Irish playright, George Bernard Shaw (1856-1950), once said, "There is no love sincerest than the love of food." Okay, a bit exaggerated, but let's face it, eating is one of the enjoyable pleasures God has given us in this life. The wise man Solomon said, "People should eat and drink and enjoy the fruits of their labor, for these are gifts from God (Ecc.3:13)."
I have always enjoyed eating. When I was young, I could eat like a horse and never put on weight. At 50 years of age, it's a different story. I have to be more selective in what I eat and how much I eat. That's if I want to keep my weight at a level where I can feel good about myself and have adequate energy for each day.
Over the last few years I have started cooking some meals myself. I started slow but this year I have really picked up the pace, especially after a good friend gave me a Jamie Oliver cookbook for my 50th birthday. I now cook a few times a week for our family. I love it! It's fun to get the apron on, clear everyone out of the kitchen (except my beautiful daughter, Natasha, who loves to cook with me and is a joy to work with) and get cooking a delicious and nutritious meal for everyone.
Here are some of my favourite recipes (click on the link for the recipe):
1. Thai Chicken Green Curry (picture above). My family would have this every night if they had their way. It's that good. The inclusion of the eggplant and the baby corn really makes the dish, as does the kaffir lime leaves (we planted a tree in our garden just so that we would have the real deal).
2. Marinated Salmon. I made this dish for the first time earlier this week and it is already a new favourite for our family. Delicious! Add some steamed bok choy and broccolini.
3. You can't go past a Jamie Oliver recipe for roast chicken. Add in some roast veggies – we love carrots, potatoes and parsnip.
4. One of my favourite steaks is a Scotch fillet. The key is to turn it only once and then to rest the steaks for 2-4 minutes before serving (loosely covered with foil). I love to eat this steak with sauteed mushrooms and some grilled asparagus on the side.
5. Finally, try this delicious spaghetti marinara recipe. I buy fresh marinara from the local fishmonger.
If I can cook and delight everyone with these dishes, you can do. Bon appetit!
Part 2 …