I didn't know you did WW. Have you checked out their new system? It's supposed to be more man-friendly.

Thanks everyone for the replies. I'm getting lots of ideas! I'm off to roast some veggies now (this is one of the things I do that always tastes the same, but it's easy, and then you have veggies to munch on).

Okay, question for the cooks: you know how when you roast veggies, they can come out charred on one side and raw on the other? How do you avoid that?

Usually I put chicken pieces on top and that helps the veggies cook through, but I'm at a loss when it's nothing but veggies. I don't want to use too much oil, since I want to lose weight.

I don't cook ALL my meals from scratch- obviously there are lazy nights where I throw some pasta and sauce together or heat up a frozen meal of some kind because I am tired or being lazy. However, I cook A LOT of my meals from scratch- I just prefer homecooked meals- I think I am pretty good cook and I really LOVE to cook, I wanted to go to culinary school. I sometimes follow recipes but I prefer to just come up with my own recipes or watch a cooking show for inspiration and then alter the recipe to how I think it would be better. I try not to grocery shop more than once a week- I make a list of the meals I want throughout the week and all the ingredients I need for them before I go shopping. Since I am cooking for only one- each meal usually lasts more than a day- I do get sick of the same thing after 2 days though, so I usually don't eat something longer than that. I like to use my crockpot a lot too- you can do a little prep in the AM and come home to a hot meal in the evening.

I cook probably 95% or more of our meals from scratch but we do go out or throw in a pizza sometimes. I like to make new recipes and recently found one for Cheeseburger Chowder that is sooooo good! I use my crockpot quite a bit and the grill (year round) too.

I like making recipes that I can morph into something else as well. I made a pork loin for dinner one night. The next night I diced some up for pork fried rice and the next night I made pork sloppy Joe's! It stops me from eating the same meal for a week straight ;)

I do the same with a grocery store roasted chicken. The first meal is already cooked for me as well ;)

Chicken Chili is great to make, and it freezes well and is low fat too. You can buy storebought tomato sauce (just watch and get no salt added). Or make your own tomatoe sauce ...yums.
We will have that for superbowl Sunday dinner with a dessert too. I'm making again that pineapple delight recipe, even though it is a rich but light dessert, I just will take a very small square of it.

Tonight it's salmon in oven with a quinoa salad. Leftover salmon I will serve at lunch with mango wedges, blueberries, and a few shrimp, drizzled with a touch of tarragon white wine vinegar and olive oil, on a bed of mixed lettuces. Or you could use a nice balsamic vinegar.

I think some of the best cooking mixes up textures, like crisp and soft, as well as taste, tart n sweet, savoury n hot, etc.

Start with the things you make that 'taste the same' lol. Go online or wherever and add recipes to that to make a week long menu. From that make a list of what you need to purchase. This cuts your shopping to once per week. Expand your repertoire by adding something in new each week. If it works add it to your list, if it doesn't don't. You'll eventually have a master list of recipes that work for you. From that list you'll make your weekly menu list and from that menu list you'll make your weekly shopping list. It's a rhythm that you'll get into. Buy larger packages of meats cheaper and then repackage them in smaller meal size portions in freezer bags. I also use alot of the steam fresh vegetables. A real quick and delicious way to fix a small pork loin (the ones that come 2 per pack) take one roll it in olive oil, balsamic vinegar, thyme, salt and pepper, bake at 500 for 20 min. that's it. Some steamed veggies on the side. In the time it takes the meat to rest, you're eating in less than 30min. I think I got that from Rachel Ray years ago when she first started out. Alot of your cooking skills will come with time and age, don't get in a hurry, it will come.....

This is a tad off truly diet conscious; in so far as reducing the fat in your diet. But I always have my butcher grind my beef from a roast I select. Be it blade, or chuck. It does make a huge difference in the taste of the ground. I learnt that when I went to Crete on our honeymoon. I walked into a butcher's shop, had no clue how to speak Greek, but they had pics up over the counter; so with sign language lots of pointing I got it across I want a lb of ground beef. Then the butcher showed me three different roasts, and I was to select which one I wanted ground. I did, and I got to tell you that meat was so tender and juicy, we shopped there for the rest of our stay. It looked to me like a chuck roast we ground.

I do pay more pennies per pound for my meat, but the quality and taste is worth it, when you find a good butcher. Plus, I get shown the premium cuts, whenever I walk in to my butcher, and get phone calls when they have something unusual coming in. If I want beef ribs and they don't have them out, I just ask, and voila the butcher goes back and carves up some ribs for me.

Thank Goodness everyone here loves to eat, including all our animals, not a fussy eater in the bunch.

I took a nutrition class many years ago. (you won't be able to tell by looking at me ;) :p) One of the things the registered dietitian said was to look for cuts that had the name "round" in them. They are usually the cuts that have less fat.

My pork loin method is start it in a 500 to 550 for 5 minutes ONLY

turn the oven OFF and DO NOT OPEN (or even peek) for 1 hour. After 1 hour pork loin is done to perfection! :thumbup:

Heck, with a store roasted chicken you can make lots of meals. I always use one for my chicken enchiladas. Then I make chicken salad or chicken fried rice or chicken pasta stir fry...Lots to do with one Bird...

what's chicken fried rice?

I teach food production .. so I am a fairly good cook. I cook almost all my home meals from scratch.. but a lot of them are very simple. My dh has IBS and hates most spicy food and is really a pain :)

I would be glad to share recipes.. if any one is interested. Most of my recipes have been simplifyied (remember I teach middle school)

I usually plan for leftovers -- make wonderful bean soups -- pasta salads.
Planovers means I don't have to cook everynight!

I buy evo and dick van pattens nb for the pups -- add salmon oil and olive oil and use the acv to water. s

I'm looking for a good fish casserole recipe....

Oh, I thought I would share one tip I find super-helpful: you can freeze most herbs! Rosemary, thyme, oregano, even dill. The only one that really hasn't frozen well for me was basil.