Why? Because I just might cook for you (lucky you :)!).
Recently I have developed an obsession with cooking, and that means a lot coming from me. Now I know what you're probably thinking: Aren't dietitians supposed to be born with an innate love for cooking? Well if so, then this dietitian is the exception. I love, love, LOVE nothing more than dining out at a restaurant. I don't care whether it's casual or fancy; I simply relish the experience of going out, perusing a menu, and being served a delicious meal...all without doing ANY work (did I mention that I'm also kind of lazy?). But cooking for yourself can be a rewarding experience in more ways than one. Not only does it feel great to sit down and enjoy your own creation, but it can also be good for your health (assuming you choose healthy recipes!). What's more is that a little know-how in the kitchen can help you learn how to spot healthier options when dining out. There's no reason not to give it a whirl!
If this lazy girl can become a self-proclaimed top-notch chef, then anyone, and I mean ANYONE, can too. All it takes is a little motivation, a few skills, and the right tools. So let's break it down:
Motivation
After several years of counseling patients and many more of analyzing myself, I have learned that motivation is not something that can be taught. We are all unique individuals with different life stories -- different wants, needs, experiences, etc. -- that have brought us to where we are today and will take us to where we are going tomorrow. Unfortunately I cannot tell you what will motivate you to get your behind in the kitchen, because only YOU have the answer to that. What I can do is help brainstorm some ideas that will hopefully get you thinking and also give you some tips for figuring it out for yourself.
Determining your motivators takes introspection. Think about what is important to you. It could be anything -- maybe you want to fit into your old jeans, or maybe you are tired of feeling like you have no control after over-indulging at your favorite restaurant, or maybe you want to do everything you can to prevent a chronic disease like diabetes or cancer. Whatever it is, mull over it, discover it, and use it. A trick I like to use is something I learned from my 9th grade English teacher (thanks, Mrs. Giles!) -- a "Why Sheet." Start with a goal, in this instance, "I want to cook," and write it down. Then ask yourself, "Why is this important to me?" Draw an arrow from the statement and write down your response. Then to this response, ask yourself, "Why is this important to me?" Draw an arrow from your first response and write down your next response, and so on and so forth until you feel that you have really achieved some good self-discovery.
Now another trick of the trade is to not just focus on your motivators but also to identify and break through your barriers -- that is, figure out what is holding you back from your goals (in this instance, cooking), and develop a strategy for tackling barriers head on. For example, if time is a barrier for you, write out your weekly schedule and look for holes where you can fit in time to cook or, in the alternative, look for ways to rearrange your time to create those holes to fit it in.
Skills
Next to time, lack of skills tends to be the biggest barrier to cooking. But cooking doesn't have to be anything fancy. Start out slow and work your way up.
A great place to start is a cooking class. Various businesses such as Sur la Table and Central Market offer a full array of cooking classes from beginners to specialty (for cooking classes in your area, I suggest googling "cooking classes" and the name of your city). You may also find cooking classes at any local college or university. Students may have the option to take a cooking course as part of their curriculum or even as an extracurricular course, and some colleges and universities offer cooking classes as continuing education courses to their alumni as well as the general public. Personally, I got my start in college...several of my friends raved about the gourmet cooking class offered by the university's nutrition department and what began as an excuse to take a fun class with my friends turned into one of the most useful courses I have ever taken (and this is coming from a philosophy major...nutrition is actually my third degree!).
If you aren't ready to commit to a cooking class, try a beginners' cookbook like The "I Don't Know How to Cook" Book: 300 Great Recipes You Can't Mess Up by Mary Lane Kamberg. Google is also great for learning how to cook...if you don't know how to do something, just google it! You can find plenty of instructional resources, including YouTube videos, that can really help. There are also numerous cooking shows that can help you gain the confidence you need.
Tools
Having a few key tools is essential to your success. At my very first cooking class in college, we were told that if you have nothing else, the one tool you need is a good chef's knife. This is SO TRUE! You can and will use it for most everything.
Right out of college I took half of this advice and bought a chef's knife, but I bought a cheap one from the grocery store. BIGGEST MISTAKE EVER! I thought I was doing myself a favor buying a not-so-sharp knife because I'm a clutz and sharp knives scare me. The truth of the matter is that dull knives can be more dangerous -- you end up trying to saw through some tough food, making it much easier to slip and cut yourself. My recommendation is to invest in a good knife, but take a knife skills class and always be careful.
For college students just starting to experiment with cooking, I suggest the following basics:
Saute pan Sauce pan Baking sheet Cutting board
Spatula Strainer Mixing bowls Tupperware
Bonus tools that I consider to be must-haves include the following:
Skillet Roasting rack Peeler Grater
Whisk Tongs Wooden spoon Stockpot
Meat thermometer George Foreman grill Slow cooker
This should be enough to get you started. I want to acknowledge that this post is entirely too long, and I only hope you made it through to the end. I wish you well in your cooking adventures and hope that, like me, you are able to find you inner (awesome) chef! In the meantime, if you're nice to me, maybe I'll cook for you...or just stop by any of our amazing SMU dining locations and sample what our award-winning chefs have cooked up! Bon appetit!
