You’ve probably heard the running joke about the woman who’s too busy pinning recipes to cook dinner for her family. That can totally be me! I admit I can get a little carried away when I’m on Pinterest. But if you’re anything like me, the endless ideas and options only lead to overwhelm.
I once spent about six total hours researching DIY wall-art projects to decorate a room, only to end up in the craft store with absolutely no plan on which thing(s) I wanted to make. So I ended up making up my own project with this weird sequin globe that took a million hours and ended up in the trash. Can you relate?
One thing I HAVE gotten good at is using my Pinterest recipes, and I am excited to give you a countdown to actually take those nourishing, figure-shaping recipes from screen to table. It’s as easy as 5-4-3-2-1!
LOOK FOR FIVE INGREDIENTS OR LESS: Yes, someday you may become ambitious enough to create hand-rolled fresh homemade pasta stuffed with sage-ricotta filling tossed with shaved caramelized butternut squash, alongside a salad with figs and marcona almonds and homemade balsamic glaze and hand-dropped sprouted buckwheat rolls. But this week? Well, this week you’ve barely got time to pick up the dry cleaning before it closes. Create a separate Pinterest board for 5-Ingredient Recipes, or follow ours.
PICK FOUR RECIPES TO TRY IN THE NEXT TWO WEEKS: If you try to overhaul your entire meal plan at once, the task may feel too tall an order to actually get around to. Whether you’re cooking the same old meals every night or grabbing take-out more often than not, select just two recipes for this week and two recipes for next.
MAKE THREE LISTS: Lists save our lives. I’m going to ask you to make three! Looking through your four recipes (each with less than five main ingredients), create 3 lists either on paper or your smartphone:
- One list for pantry staples you need to have on hand for these ingredients (like salt, cooking spray, etc.—that probably don’t factor into those 5 ingredients)
- Another list for the main ingredients you’ll need to replenish each time you shop. This is assuming you’ll keep using these four recipes in your bi-weekly rotation, which I strongly suggest you do. Why go through this process again each time??
- A list of other one-time items you may need from the store while you’re there. (Consider this as priming the habit for my full meal-planning tutorial to come!) You probably need some stamps or something don’t you? Save yourself another trip out.
PICK TWO NIGHTS TO COOK THIS WEEK: What nights aren’t already spoken for between mixers, kids’ sports, etc? Give yourself a fighting chance and pick your two least busy nights this week to cook.
DO ONE THING DURING DINNER—EAT! I’m not saying I never eat in front of the tv. Oh, but I do! Not every night though. Slowing down to simply eat and pay attention to the flavors of your food and the atmosphere in your home (whether flickering candles, your favorite music, or conversation with loved ones), will keep you from shoveling in seconds or paying attention to how your food makes you feel. Food should be enjoyed, especially since you worked so hard to make it.
I want to hear what recipes you make, so be sure to check back in after you try these out and tell us all about your new meals!
