I tried my hand at healthy cooking today. What an ordeal! I think I aged two years which definitely defeats the purpose of eating healthy.
I’ve been studying the whole foods method of cooking for some time. I have talked to people who eat this way and researched on the internet. Finally, I made a few purchases from a food co-op and decided to jump in with both feet!
This morning I started out making baked oatmeal with organic raisins and topped with organic applesauce. The kids loved it! They thought it was especially good with the not- so-healthy leftover cinnamon rolls I made yesterday. Total prep time, 1 hour and 3 minutes.
For lunch I made pizza from scratch. Now this wasn’t too difficult because I had frozen a homemade pizza crust a while back. Total prep time, 30 minutes.
Finally it was nearing dinner time. My plans were to serve meatloaf, potato wedges and broccoli. I had purchased five pounds of Oatburger, which consists of oats, soy grits, sesame seeds and various other nutrient packed items. All I had to do was boil four cups of water and then add four cups of the mixture, wait for it to cool and form into a loaf.
Four cups didn’t sound like much for our hungry family so I decided to double it. What I didn’t know is that Oatburger grows. I ended up with two gallons of the oddest smelling “meat.”
While waiting for it to cool, I peeled potatoes and cut them into strips. Then I took my new jar of tahini, which is sesame seed paste, and started dipping the potatoes and laying them on a pan to bake. Hubby came home from work, slightly earlier then expected, and spotted the cooling Oatburger. I had hoped to have it in the oven before he got his first impression of it.
“So, this is already seasoned,” he commented.
“No,” I replied, “I have to season it myself.”
“Then what are those green flakes?” he asked.
I peered cautiously into the pan and quietly said, “Um, that’s probably the kelp.”
Hubby gave me a dubious look and reached into the cabinet for a glass. It promptly fell onto the counter and shards flew everywhere! I was pretty sure he was aiming for the Oatburger, but he managed to hit the potatoes instead. I felt slightly frustrated. No, I was miffed! I had already spent a half hour on the potatoes.
By the time we got the glass cleaned up, the Oatburger was cool. I put together a “meat” loaf and stuck it in the oven. About that time the phone rang. It was my health food mentor. When I told her I had an Oatburger loaf in the oven she asked if I had mixed it with ground beef. That hadn’t occurred to me. She laughed and said, “Well, you are a brave woman! I’ve never cooked it by itself!”
She suggested that we have a back up plan in case the meatloaf wasn’t to our liking. So, I pulled out a skillet and my Better Homes and Gardens cookbook and made Sloppy Joes from scratch.
I wasn’t sure how to tell if the “meat” loaf was finished as it doesn’t change colors or swim in fat. Finally, I just served the Sloppy Joes with a side of potatoes (the few I salvaged) and broccoli. My youngest opted for a sandwich made with all natural peanut butter and giant globs of jelly. We have a ways to go on this health food thing.
Halfway through the meal I pulled out the meatloaf and everyone sampled it. Hubby declared it “not too bad.” My son wanted seconds and then thirds, but that doesn’t really count because he will eat anything.
I tentatively took a bite and was pleasantly surprised. It had a nutty flavor, but mixed with ground beef it wouldn’t be noticeable. The mushy consistency was a little repulsive though, so I didn’t eat much.
Altogether I spent four hours and twenty-three minutes preparing one day’s worth of meals. I was exhausted, frustrated and feeling anything but healthy. Now I have to figure out what to do with the other gallon of Oatburger. And if anyone has good recipes or ideas for how to use five pounds of Bulgur Wheat, please, email me!
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