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The ability to cook is empowering
I am mystified by how many people are either (1) truly helpless in the kitchen; or (2) willing to eat crappy food in order to avoid cooking. In many cases, it is some combination of the two. I'm not even sure that some of these people really understand just how bad most food from the prepared or frozen food aisles really tastes because, for them, it is simply the norm. It is also more expensive than what can be done on a short budget if one has some skills in the kitchen.
This issue is not isolated to any socio-economic group. Even many stay-at-home Moms, who arguably have the time and resources to cook, nowadays quite often rely upon others to do the cooking for them. My wife travels in these circles and what she sees never ceases to amaze her. Her friends view her like something akin to a gourmet cook simply because she brings good home-cooked food to their group events. Little do they know that the real reason that she does it is so that she has something decent to feed our kids (though she brings plenty for all), since most of the other food brought by the other Moms is crap.
But this issue most affects people on tight budgets, since they cannot blow large sums of money in order to buy the better prepared foods. This leaves them reliant upon cheaper frozen and prepared foods, which are often not very healthy. The simple reality is that the cost of a crappy lunch for 3 at McDonald's can buy a roaster chicken and sides that can feed a family for days if you just know what to do with it, but so many people seem to lack the skills and/or the will to learn how to do these things that they opt for the cheap garbage instead, including cheap canned and frozen foods. No wonder so many children are so fat and unhealthy nowadays.
Until I turned 30, I was among the helpless. That was when I decided that enough was enough and bought my first cook book, The Joy of Cooking. It took time and plenty of mistakes, but eventually I became a decent cook. When I was dating again in my early 30s and saw what so many single mothers were feeding their kids, I vowed that whoever was going to be the mother of my children would not be helpless either. Today, we are a cooking household. My kids eat very well, are healthy as horses and have stayed slim in the process. We have also vowed that we would not raise helpless children and are already starting our oldest child in the kitchen, which will extend to all of my children as they get older.
In doing what we do, our grocery bill is probably half that of most of our friends and we feed five hungry people lots of yummy and nourishing food. We probably spend little more than a poor family feeding the same number of people, though if that poor family doesn't cook then what we eat for the same money is much better in quality and health benefits. And if we became poor and needed to squeeze the budget more, we certainly could, since in our household we can turn almost any dubious sale meat into a yummy meal and can do the same with almost any leftovers.
IMHO, the empowerment, quality of life and health benefits all gained through the ability to cook cannot be easily quantified. It is a shame that it is becoming a lost art in so many households.
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Re: The ability to cook is empowering
I have nothing but love for this entire post.
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Re: The ability to cook is empowering
I know how to cook and bake all sorts of foods from scratch, so I'm good.
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I agree, and think both men and women should know how to cook. Basic life skills.
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I actually view cooking as an art form combined with a science !!! Of course, as a practitioner of 'green witchcraft', my definition of cooking transcends the culinary.
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Re: The ability to cook is empowering
Cooking is actually very simple, if you know the basic principles. And the basic principles are exactly what you don't find in all those fancy cookbooks, and that's why people get scared of it.
Also, you have be understand that at first, what you try to cook might not be edible, and be at peace with that. :D
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Re: The ability to cook is empowering
Quote:
Originally Posted by
Melonie
I actually view cooking as an art form combined with a science !!! Of course, as a practitioner of 'green witchcraft', my definition of cooking transcends the culinary.
Do you teach any classes or anything on Green Witchcraft? I want in!!!
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Re: The ability to cook is empowering
Quote:
Originally Posted by
euaici
Cooking is actually very simple, if you know the basic principles. And the basic principles are exactly what you don't find in all those fancy cookbooks, and that's why people get scared of it.
Also, you have be understand that at first, what you try to cook might not be edible, and be at peace with that. :D
Exactly.
This is why my first purchase was the Joy of Cooking. The book assumed that the reader knew basically nothing (which was certainly the case with me, lol). Each cooking category included an introductory section which covered things like basic cooking techniques. As another example of basic instruction, when we hit the beef section, it includes a lengthy discussion of the different cuts of beef (steaks and roasts), where they came from on the cow, their relative tenderness and the best uses of each cut. We own a number of cookbooks now, but to this day we still refer to the Joy of Cooking when we are unsure about how to get started with something. The authors of that book are geniuses IMHO.
Anyway, great post and I don't get any commissions from the publishers of the Joy of Cooking, lmao. I am just a huge fan as that book was just what I needed when I was single, had nobody to turn to and wanted to take control of my meal choices.
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Re: The ability to cook is empowering
I love to cook.
I just hate shopping for the food and cleaning dishes after.
