Today I am thanking and praising God that I have a kitchen full of groceries, pots, pans, and things to cook on.
While, I love to cook, I realize that cooking is a chore for many people. But, the kitchen is an essential part for our homes and families. It is the place where we prepare food for our bodies. And our bodies are not only made in the image of God, but they are also a temple for the Living God who dwells inside you if you are a Christian.
Now, I have been known to have too many sodas, eat a lot of ice cream (I get this from my dad), indulge in chips and other junk foods. And all of those things are fine in moderation. But it is essential that we fill our bodies with things that nourish. We need to keep our bodies healthy so that we are able to serve the Lord to the best of our ability. This is something that the Lord is majorly convicting me of.
Do not overload your bodies on things that will make you sluggish and unhealthy. Instead fill up on things that will nourish and energize. Some healthy foods taste good too!
Here are a few healthy cooking tips and a couple recipes from my kitchen! Please comment and share yours too!
Cooking tips to make everyday meals a little healthier
-Use less salt! Salt can always be added at the very end for a splash of flavor, but try to cook without! Often when we use salt to cook, we go back and add salt as we eat too and that is an overload! Add it at the end.
-Ground turkey is a much leaner alternative to ground beef and it tastes good too! We just had turkey loaf the other day and it is definitely one of our new favorites!
-Fill your plate with a rainbow of colors. Try to make sure that you have a variety of colors on your plate. If your plate is colorful, chances are you have a much more balanced meal.
Colorful Ideas:
Red- Strawberries, red bell peppers
Orange- Oranges, sweet potatoes, carrots
Yellow- Squash, lemon, pineapple
Green- Spinach, romaine lettuce, green bell peppers, kale, celery
Blue- blueberries
Purple- Eggplant, blackberries
Brown- Whole grains, nuts
White- onions, cauliflower, garlic
A few recipes:
Turkey Loaf
1lb Ground Turkey
1/2 cup bread crumbs
1 egg
2 tsp minced garlic
1/4 cup chopped onions (optional)
3/4 cup ketchup (you can also use a tomato paste for a healthier option)
2 tsp Worcestershire sauce
Salt and pepper to taste
Combine all ingredients. Put into a loaf pan (or I usually mold it into a loaf shape and put it on a cookie sheet) and bake at 350 for 50-55 minutes. (if you do the cookie sheet method, it only needs to bake for 40-45 min).
Mashed Cauliflower
1 head of cauliflower
1/2 cup milk
2 tbsp butter
1 tsp garlic salt
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
2 tbsp fresh chives (optional)
salt and pepper (to taste)
Boil the cauliflower 7 to 10 minutes or until it is tender and almost falling apart. Drain.Combine the rest of the ingredients with the cauliflower and use a mixer to whip it into a smooth and creamy texture.
Santa Fe Chicken
4 chicken breasts
14.4 oz can diced tomatoes with mild green chilies
15 oz can black beans
8 oz frozen corn
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
14.4 oz can fat free chicken broth
3 scallions, chopped
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp onion powder
1 tsp cumin
1 tsp cayenne pepper (to taste)
Salt to taste
Combine chicken broth, beans, corn, tomatoes, cilantro, scallions, and spices in the crock pot. Season the chicken breast with salt (or skip this step if you are trying to cook with less salt) and lay on top.Cook on low for 10 hours or on high for 6 hours. Before serving, shred the chicken and stir back into the rest of the pot.
Serve over rice or tortillas and your favorite toppings.
Note, You can put this in a 9x12 baking pan. Cook at 350 for 50-55 min. or until the chicken is done. If you do this, it is better to not shred the chicken. Eat it whole.
Enjoy! Share your tips and recipes!
Love,
Carly
While, I love to cook, I realize that cooking is a chore for many people. But, the kitchen is an essential part for our homes and families. It is the place where we prepare food for our bodies. And our bodies are not only made in the image of God, but they are also a temple for the Living God who dwells inside you if you are a Christian.
Now, I have been known to have too many sodas, eat a lot of ice cream (I get this from my dad), indulge in chips and other junk foods. And all of those things are fine in moderation. But it is essential that we fill our bodies with things that nourish. We need to keep our bodies healthy so that we are able to serve the Lord to the best of our ability. This is something that the Lord is majorly convicting me of.
Do not overload your bodies on things that will make you sluggish and unhealthy. Instead fill up on things that will nourish and energize. Some healthy foods taste good too!
Here are a few healthy cooking tips and a couple recipes from my kitchen! Please comment and share yours too!
Cooking tips to make everyday meals a little healthier
-Use less salt! Salt can always be added at the very end for a splash of flavor, but try to cook without! Often when we use salt to cook, we go back and add salt as we eat too and that is an overload! Add it at the end.
-Ground turkey is a much leaner alternative to ground beef and it tastes good too! We just had turkey loaf the other day and it is definitely one of our new favorites!
-Fill your plate with a rainbow of colors. Try to make sure that you have a variety of colors on your plate. If your plate is colorful, chances are you have a much more balanced meal.
Colorful Ideas:
Red- Strawberries, red bell peppers
Orange- Oranges, sweet potatoes, carrots
Yellow- Squash, lemon, pineapple
Green- Spinach, romaine lettuce, green bell peppers, kale, celery
Blue- blueberries
Purple- Eggplant, blackberries
Brown- Whole grains, nuts
White- onions, cauliflower, garlic
A few recipes:
Turkey Loaf
1lb Ground Turkey
1/2 cup bread crumbs
1 egg
2 tsp minced garlic
1/4 cup chopped onions (optional)
3/4 cup ketchup (you can also use a tomato paste for a healthier option)
2 tsp Worcestershire sauce
Salt and pepper to taste
Combine all ingredients. Put into a loaf pan (or I usually mold it into a loaf shape and put it on a cookie sheet) and bake at 350 for 50-55 minutes. (if you do the cookie sheet method, it only needs to bake for 40-45 min).
Mashed Cauliflower
1 head of cauliflower
1/2 cup milk
2 tbsp butter
1 tsp garlic salt
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
2 tbsp fresh chives (optional)
salt and pepper (to taste)
Boil the cauliflower 7 to 10 minutes or until it is tender and almost falling apart. Drain.Combine the rest of the ingredients with the cauliflower and use a mixer to whip it into a smooth and creamy texture.
Santa Fe Chicken
4 chicken breasts
14.4 oz can diced tomatoes with mild green chilies
15 oz can black beans
8 oz frozen corn
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
14.4 oz can fat free chicken broth
3 scallions, chopped
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp onion powder
1 tsp cumin
1 tsp cayenne pepper (to taste)
Salt to taste
Combine chicken broth, beans, corn, tomatoes, cilantro, scallions, and spices in the crock pot. Season the chicken breast with salt (or skip this step if you are trying to cook with less salt) and lay on top.Cook on low for 10 hours or on high for 6 hours. Before serving, shred the chicken and stir back into the rest of the pot.
Serve over rice or tortillas and your favorite toppings.
Note, You can put this in a 9x12 baking pan. Cook at 350 for 50-55 min. or until the chicken is done. If you do this, it is better to not shred the chicken. Eat it whole.
Enjoy! Share your tips and recipes!
Love,
Carly
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