Welcome to Day 53 of the Wellbeing 9-a-Day blog! Over the next couple of days, I will be sharing some lessons I have learned over the years about Nourishing, the first habit contained within Your Relationships in The Wellbeing 9-a-Day Journal. In today’s blog, I write about how learning to enjoy cooking can help to improve your nutritional intake.
Learning How to Cook
When I was 17, I got a job working as a kitchen assist in the away end of St James’ Park. Every other week, I would arrive four hours before kick off and spend the rest of the afternoon frying burgers and chips. Before long, I was promoted to cook and soon mastered the art of flipping beef and dropping French fries.
For a brief time at university, I worked as a kitchen assistant in a pub, where I was a glorified dish washer who occasionally prepped a salad.
Though I had worked in kitchens, I’d never had any real interest in cooking.
My tastes were not adventurous in the least and my repertoire of dishes hadn’t moved much beyond the burgers and chips I had cooked at St James’ Park.
Thankfully, my tastes have expanded over the years, thanks in large part to my Filipina girlfriend and her love of tasty and healthy food. As my diet has grown, so too has the number of dishes I have learned to cook, and I have learned to enjoy cooking.
Can Cook, Will Cook
I am lucky in that I have always been good at following instructions. One of my favourite ways to spend my spare time is with a Lego set, and I have assembled countless sets of IKEA furniture in my life.
Since the pandemic, I have tried Hello Fresh and Gousto, which has made me make many dishes I would have never considered trying.
It is amazing what you can do just by following instructions. For a long time, I took this skill for granted, but being able to follow instructions is a great asset when learning how to cook.
My girlfriend’s recipe book has a quote on it...
“In cooking, you have to be able to master something good, before you can make something great.”
By following recipes from infinitely better chefs, I have mastered a few good dishes that help me get my daily portions of Nature’s Candy.
Yesterday, I had the pleasure of learning to cook a mushroom risotto with Tommaso, a long time friend and supporter of Live Well with Cancer. You may recognise him from the series of healthy cooking videos he made for the charity - I will link one at the end if you'd like to learn from him like I did yesterday.
As I continue to cook, I have learned to enjoy the process, and the result is getting a healthy plate of food that I enjoy.
I have come a long way from the young man who could just about make fajitas, and the great thing is there is so much further that I can go.
Call to Action!
Cook yourself something healthy and delicious today. Whether learning how to prepare a new dish or making an old favourite, consciously making yourself a nice meal is a great way to hit your Nourishing goal. If you need inspiration, check out Tommaso’s videos on the Live Well with Cancer YouTube channel.
This blog was written as part of a 90-day blog writing fundraiser for Live Well with Cancer, a volunteer-led charity serving North Tyneside and the surrounding areas. If you enjoyed this blog, please show your appreciation by donating to my JustGiving page. Every penny raised from donations or sales of the journal will help deliver workshops, events and support groups that empower better health and wellbeing for those affected by cancer, including family, friends, carers, and healthcare workers.
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