8 Kitchen Commandments
In our last post we discovered the truth about your food: if your dinner comes in a box, through a drive in window or from the local restaurant chain, there's a good chance it's full of trans fats, high fructose corn syrup and wasted calories. It's much healthier to eat at home, but many of us are loathe to take the time to plan much less prepare wholesome meals because it just seems to damn hard!
At Pilates 1901, we are not just into helping you get stronger and longer from Pilates training but healthier in every aspect of your life. That's why we're focusing on the healthy, down to earth eating and cooking tips outlined in the book series EAT THIS, NOT THAT. This excerpt revels that when it comes to cooking great, healthy food, you don't need a whole lot. In fact, all you need is a few sturdy pots and pans and a handful of reliable kitchen staples. Sure, you can spend all the cash you want on outfitting your kitchen with the finest equipment and fancy ingredients, but meals don't cook themselves.
That's why they've outlined the following 8 kitchen commandments to keep the process simple and do-able. It's all about honest, simple food. These 8 simple rules will make your home-cooked meals delicious and healthy - what more could you ask for?
Season to tasteVery few of the recipes in Cook This, Not That have specific measurements for salt and pepper for a reason: Your mouth is more accurate than a measuring spoon. Taste and adjust as early and often as possible.
Recipes aren't immutable laws or edicts handed down from on high by the culinary gods. They're basic road maps, and sometimes the best part of the journey is getting lost and finding your way back.
Ingredients aren't set in stone. If you have a bag of unused mushrooms in the fridge but the recipe calls for eggplant, chances are the 'shrooms will do just fine. Don't want to spend $3 on a bunch of celery just to use a single rib? Omit it. You like pork chops more than chicken breast? Switch it. The point is, if you understand the basic techniques and have an idea of what tastes good together, the possibility for creation in the kitchen is infinite.
Shop like an Italian grandmaThey are brilliant cooks not just because it's in their blood, but because they believe it's their fundamental right to take home the best apple, the best wedge of cheese, and the best fillet of fish every time they step into the store. Inspect fruit and vegetables carefully, ask workers when certain cuts of meat came in, and ask if you can taste new cheeses and deli meats before buying
Join the farm teamSupermarket produce isn't so super compared with what's at a farmers' market, where the pickings are often organic and always fresh, seasonal, and local. (Go to ams.usda.gov/farmersmarkets/ map.htm for a state-by-state list of more than 5,700 farmers' markets.) Not only does eating food close to the source taste better, it's likely fresher, and since certain nutrient levels in produce tend to deplete over time, that means it's likely healthier, too.
In the golden age of the American supermarket, Chilean tomatoes and South African asparagus are an arm's length away when our soil is still blanketed in snow. Sure, sometimes you just need a tomato, but there are three persuasive reasons to shop in season: It's cheaper, it tastes better, and it's better for you (and the planet).
Treat yourself
Not just when it comes to calories (which is indeed important) but also with the quality of food you buy. Americans spend less of their income on food than any other country in the world, so adding a few dollars to your food budget in order to secure omega-3-rich grass-fed steaks or glistening wild Alaskan salmon fillets is money well spent.
Think about it; if it's something that will help you look, feel, and function better, isn't it worth it to spend a few extra bucks for the best?
At Pilates 1901 we believe everyone is capable of living their healthiest, most fulfilling life. That's why we give personal attention to each of our clients and support them through every goal, whether it's weight loss or rehab or simply gaining more flexibility for the golf course.
We have a busy Fall lined up for you, starting with the kick off of our LEANER STRONGER SOONER FAT LOSS PROGRAM. We want you to come and learn more about your metabolism and all the things we can do to to set a fire under it at our METABOLISM 101 Workshop, Saturday, Sept 18th at 1pm. The workshop is FREE but we'd love you to reserve your spot so we can plan the event!
To learn more about our programs please call 913 499 7510 or email tina@pilates1901.com today!
