Stuck in a food rut? ME TOO. Here’s what I’m trying…
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Lately, I’ve just been feeling a bit stuck in a food rut. I’ve been eating a lot of the same meals over and over again, and I just need …
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Love your tips! I can recommend just doing small swaps, which can make a big difference like trying new seasonings, herbs or condiments. 🙂
I like your idea of revisiting old favorites. I also change the shapes like spiralizing or cutting cute shapes with cookie cutters. Also, I have started to chop my salads. It is so fun and so much easier to eat. Sometimes, I take a vegetable on sale and I look for many different recipes I can make with it. My cooking is simple with fresh ingredients and very colourful. It always needs some acidity, sweetness and crunch ! I am SOS free (or low).
Whenever I get in a rut, I watch cooking shows, even if they aren't making something plant based. Just the act of watching someone cook inspires me to try something new. I challenge myself to make it plant based, and gets me into the kitchen.
Love these ideas! The three things I always come back to when I'm in a food rut: pickling or fermenting (there are SO many flavour profiles to experiment with!), trying new sauces (this is always a game-changer… but do these in small batches and try several in different ways… on rice, potatoes, salads…), or cutting a veg or fruit in a new way (it's gives me a new way of looking at an old favourite and helps me to deepen my appreciation of that food).
I’m always on the look out for new inspiration. I got a very adventurous palate. All i do to “veganize” recipe is to omit the animal crap. Living in Indonesia with only 2 seasons: raining & dry, make my life so much easier. Being the cheapskate that i am, i’m never gonna buy those processed fake meat but i do like making my own fake fish. It may not be flaky like the real thing but the flavor & umami are there. When it is too hot to cook, i’ll just buy it. Here in Indonesia there are plenty of local dishes that do not inherently got animal crap in it, making it even more convenient. Let me know if anyone interested in that fake fish no recipe thingie. I don’t mind sharing
I was getting in a rut, so I am learning how to ferment. There are a lot of recipes out there. So far I’ve experimented with various types of cabbage, beets, radishes, and watermelon rind (yes there are recipes for that too, and who doesn’t eat watermelon in the summer? 🤗).
This video was perfect timing and useful! The heat is unreal right now. I'm eating toast topped with homemade hummus or avocado, fresh fruit, smoothie bowls, yogurt bowls, roasted veggies, fresh veggies. I have a countertop oven, which doesn't take as long to preheat as my regular oven, so it is great for summer!
Thank you for the ideas, I like roasted veggies. I am trying to cook with less oils but I haven't been successful with roasted Brussels sprouts.
I like to try new fruits and veggies to mix things up. Especially in the summer, Farmers markets or a CSA is a great way to get something new and then figure out how to prepare it! Usually the farmer has some ideas 😊
Hi Maddie 🤗 Great video 🥰 I get in a food rut too…Ugh! I will try to match things that I usually eat separately, together, like cucumbers and pineapple with a bit of lime juice and chili flakes…very refreshing. Also like you said to make salads and bowls more interesting to add different textures and I must have a crunchy element. My husband has a fatal nut allergy so to get crunch I resort to all sorts of weird things like TVP and crumbled cereal flakes and even dry, crumbled ramen noodles work too!LOL
Yes!! It was 105 here today and the last thing on my mind is cooking or eating for that matter 😂. So I do large batches that we can eat on all week. I’m glad I’m not the only who goes through food ruts.
Can I ask which cookbook you were flipping through in the beginning?
Such great suggestions. I wonder if a need for variety in food is hard-wired into us, so we get enough different sources of nutrition. I like the idea of cooking familiar foods differently, sounds very useful. One way I change up recipes is by looking at labels in the supermarket, sometimes they use different things than I do, especially different spices. Another way is to save some recipes for certain times of the year or occasions, so then that food feels like a treat. Another great topic, thank you!
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Yes. I’m thinking more raw salads for Sumner. I think it’s intuitive, eating for the seasons. I’ve been a food rut too.
What did you put on the tofu?
ahh i am the same way right now. i have just been making rice and fried up carrots and brussels sprouts lately.
One thing I like to do to get out of a rut is search online for high end restaurants that have vegan options, view the menu online, and then recreate them at home. Those dishes are usually really innovative and inspiring.
I used up some homemade ginger lemon shot in sparkling water. Spicier ginger ale.
One way I liven things up is to theme stuff — for example Taco night each week but you can't do the same type of tacos each week, change it up. Greek night allows for gyros and/or salads. I also try to make sure not to eat bowls every day, it's not just about different tastes and textures it's also about presentation and having the same appearance makes meals boring. Last is try changing one thing in a recipe – for example if you normally eat chickpea salad in a sandwich switch it to being in a tomato or bell pepper or have it with apples and grapes.
Funny how you came up with this video after I just spent 15 minutes staring into a completely full refrigerator with no clue what to eat.
Great discussion and great ideas….I forgot about sushi bowls….love roasted veg also. Great video!
While most people like their slow cooker in the cooler months, I use mine mainly in the warm months. Not gonna turn on my oven when it’s 99 outside with a heat index of 107! I made a big batch of green lentils yesterday and sautéed veggies. I still make a lot of smoothies for breakfast, but I’m mixing them up with a variety of in season veggies.
I think even a variety of sauces can help…but I struggle bc I really don't like tahini/sesame oil – and so many of the sauces include one or both…
Love your channel. ❤ from the Fraser Valley BC
Maddie how much is the meal prep course and about how long is it. Thank you
Ugh I'm with you on that one. Feels a chore to even think about making dinner at the moment. 😩 I'm also in a bit of a use it up challenge to draw down on all the food stored away which makes it so much more difficult. Although that can also make it more interesting to see how to use up all those weird ingredients that I bought ages ago and never used. Or the same old staples in a different way.
But these are some great tips – definitely need to have a look through all my cookbooks again. 😊
As always: nailed it . Thank you ❤
Great Ideas Maddie!
Yes! We are in a rut also.