Guest Post: How to Enjoy Cooking

This post comes from Sarah, a guest blogger who lives in Melbourne,  Australia.  

The dreaded weeknight dinner, the bane of so many busy working folks’ lives; work can quickly take over our lives, taking the bulk of our time and not providing a whole lot of joy. Perhaps you go to the gym after work to make up for the lack of movement throughout the day at your desk job, by the time you get home, you’re hungry and the idea of takeout seems pretty darn good. Or perhaps you just work long hours and you’re struggling to put together a nutritious meal at the end of each day.

With this mentality it’s easy to understand how our country could fall into such a dire weight epidemic and one that is struggling to change. To combat this trend, I propose a new way of thinking. A revolution in cooking you may say: an enjoyment of cooking.

While it may seem kind of obvious, or unlikely to those who hate it, simply taking pleasure in cooking may be the answer to fixing your diet and organising your nightly dinners so they don’t become a burden at the end of the day. Perhaps taking a cooking class (for example, in Melbourne at theTrupp Cooking School, or in Kitchener at the Kitchener Market) will improve your skills and get you inspired.  Or maybe you just need a few recipe ideas to get you inspired? Whatever it is that you need, changing your attitude towards cooking is key to making nutritious food that you want and enjoy eating.

When I was in college, I was feeling the pressure of constant assignments, with the addition of a working every weekend and 2 nights a week to pay my way. The study was killing my enthusiasm, I wanted to do well but sitting there staring at my work wasn’t helping. I decided to start giving myself breaks, and one of the best ways to do it was to make snacks. Now I didn’t put on the freshman 15, I started making oat cookies and nut bars to share with my housemates. It would be roughly 20 minutes prep then around 20 minutes cooking time. That was 20 minutes of a study break where I released by frustration and energy into the batter, returning to my work ready to start. The next part of my study was accompanied by my ready cookies and muffins. My attitude towards something that may have been a chore, evolved into a therapeutic exercise that can be adapted to any lifestyle.

To get you started, I have a quick and easy weeknight recipe with readily available ingredients to inspire you.

Oven Baked Fish with Green Beans and Baked Potatoes.

• 2 kipfler potatoes
• 1 handfull of green beans
• 1 rainbow trout, large snapper tail or salmon

Preheat the oven to 180. Boil a pot of water and let the kipfler potatoes cook until just soft. Place the potatoes in the oven for 10 minutes. Meanwhile, put the fish on a largish piece of foil and top with thin slices of lemon, sprinkle with salt, pepper and parsley, then spread over olive oil. Seal and place on a tray in the oven for around 10-15 minutes.

While they are in the oven, bring the potato water back to boil and add your green beans, let them simmer for 5 minutes.

Take the fish and potatoes out of the oven, and remove the green beans from the pot. Serve straight away!