The Covid-19 stay at home advisories has left many of us eating alone at home. With a robust immune system of enormous importance in the face of the virus, a cheap frozen dinner, a can of soup or a pizza will not give you much protection. And besides, you deserve better than that. You would never serve a shoddy meal to a guest so why would you serve it to yourself?
One Bunch of Smart Women
A few months ago I was invited to meet with a group of women who look for many ways to improve the quality of food and the environment. These women are smart and expressive in stating their goals for health and wellness. But some also believed that cooking a highly nutritious meal took a lot of time and was expensive. At the start of our gathering the host updated the guests on the latest findings on cookware and the dangerous compounds in teflon coatings. Consensus was stainless steel, cast iron and tempered glass are the best for cooking. I agree.
I was asked to share some of the key topics in my book Food Becomes You - Simple Steps for Lifelong Wellness. In the book I provide shopping lists, stories of people who improved their health when they changed their food (including me) , along with menu plans and many recipes. The book is conversational in tone and easy to follow.
From there this group of 10 headed for the kitchen. I planned a meal in advance for them, but wanted the prep to be a shared experience so everyone could see how simple it really is to prepare a nutritious meal. Two chopped up parsnips while another put them in a pot to boil; another took the 10 pieces of salmon out of its 30 minute soak in a marinade of liquid aminos, ginger, garlic and honey and placed them on a baking sheet. One rinsed baby spinach as another heated up a steaming pot. Yet another cut up apples that were to be baked for dessert. There was chatter, story-telling about meal planning, and a great sense of camaraderie in the kitchen as everything cooked. In the end we drained the vegetables and whipped up the parsnips with some nutmeg, garlic and butter. Cost per person, including organic wine, was $12. Clearly less expensive than a restaurant meal. Then it was time to eat.
This delicious, nutritious meal contained a bitter green and a sweet vegetable along with omega-3 rich seafood and organic wine. Use this recipe as a blueprint for entertaining once you are able to have people in again. In the meantime, make a single portion for yourself and have a great meal.
What do you do to make mealtime pleasant?
This stay at home advisory caused by the virus is your chance to cook more and eat out less. And for once you may feel that you have more time to actually get into the habit of cooking - and like it! Your immune system, and your waistline, will thank you.
If you need a little help with recipes, head over to my Covid-19 Cuisine post for some simple ideas.