I've learned a lot about establishing new habits from James Clear, so instead of thinking in terms of goals and resolutions this year, I'm focused on changes and habits, and especially on changing habits.
One change that I want to make this year is better eating habits - especially eating more produce and reducing my sugar consumption. However, I've noticed that I shy away from unfamiliar ingredients, or ingredients I've struggled with in the past even though they are supposed to be healthy.
A good example is quinoa. I've never really liked quinoa, whether I've had it at a restaurant or made it myself. But a lot of people do like it and it's healthy, and I've got a whole bag that I got for free at Ralphs sitting in my pantry. I've also got a bunch of beets from my CSA - I love eating them, but I've always been afraid to cook them. And, I just came across a recipe for Oven-Roasted Tofu, which is a way of eating tofu I'd never thought of.
That got me thinking: Each week, I can plan to make a new "healthy" dish that makes me uncomfortable - whether it's because of the ingredients and/or techniques, I will stretch my cooking abilities and knowledge, which is always a good thing, and my family and I can explore new foods. I know we may not like many of them (there's always cereal to fall back on!), but I'm confident we'll also discover some new favorites that will move out of the "uncomfortable" zone and into regular rotation.
If you have beloved recipes for alternate grains, please leave them in the comments! Just keep in mind that we are a nut-free and seed-free house due to allergies (the only exception is sesame, for some odd reason). I'll keep you updated in my weekly menu plans as to which recipes we are trying, and what we think of them.
Spoiler alert: Since the beets are perishable, they'll be the first new thing I try!
Image via FreeDigitalPhotos.net by KEKO64.
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