I have a sensitive stomach plus I'm not getting any younger so I can no longer eat junk food like I used to. Sure eating frozen or canned is okay in a pinch or last resort but Food tastes better when fresh. Plus less preservatives and sodium.
I was quite shocked at some of the snacks the parents give the kids after sporting events. Rice krispy treats, cookies, and sugary 'sport' drinks ?!? Im like really? No wonder these kids are bouncing off the walls with no focus.
For me I have discovered that cooking requires practice, meal planning, basic knowledge of nutrition, and bit of time & money but its worth it
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Re: The ability to cook is empowering
We are a cooking household. I daresay we spend more than average on food but it is justified as a lifestyle choice. We rarely eat out at restaurants, we never get takeaways, neither of us drink.
People often comment on the time we spend in kitchen but all it takes is the quick waistline check to affirm our choice.
In fact, I commented to hubby yesterday that fast/convenience food is actually fast way to fat (and all the other effects of choosing ignorance of nutritional benefits).
Just so many fat fat fat kids compared to my childhood (25yrs ago).
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Re: The ability to cook is empowering
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Originally Posted by
ScarletKitten
Do you teach any classes or anything on Green Witchcraft? I want in!!!
Right? I'm intrigued as well. :D
Rick, that book sounds interesting. You just made me want to buy it. Lol.
I'm not a good cook. My healthy meals tastes so fkn bland. I just want to learn how to make things tasty without going online looking for recipes (which is what I do when I want to cook). Omg. Last time I made soup from an online recipe, I put in a shit ton of bay leaves (not knowing one was enough) & a whole lot of rosemary. I felt my brain burning. Hahaha. Good thing I'm learning things here and there from my bff. She is an amazing cook.
I don't eat horrible but I could be eating way better. I eat grilled chicken salads and fish meals at work. Shit gets so boring, but def a better option.
I'm such a picky eater sometimes.
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Re: The ability to cook is empowering
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Do you teach any classes or anything on Green Witchcraft? I want in!!!
Actually, for me, Green Witchcraft is a family 'tradition' ... I was taught by my grandmother.
However, an acquaintance is quite public about it ... see
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Re: The ability to cook is empowering
I agree that cooking is essential and important-- I spend a ton of time cooking (partly because I have to split everything in two to make vegetarian for me and meat for him) so that my boyfriend and I can have healthy, good-tasting meals and only resort to take out on dire occasions, like when the supermarket is closed and we're out of food. I find that he honestly prefers my cooking at this point to going out and eating or ordering take out. I find that, since it's just the two of us, I follow the directions for making meals for an average sized family and have enough in leftovers that I can give him some for lunch of even dinner and not have to cook again.
I do struggle, however, with cooking for one-- even when he's going out for the evening and I'm staying in I find I don't have the energy to spend time cooking, make a mess with everything, have to clean it all up myself later, just to sit down and eat by myself. I was even less inclined when I lived alone and had no one to cook for ever or help with the leftovers. I love to bake but now I struggle as well because it's just the two of us and he doesn't really like sweets and I'm afraid to have them around the house. So I understand how it can be a struggle and not seem worth the effort to people who live alone, or single mother who have no one to help them and a large household to feed.
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Re: The ability to cook is empowering
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Originally Posted by
Melonie
Sorry for the threadjack but I gotta join in here...
Green Witchcraft by Ann Moura was my first book on any sort of witchcraft. http://www.amazon.com/Green-Witchcra.../dp/1567186904 It is a damn good book. I can't think of another book that felt as honest and informative as this one feels. There is a warmth to the writing and it sucks you in with the little anecdotes sprinkled throughout. Beyond that, the illustrations are fabulous.
If you're interested in Green Witchcraft, that book is a fantastic place to start. My one piece of advice: Don't get scared away by the (sort of) elaborate set-ups/recipes/scripts or the massive amounts of excellent information. It may seem overwhelming if you make the mistake of thinking "I NEED to get ALL of THIS STUFF?!?! OMG!". You really don't, you take the info and make it your own, be as bare-bones or over-the-top about it as you like. There is no way to do it wrong and you can always build upon it if you choose to do so in the future.
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Re: The ability to cook is empowering
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Originally Posted by
miss.a.p1600
I love to cook.
I just hate shopping for the food and cleaning dishes after.
I haaaaaaaaaate to shop and to clean. For shopping, I have no advice. However, when it comes to cleaning, I have a few tricks.
- I use the oven as much as possible. I line the baking pan in heavy duty foil, cook what I need to cook, and toss the foil afterwards. The pan is pristine and the mess goes in the trash.
