It probably seemed a little horse-before-the-cart for me to encourage my readers to eat better foods in my blog post, You Are What You Eat, by warning to avoid chemical additives, without giving a remedy; “Here’s what not to do” without a “Here’s what you can do.” Let me . . . ahem . . . remedy that now.
As you read in the aforementioned post, and if you haven’t read it, I suggest you do, pre-made foods are often loaded with additives which are, to put it gently, not healthy. They also tend to cost extra, whether the pennies we use are pretty or otherwise. If we opt to purchase the pre-made foods that are sold by companies that declare how they have our health in mind, they charge even more for having fewer ingredients. (The concept of companies needing more of our hard-earned money in exchange for them using less of their resources to make the product still boggles my mind.)
What is the solution? Stop buying pre-made food. You protect your money and your health that way. “But no one has time to cook anymore!” is the appalled and disbelieving argument.
If you are one of those who feel that cooking is too hard and too time-consuming for a busy lifestyle, I recommend finding out what Jamie Oliver has to say. He is known for promoting quick and healthy meals.
In my opinion, some of the biggest reasons not to cook meals, at least every so often, are poor time management, belief that you need some sort of diploma to cook, and the simple bad reputation of cooking being inconvenient. If the cook manages their time wisely, cooking need not take a large chunk out of their productivity because you can prepare or do other things while, say . . . the pasta cooks, the vegetables boil, or the sauce thickens. Most foods are not complicated unless the recipe writer or demonstrator wants to be fancy and pretentious. (Note I said “most.” There are always exceptions.) Last but not least, don’t we all know not to believe everything we hear, especially when someone has money to make from convincing you something is bad? Those who make pre-made or packaged food gain a lot of money from people believing cooking is too hard or time-consuming, and that only oppressed housewives make home cooked meals.
In short, how about trying to make one meal or even just one dish a week to see if it really isn’t all bad? Remember, just like most abilities, cooking isn’t the same as a dolphin knowing how to swim the moment it is born. Humans aren’t born with many built in instincts for abilities. Give cooking a few tries before you decide you can’t, because “I can’t never could” and most things worth knowing take time to learn.
Now, if you were already interested in making healthier meals at home before I started explaining why it’s a good thing, or if my explanation convinced you, welcome. You might notice that beyond being simple and quick, (I was able to make them, and I’m not a good cook. This is proof positive that they are simple.) they are also all Autumn themed as we welcome the next season. Since I will link directly to the websites where I found the recipes, this post is likely to be short and sweet . . . or savory.
I found some relatively simple and quick recipes for the busy writer. Even those that take longer than 30 minutes total are still valid for a busy lifestyle because while you wait for cooking, you can use that time to write or do some other little task that needs doing. There is no need to lose time.
Click the images to be taken to the recipes.
Baked Apple Slices
These apple slices are already a wonderful treat. Add vanilla ice cream, and it makes your tongue want to knock your brains out. (If you want a blog post about fun nearly forgotten phrases, let me know in the comments below.)
This is a nice straightforward recipe. I didn’t have to make any adjustments; not even for personal taste.
Spaghetti Squash Alfredo
This dish is low-carb and tasty. Remember that spaghetti squash might look like spaghetti, but it does taste a little different. It might take a little getting used to, but it’s worth it.
Chili Stuffed Peppers
This is not the only way to stuff peppers, but this is a good place to start. Stuffed Peppers is one of my favorite easy recipes.
For my adjustments to this recipe:
- I parboiled my peppers. It makes a huge difference. Just boil a little bit of water in the bottom of a pan and put the peppers in for a few minutes. They will turn a lighter shade and will become crisp-tender when poked with a fork. Once they cool, you can stuff them.
- I did not use mozzarella. It is a whole different flavor.
- Let the stuffed peppers cook until the last 5 minutes and then top with the cheese so it can melt in the last 5 minutes of cooking.
Chili
(for the Chili Stuffed Peppers, of all things)
Pumpkin Cream Cheese Wontons
These were fun to make. The only thing I did differently was, I only dusted the wontons with powdered sugar rather than making the maple syrup glaze.
Wine Poached Plums
These are nicely spiced and taste good on their own or in overnight oats.
The recipe is so simple and straightforward, I made no alterations.
I hope you found a recipe, or more, that reached out and grabbed you. As we, busy writers, save money and our health, we are better able to enjoy the wonder.
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