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Post by cherryt38 on Jan 2, 2017 5:44:26 GMT
This 7 in 7 challenge begins December 1st and ends January 18th. Everyone welcome.
Challengers this round:
Bmazzo/Beverly – To enter into the Christmas Holiday & the New Year without caving in, to take things one day at a time as they come.
btygarl/Betty - Focus on increasing activity level
Cassandra18/Lynn - Stay the course over the holidays
cathygeha / Cathy - one day at a time
Cherryt38 - Cherry – Concentrate on exercise
Cindybdb/Cindy - Lose 5 pounds
Jalibmu/Jan – Get back to goal by tracking and being more intentional
jasimons/Judy – at least half of daily liquid as plain water. Spend at least 5 minutes at the end of the day to reflect.
Kem1958/Karen - Lose 7 lbs; checkin in each day; 10,000 steps 5 days a week
Marie/Mariel - drink 6 glasses of water a day/track daily/over 5,000 steps per day
pamt/Pam - continue stringing my OPOP days together by tracking, meeting Fitbit challenge and staying hydrated
Hostesses:
December 1 - December 7 Pam
December 8 - December 14 Betty
December 15 - December 21 Cindy
December 22 - December 28 Jan
December 29 - January 4 Cherry
January 5 - January 11 Judy
January 12 - January 18 Cathy
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Post by cherryt38 on Jan 2, 2017 6:02:21 GMT
Huge thanks to Jules Clancy of Stonesoup for this week’s article introducing the concept of mindful cooking. Jules LOVES real food and hanging out in her kitchen. She has a degree in Food Science and is the author of ‘5-Ingredients 10-Minutes’.
What is Mindful Cooking?
Essentially it’s enjoying the time you spend in the kitchen rather than rushing in and out. It’s choosing to see the act of cooking as something positive and life affirming rather than another chore to tick off your to do list.
6 Benefits of Mindful Cooking
1. You’re more likely to eat real, home made food.
You’re probably already all over the concept that the secret to getting healthy and reaching your best weight is to cook for yourself. What’s the best way to ensure your cooking habit sticks? Just as making exercise something you enjoy is the key to being more active, finding a way to love your time in the kitchen is the key to eating well.
2. It can be relaxing.
One of my favorite parts about cooking is the opportunity to lose myself in the rituals of chopping, stirring and tasting. Most days it feels like a little meditation, without me having to struggle with sitting still. Spending 30 minutes in the kitchen preparing dinner will put me in a much calmer, less frazzled mood than sitting on the couch for the same amount of time.
We've all heard of mindful eating, so let's explore mindful cooking. We'll start with the first two.
Do you enjoy cooking and your time in the kitchen?
Do you find the preparation of meals relaxing?
What is your favorite kitchen gadget for preparing meals?
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Post by cathygeha on Jan 2, 2017 6:40:48 GMT
Do you enjoy cooking and your time in the kitchen?
Sometimes...finding I enjoy it more when I cook with or for someone else - daughter visiting has shown me this past week or so.
Do you find the preparation of meals relaxing?
It can be
What is your favorite kitchen gadget for preparing meals?
Tough one...
electric: maybe the wand thingy that purees soup or the food processor
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Post by kem1956 on Jan 2, 2017 14:23:04 GMT
Do you enjoy cooking and your time in the kitchen? Yes I really do if I have a plan for what I am cooking each day. I am really working on meal planning for the week so I know what I am preparing and I have the ingredients.
Do you find the preparation of meals relaxing?If I get an early enough start so I don't feel rushed to have food on the table at a set time. I try to plan out my time for cooking so I am prepared if something takes longer that it should have.
What is your favorite kitchen gadget for preparing meals?
I love my miniature food chopped for chopping onions, peppers, pecans whatever. I use it alot. Keeps me from getting the big food processor out. Of course number one is my crock pot. I have not gotten one of those Instant Pot pressure cookers. Do any of you use them?
Karen
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Post by cherryt38 on Jan 2, 2017 15:02:29 GMT
Most of the time I do enjoy preparing and cooking food. I like trying new recipes. I say most of the time because there are times I don't feel like cooking so then I fall back on what I call my default meals. They consist of plainly cooked chicken strips, fish, or pork chop, a frozen veggie, and a nuked potato or sweet potato. Simple, fast, and easy.
One of my favorite gadgets is the Chop Wizard for chopping veggies and fruits. I also like my garlic press.
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Post by cassandra18 on Jan 2, 2017 15:11:01 GMT
I find that prepping and cooking relaxes me. I like to make healthy meals for my family.
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Post by jasimons on Jan 2, 2017 16:50:13 GMT
Generally, yes, I really enjoy cooking and planning meals, etc.
It can be relaxing, but it depends how much else is needing to be done. That is the same for other kinds of tasks as well.
I recently got a full size food processor, which I had not had before. Since I cook for the freezer, quite a few items at a time, it's useful (shredding 2# of cheese, 7 cups onions, chopping mushrooms, shredding carrots, etc). If cooking one recipe, it wouldn't be worth the cleaning time to use it. I like the immersion blender for soup.
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Post by pamthomas46 on Jan 2, 2017 17:47:22 GMT
Do you enjoy cooking and your time in the kitchen?
I love my kitchen and cooking.
Do you find the preparation of meals relaxing?
I find once I begin it is relaxing.
What is your favorite kitchen gadget for preparing meals?
I love my slow cooker that has a removable pan that allows me to brown meat on the stove.
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Post by jan on Jan 2, 2017 19:11:59 GMT
Hello everyone.
Do you enjoy cooking and your time in the kitchen? I do enjoy cooking. I find it relaxing for the most part. I don't have much prep/counter space in my kitchen so that can be frustrating when there is a lot of prep work to do.
What is your favorite kitchen gadget for preparing meals? I just got a oval crock pot with a removable crock. I have been using a crock pot that I got back in college.
Haven't used the new one yet, but looking forward to it. I also have a blender/food processor combo that I use quite often.
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Post by Holly Gail on Jan 3, 2017 3:38:35 GMT
Do you enjoy cooking and your time in the kitchen?
I enjoy cooking most of the time. As for time in the kitchen, I don’t actually notice it…
Do you find the preparation of meals relaxing?
Not particularly, but not stressful at all either.
What is your favorite kitchen gadget for preparing meals?
Difficult… I love my blender, but I also love the crock pot. The microwave, however, may very well top the list for me…
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Post by bmazzo on Jan 3, 2017 3:52:07 GMT
I really do enjoy cooking meals for myself & DH.
I do find cooking relaxing, I do some cooking for church events, I enjoy that also.
My favorite kitchen gadget is my crock pot. I also have a digital pressure cooker that I haven't got a chance to use yet this fall. I am planning on getting it out & start using it again next week.
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