- I cut/prep things on paper plates so I don't have to scrub a massive cutting board. Toss the plates when you're done.
- One or two good knives is all you need. I splurged on a good 6" chef's knife and a good paring knife. I use them to cut basically 95% of everything. Sometimes I use kitchen shears (the ones that pull apart for cleaning) for other stuff like herbs and trimming string beans.
- When storing food, I use gladware containers or take-out containers that won't break my heart or budget if I feel like tossing them out rather than washing them.
- Use Ziplock bags to store things, toss the bags afterwards.
- Use Ziplocks to marinate things... no reason to get a dish messy with icky raw meat or fish juices.
- If I'm serving food, I use my kick-ass sharp chef's knife to slice meat off of the bone all pretty-like before plating... no need for individual knives, no need to wash individual knives. Yep.
- Dishwasher. Dishwasher. Dishwasher. Did I say Dishwasher? Because Dishwasher.
- I find non-stick pans easier to clean than the non-non-stick variety. But if you absolutely have to get that sear or caramelization, deglaze the pan with some wine and butter at the end, use some herbs if you have some handy... you'll end up with an amazing pan sauce and clean the brown stuff from the pan all at once. You won't have to soak or scrub the pan anywhere near as much as you would if you opt to skip this step.
So yes, I am THAT lazy. But if people cooked as much as I cook, they'd understand why I do the things I do.
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Re: The ability to cook is empowering
I actually love to cook. I'm just a picky eater. I'm not fond of clean eating but I'm learning. For about a year I feed myself and my child nothing but fast food because of my depression. We gained so much weight. I still use cookbooks but I love the finished product.
I mostly cook Italian foods like manicotti and chicken parmesan.
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I think I've cooked one meal in my entire life, I haven't the slightest interest in any of it. I don't eat hot food and I can't imagine spending time preparing a meal and then cleaning up afterwards, and I wouldn't have anyone to cook for anyways because my guy and I don't eat the same things. He likes to cook so he does-for himself and for our friends when we have people over.
Besides, prepackaged/canned/frozen food isn't necessarily unhealthy. For lunch I had a bowl of defrosted edamame and then some frozen cranberries for dessert. 'Preparation' took all of 60 seconds opening the packages. In a little while I'll grab some lettuce from a pre-washed bag and some cherry tomatoes for a snack.
I def agree that it's important to possess cooking skills when one has kids, as for sure a lot of premade food choices geared towards kids are appallingly high in salt, sugar and fat, but as far as being inherently 'empowering'? I don't get that. Props to those who enjoy it, I just don't think it's a deficit to feel differently.
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Re: The ability to cook is empowering
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Originally Posted by
loveshooks
I think I've cooked one meal in my entire life, I haven't the slightest interest in any of it. I don't eat hot food and I can't imagine spending time preparing a meal and then cleaning up afterwards, and I wouldn't have anyone to cook for anyways because my guy and I don't eat the same things. He likes to cook so he does-for himself and for our friends when we have people over.
Besides, prepackaged/canned/frozen food isn't necessarily unhealthy. For lunch I had a bowl of defrosted edamame and then some frozen cranberries for dessert. 'Preparation' took all of 60 seconds opening the packages. In a little while I'll grab some lettuce from a pre-washed bag and some cherry tomatoes for a snack.
I def agree that it's important to possess cooking skills when one has kids, as for sure a lot of premade food choices geared towards kids are appallingly high in salt, sugar and fat, but as far as being inherently 'empowering'? I don't get that. Props to those who enjoy it, I just don't think it's a deficit to feel differently.
Perhaps cooking isn't the right word. I think that preparing things that are tasty and real = "cooking". Yummy salads, delightful combinations or fresh stuff, it's all good. Maybe "making meals" is a better choice of words.
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I don't mind cooking and cleaning up afterwards, but I also HATE grocery shopping. I feel like I'm going to have an anxiety attack in the cramped/crowded grocery stores here. I'm lucky my husband will usually go for me. I was really surprised when I started dating him that none of his ex girlfriends or his ex-fiancé had EVER cooked a meal for him or knew how to cook. The hell?
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Re: The ability to cook is empowering
and rick don't even get me started on the state of most stay at home moms these days-at least the ones I've met. Many of them are the laziest people I've ever met. Their houses are filthy, they don't cook, they don't do anything. I feel sorry for their husbands.
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Re: The ability to cook is empowering
I had to learn how to cook as a kid as both parents worked. My repertoire was essentially unhealthy fried but delicious food. When I studied in Australia in college, I learned to cook healthier, which was less delicious, but needed. Then I learned how to make healthy food taste way better, learned my way around a spice rack and voila, I save mucho $$ cooking for myself which is key because I love to eat!! Learning to cook was huge.
