TGIF! Not only is the weekend around the corner, but every Friday on the Northern Health Matters blog comes with amazing food photos and delicious recipes from my fellow Northern BC dietitians. If you’ve been to the blog before, then you know what I’m talking about: Foodie Friday!
Try new healthy and delicious recipes
Foodie Friday is now a weekly feature on the Northern Health Matters blog. Since the series started in March 2014, over 20 Northern Health dietitians and dietetic interns have served up 89 delicious, inspiring, and informative #FoodieFriday posts! Foodie Friday authors share healthy eating tips and delicious recipes that put the tips into action. And who can forget their amazing photos!
I was recently looking through a number of the posts and was struck by the wonderful array of recipes and accompanying photos. Looking at them literally made me hungry - my stomach rumbled! More importantly - I was inspired!
My thought process then went something like this:
- “I certainly should get around to making some of these delicious looking recipes…”
- “That looks yummy! And that’s neat! Oh, and that’s an interesting idea. Maybe I could make a bunch of these recipes…”
- “Hey, March is Nutrition Month… I could challenge myself to do a whole month of Foodie Friday recipes!!!”
So, where did that thought process take me?
Today, my personal recipe challenge is well underway. I picked 10 recipes to start with, made a grocery list, went shopping, and stocked my fridge and pantry. I am particularly excited about using some ingredients that I have rarely used (e.g., leeks, orzo) and dishes that I have rarely made (e.g., burgers, homemade mac ’n’ cheese, broccoli salad – can you tell I grew up in an immigrant family?).
What can I share with you so far?
- Armed with a list of recipes to tackle, I am so much more inspired to cook! This challenge has already reinforced for me the benefits of menu planning for healthy eating.
- I’ve tried some things that are totally new to me, like baked oatmeal, which, as promised, is delicious and super versatile. It has already made an appearance at breakfast, lunch, and as a snack after work.
- My lunches are fantastic these days! Yay to leftovers!
- I like the idea of making recipes that are my dietitian colleagues’ favourites, like Sarah’s lentil soup, Beth’s Caesar salad, or Lindsay’s morning glory muffins. Food truly does connect us!
- Adding cocoa powder to a smoothie is a fantastic idea – why didn’t I think of that before?
While I have many new recipes ahead of me yet, I am already happy to have taken on this recipe challenge. Dietitians often encourage folks to try new recipes (although usually in a more moderate way, like one every week or so, not a month-long quest!), and I am certainly reaping many benefits.
How about you? What has your experience been with new recipes? Have you ever done a recipe challenge? How was it?
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