The Cooking Secret

Learn To Cook

I am not sure whether this should be in the healthy, wealthy or happy section. In fact, it could go in the wise section as well for that matter. In short, if you cannot cook, then I strongly suggest that you learn to do so.

I have been lucky enough to be born with a love of cooking and I think of it as a daily outlet for some of my creativity. When combined with a love of gardening, there really is great joy in digging up some home grown new potatoes, giving them a quick wash, adding them to a pan of boiling salted water, with the obligatory sprig of (home grown) mint and then serving them to the people you love.

But some people I know, don't even know how to boil a potato (hence the included instructions above). They say things like "I haven't got time to cook". Little do they realize that you can often cook from scratch quicker than having to wait for the microwave to defrost some barely recognizable foodstuff. It's quite sad really because I know they are missing out on so much. Home cooked food tastes just so lovely. It's the reason I don't eat out so much these days, the food I cook at home is far better than most of the stuff I find elsewhere.

So, if you do cook, or have been inspired to start, here are my top tips:

1. Buy local and or grow your own.

2. Cook in season.

3. Make your own stock.

4. Buy cheap, but don't compromise on quality.

5. Buy in glut or 'on offer' and preserve or freeze.

6. Don't buy pre-prepared vegetables.

7. Buy free range and organic where possible.

8. Buy less and less processed food.

9. Compost your kitchen waste.

Actually, this list could go on but I think I'd like to reiterate how you can kill four birds with just the one stone. Cooking is Healthy - You know what you are eating. Cooking will make you Happy - It's great fun. Cooking will make you Wealthier - It's far cheaper than eating out or buying processed food. Cooking will make you Wise - You get a lot of time to think when chopping vegetables! I'll have more for you tomorrow.