A Kitchen’s Secret To Living Well

A healthy life in any household starts with the kitchen, thanks to Kitchen Secrets!

Picky Eaters’ Secrets

PICKY EATERS! Very few people share identical tastes in… well, anything. Food can turn into a point of contention, especially as we age; whether it’s how we prefer our meat prepared, the choice to eat meat or outright avoid it, the debate over seafood versus unappealing fish, allergies, or the sugar controversy.

Often, the person cooking in the house tends to create dishes that cater to their own preferences. This isn’t always fair to their partner or family.

My Culinary Space

In my household, I take on the role of the chef. I enjoy preparing all the meals (it’s my passion!). However, I tend to be the picky eater! Why? My upbringing revolved around the delightful Mediterranean and Middle Eastern cuisines, which I adore.

I can whip up nearly any dish imaginable, except maybe insects or Rocky Mountain Oysters (testicles from bulls).

Lessons From Experience

I’ve traveled a lot and spent three years living in Brazil, enjoying some incredible food. So, why the pickiness now? AGE… I’m entering my seventh decade.

A while back, I contracted an intestinal parasite from raw oysters. What a nightmare! I’ve enjoyed them my whole life, but the aftermath was absolutely dreadful!

During my recovery, I delved into readings about aging and gastrointestinal health. Ugh. Everything appears to fight against getting older. Inflammation was noted as a major contributor to many issues that arise later in life.

Diet and Nutrition

While conversing with a young nutritionist, I boasted about my ‘ideal’ eating habits; organic ingredients, home-cooked meals, minimal frying, no preservatives — you get the picture. She suggested I check out a particular book about diet.

This wasn’t a diet focused on losing weight or following every new fad, but rather an in-depth look at how our blood types influence our body’s reaction to food.

Eating According to Blood Type

“Eat Right For Your Blood Type” was the title of the book. She mentioned it was quite popular back in the 70s but lost traction with the advent of the Atkins diet. The young nutritionist likely wasn’t even born when this book first appeared, yet her knowledge was impressive.

Embracing Wellness

Living well fundamentally means feeling good. I don’t do diets, and I wouldn’t recommend this one to about 90% of you reading this.

Why? Two reasons: It transformed my entire system and how I feel, and… sticking to it is nearly impossible unless you prepare most of your meals at home.

What a contradiction! Now, I’M THE PICKY EATER in our household! I’ve adhered to this for several years now (with holiday exceptions), and I feel fantastic!

Then there’s my husband. A British man who spent 30 years in Hong Kong and raised in East Africa, he has a cast-iron stomach! He could thrive on shoe leather and never feel ill! So, you may wonder, did I force him to eat my way since I do all the cooking? No. I gradually found methods to balance the kitchen, catering to both my needs and his with minimal fuss.

Innovative Approaches to Wellness

This new year, I decided to experiment with meal prep to cut down on cooking time during busy evenings: Meal Prepping. My husband enjoys meat and is not fond of seafood. He loves his carbs and seeks them in every dish, even if he’d never admit that. So I tried something fresh, and it was a success!

I roasted a beef rump and a leg of lamb over the weekend. I cooked a small amount (2 cups each) of rice, mashed potatoes, and pasta.

I prepped a variety of vegetables, sliced the leftover meats, and managed to prepare eight appetizing hot meals, tailored exactly to my husband’s taste, in just an hour and a half:

• Cottage pie with beef, peas, carrots, a wine-infused gravy, and garlic mashed potatoes

• Brazilian-style black beans, beef, jalapeños, tomatoes, mushrooms, topped with cheesy rice

• Lamb, green beans, and cauliflower simmered in harissa and tomato sauce, served over pasta with sheep cheese.

• Lamb or beef, garlic, onion, and potato broth (from the mashed potatoes), packed with a mix of cruciferous veggies for a hearty soup

All these dishes are now neatly stored in separate baking trays, tightly wrapped, and stacked in the freezer, allowing me to prepare my picky meals while ensuring there’s something delicious ready for my husband.

Culinary Secrets

As for my diet, I’m a B blood type. I’ve embraced the foods I can enjoy, accepted the ones I should limit without complaint, and found joy in discovering substitutes for my favorite dishes.

Take bread, for instance. I ABSOLUTELY adore bread, but wheat is off the table. Not gluten, just wheat, so I discovered how to create delicious bread using spelt, which is gluten, but not processed wheat. I must say, many people who don’t have celiac disease but follow a gluten-free diet could thrive on spelt. Here’s my SPELT BREAD.

Being inventive in the kitchen can significantly enhance our health and happiness. Just ask my husband! If you’d like a detailed recipe for any of these dishes, feel free to reach out, and I’d be more than happy to share!