Keeping a keen eye out!

I love observing and learning and have so many friends around me that naturally seem to know their way around a kitchen better than me. I had a working mom growing up, so I never cooked with mom in the kitchen and started my marriage with basically no understanding of cooking at all. That's strange to me - I spent so many years going to school but was totally unprepared for what I do day in and day out - manage my home!

So, in my early days of being a mom, I remember wandering over to my friend Mandy's house around lunch time and watch her start boiling noodles...then added in flour, butter, and some cheese....instant, homemade mac n' cheese! No preservatives. No Sugar. Just food. Then she'd chop up some apples and put it on a quick platter in the center of a table and we'd be set for lunch. My sweet friend Mandy is just plain good at creating a lunch out of any kitchen.

On other days, I'd find myself in a longer than expected Bible study with my dear friend Ruth...."wanna stay for lunch?" - "sure!"...She'd start chopping all kinds of veggies in what seemed like seconds and stir fry them in a few more minutes and within 15 minutes, we'd be eating fresh stir fried veggies on rice she had brewing in her rice cooker. After lunch, as I clean up, she quietly starts stuffing dates with almonds and has them on the table for the girls - instant dessert!

Then there's Jen - her cabinets are full of nothing but Ball jars with various organic beans and grains in each jar. Eating a mexican meal together means everything is made from scratch while her hubby sits on top of the counter methodically putting balls of dough in the tortilla maker - flattening each one out to a yummy fresh and most delicious burrito wrap.

And finally, my professional chef friend, Sacha, showed up last weekend to my house with the most delicious chocolate chip cookies - she is experimenting with baking without sugar and you'd never guess it! She used apple sauce and honey to create this incredible treat! I will nab the recipe and post it when I get it!

And someone had the non-hydrogenated Adam's Peanut Butter upside down in their cabinet which, I found out, helps the PB and oil mix better so you don't have all the oil at the top. (Adam's PB is a simple way to reduce sugar and hydrogenated oils as it is simply peanuts and salt!)

I have so much to learn but it's good that we are not alone!! Next week, I will feature What's Cookin'? in our kitchen with recipes, tidbits, and more! We'd all love to see what's cookin' in your kitchen so we can learn from you more ways to eat fresher, healthier, and simpler. Just grab the What's Cookin' logo above and paste it in your post next week on a day that you want to share a recipe you are cooking up. Put a link on the logo back to my blog, if you would! Thanks! I need more healthy lunch ideas. I love creating dinners but don't have it in me to do much for lunch.