishes. As awesome as they tasted, I couldn't compete with the prices and I really didn't have all the basic knowledge.
Then, one book I bought changed my life. Actually it was two that I bought at the same time. I was looking for a nutritional book for toddlers that I could understand because there are honestly several books about nutrition for everyone but I just can't grasp basic nutrition for some reason. I had found a book entitled "Eat This, Not That for kids" by David Zinczenko and Matt Goulding. Then, I searched in the adult food area of the bookstore and found "Eat This, Not That" by the same authors. I bought them both on the spot. They were simple to read, though they dealt more with restaurants then with food I'd buy at the supermarket. It's basic though. At the beginning of every book, they give you basic food knowledge, ten worst list, and things you need to know about food. At the beginning of every chapter, they give you basic knowledge about that area. The majority of the book is very simple, on the left hand side are foods that are healthy to eat while the left hand side are the foods that are the worst.
Since then, I have bought "Eat This, Not That restaurant guide," "Eat This, Not That supermarket guide," "Eat This, Not That the new revised version," "Eat This, Not That the best and the worst," "Cook This, Not That" and "Drink This, Not That." Honestly, I would advise buying them all. Put a bunch of them in your car somewhere out of the way but easy to grab before you walk in a store or while you are sitting in the drive thru. Keep the rest in your kitchen.
It was "Cook This, Not That" that honestly changed our families life. It has simple recipes and shows you the basics of everything. They are guys, so most of the food is things that guys would want to eat (my husband doesn't comlain much). I think the most I have spent buying to be able to cook their foods were spent on a slow cooker and a cast iron pan.
Another cookbook that changed my life was "Deceptively Delicious" by Jessice Seinfield. My son refused to eat veggies and many other foods, so I picked it up as a way to get him to eat healthier. It works too, though she hired a nutrionist to help her put it together, so it has some crazy stuff in there. I know there are other books that you can buy to help you hide foods in there, but I haven't checked them out yet.
I am a Facebook Junkie. I have lots of friends who have started to try my cooking and are amazed at the difference there has been. I have heard from people time and time again that I am a healthy person who knows how to cook. The thing is, I'm really not. I just know the basics. I don't venture off of the beaten path. I just like to read more than others and have a husband and child who are willing to try things once.
Now, we have a new issue arising as well. My son is allergic to milk, eggs, peanuts, and ham. This creates a need for me to learn even more about cooking. I figured what better way to share my knowledge then to blog, post it on Facebook for my friend along with pictures and my husband's comments, and let people know how they can make it simpler or how to do it without avoiding allergies.