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Re: The ability to cook is empowering
Years ago, I was just never home. Always on the go, always eating out.
After having my daughter, it was kind of a 50/50. I wasn't home a lot (working a reg 40hr/wk and dancing 3 nights) so frozen meals dominated my 'home cooked' list.
After having my son, we decided we were tired of being fat. I started buying healthier foods and making real meals, but we still got Domino's every Sunday.
Now we have moved to a tiny village and I'm pretty much a stay at home mom. There are small markets about 5 minutes away, but we do big shopping trips twice a month 40 minutes away. There is only 1 local pizza place that is open like 6 hours a day, 5 days, and expensive. I actually get sick when eating certain fast food. It is just easier to spend a day cooking and have leftovers.
I have started cooking more for a variety of reasons that just happen to align as I age. I think it is growing size of my family and lack of eat out options are what really drive it though. I was taught how to cook real, fresh, Italian meals while growing up. I'm constantly looking for new recipies online. Always asking people at gatherings for their recipies. Don't get me wrong, I'm not the greatest cook in the world. I literally burned pasta noodles the other night, but I had a slow cooked/seasoned tomato sauce (4 Hours) that made it worth taking 10 minutes to make a new batch of noddles.
My grocery bill has actually gone up though. It is weird. I did the math once, and we actually spent less eating out all the time. That may change as our kids get older though. It would be cheaper and quicker for me to get the 1lb bag of chicken nuggets (and I do for my lazy days) but fresh chicken nuggets taste better and aren't full of crap. I've trained my daughter to eat healthy, so she goes through tons of salad foods as snacks. It is fine in the summer when we grow and pick our own produce, but in the winter, we spend hundreds on peppers, tomatoes, and carrots. At this point my husband and I don't care though. We are trying to raise our kids to eat mostly healthy and be self sufficient. Something that most people our age (especially in our county) have no interest in. And while we have the money to afford it, we are going to do it.
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Re: The ability to cook is empowering
I hate, hate, HATE nonstick pans for their lack of versatility. I'd rather spend a little more time scrubbing a pan I can do two or three things, or even the whole meal, in than clean two or three single purpose pans. That's what makes me love cast iron and other oven safe pans. I can sear something on the stove top, then stick it directly into the oven to roast without dirtying another pan.
As Sophia pointed out: DISHWASHER! It is your best friend, and another reason I hate nonstick. You're not supposed to put any nonstick pans that aren't specifically labeled as dishwasher-safe in the dishwasher.
More points for cast iron, for those who might not know much about it: you really don't need to clean it most of the time and it's really better that you don't! As long as nothing was burnt on to it, all you really have to do is rinse it with hot water and towel dry it thoroughly. (Extra points if you stick it back on the burner at low-medium heat for about 15 minutes to make sure it's COMPLETELY dry.) If something sticks, gets burnt on, or it just happens to look like it needs a good wash to you, break out the scrubber (I like chain mail scrubbers; they're easy on my hands and the skillet, but manage to take off any mess in a minute or less without soap) when you wash, dry as usual, then thinly coat the whole pan with cooking oil of your choice.
That might sound like a lot of work, but it's really not at all. My family has used the same cast iron skillets for decades - the Lodge we have is about 50 years old and the other is even older - and they only need the scour about once a week at most, a full reseasoning maybe once a year.
Something I've realized as I've gotten older, particularly this Thanksgiving, is just how strong an impression cooking can make on your psyche. While we cooked and talked/reminisced together, my mother and I "sampled" the homemade mustard potato salad she just finished mixing. I told her that it was perfect, exactly the way a potato salad should be, and she told me for the first time that it was my grandmother's recipe. The reason it's a flavor I knew and measured all potato salad against my whole life is because it was one of my first semi-solid foods as a child.
After that, I couldn't help getting kinda nostalgic while thinking about the rest of the meal and what each of the foods meant to my family over the generations. The potato salad was my grandmother's recipe. The turkey was my grandfather's. The mashed red potatoes were my mother's. No matter how much the rest of the meal changed over generations, I knew from hearing as a child that peeling potatoes and shucking corn on the cob together was something that women did together every year as far back as my great-grandmother's mother.
Maybe I'm just overly sentimental but that really hit home to me, especially because this was the first Thanksgiving since I became an adult that my whole immediate family was together without trying to kill each other. I just can't help finding it funny that something that truthfully isn't anything more than a basic survival need can become something so intimately personal and powerful. I definitely need to come up with a recipe of my own to teach my children some day, along with passing on the family recipes I know!