Hi everyone and please click on the title of this post to read more. First off, welcome new subscribers from Mothers and More and from the YMCA fitness day workshop from yesterday. It was a pleasure! Here is a question posed by a Mothers and more member:
From Mothers & More member Christy:
“Does anyone know of a good website, book, or even live
nutritionist who can provide some pragmatic and simple solutions
for getting proper nutrition when time is short, convenience is
crucial, and chicken nuggets and hotdogs are the most frequently
cooked items in my house? I am finding it harder and harder to
eat properly, and it’s starting to show in my waistline. But
with three kids under 5, and a husband who works long hours and
doesn’t cook, I am unlikely to make huge changes in my grocery
shopping and cooking habits.”
Dear Christy, you are not alone with these challenges and your only change will be shopping LESS frequently and cooking more efficiently. Girlfriend! (said in Oprah’s voice), you have come to the right place! Please scroll through past blog posts and take back your kitchen! We are all busy in this get-everything-done culture of ours but cooking food, in my opinion, is a priority since it allows us to STAY ALIVE!
One of the obstacles to cooking is clutter of the mind but also of the kitchen. If we keep our kitchens free of all the unnecessary tools and such that we don’t need hanging around, we’ll feel more “free” to cook and this can lead to more creativity and proficiency in the kitchen.
Mind you, I have a true tendency to clutter. I attach sentimental value to everything, and therefore have a very difficult time letting go. As an example, I am even cluttering my neck at the moment with not two but THREE necklaces that I wear at all times. Why? Because 3 people gave them to me as special gifts, they all have special meaning and they look good (you can see these necklaces in the video below, as well as a trick for blanching brocolli- blanching simply means boiling for a very short amount of time ). I can’t give these lovely necklaces up. If they were dragging me down, however, and I couldn’t stand up straight due to their weight, then I’d have a problem.
Does your clutter get in the way? If so, please give it a little thought and if you need some serious outside help, contact a great organizer, Claudia Lechtman or subscribe to her helpful newsletter at www.organizationmaven.com
For now, here is a different recipe for cold sesame noodles than the one I posted many months ago. Please check your pantry periodically so you don’t clutter your cabinets with the same Asian ingredients you already had but forgot about. My friend Barbara found this recipe and loves it. My husband prefers this one to mine-the nerve! Please let us know which one you prefer in the comments section of the blog. Remember, you can double or triple the sauce, freeze some of it and use it another time. We can buy ALL of these ingredients at an Asian Food store and most of them at Whole Foods. The sesame paste can be substituted with tahini paste. It is very tasty:
Takeout-Style Sesame Noodles
1 pound Chinese egg noodles (1/8,-inch-thick), frozen or (preferably) fresh, available in Asian markets
2 tablespoons sesame oil, plus a splash
3½ tablespoons soy sauce
2 tablespoons Chinese rice vinegar
2 tablespoons Chinese sesame paste
1 tablespoon smooth peanut butter
1 tablespoon sugar
1 tablespoon finely grated ginger
2 teaspoons minced garlic
2 teaspoons chili-garlic paste, or to taste
Half a cucumber, peeled, seeded, and cut into 1/8,-by- 1/8,-by-2-inch sticks
¼ cup chopped roasted peanuts.
1. Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add noodles and cook until barely tender, about 5 minutes; they should retain a hint of chewiness. Drain, rinse with cold water, drain again and toss with a splash of sesame oil.
2. In a medium bowl, whisk together the remaining 2 tablespoons sesame oil, the soy sauce, rice vinegar, sesame paste, peanut butter, sugar, ginger, garlic and chili-garlic paste.
3. Pour the sauce over the noodles and toss. Transfer to a serving bowl, and garnish with cucumber and peanuts. Serves 4.
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One Response
Yes! I just de-cluttered my little kitchen last night (mom!). I have a very small NYC apartment, and if I leave just one dish or pan out on the sink, I’m sunk (mom!). This morning upon awakening I was inspired to be healthy when I saw my clean counter and uncluttered surface area. I pulled out my juicer and made a healthy kale/carrot juice to start my day, then promptly washed, dried, and returned the juicer to its shelf – took about 15 minutes total – and even boiled eggs while juicing (mom!). Please do show more uncluttering tips – they are inspiring!