People often ask me for ideas – what to cook? I get it. I cook dinner most nights (especially for the past two years) and if I don’t plan, it can be a pain in the neck. Each week, I typically have 2 or 3 dinners in mind. I will look at recipes and shop accordingly. I will count on cooking rice or quinoa and roasting some veggies. On a good week, I also make a bean dip and/or a side salad. Leftovers get combined with greens and grains to become lunch bowls. That’s pretty much my strategy in a nutshell.
I get most of my recipe inspiration from Instagram, food blogs and magazines. Here are some of the accounts and blogs I follow. Many of these people have cookbooks – which would make a wonderful gift to yourself!
A Couple Cooks. Their super satisfying Creamy Tortellini Soup uses freezer (frozen spinach if you don’t have fresh)/pantry items and can always be made in a pinch.
Half-Baked Harvest. I keep her Cauliflower Al Pastor Tacos on regular rotation. So many good recipes here.
Eating Well. This magazine continues to deliver great, simple recipes. I follow them on Instagram.
Smitten Kitchen. Because everything she makes is delicious and the recipes are spot on. My most recent dish from her was Sweet Potato Salad with Pepita Dressing. So good. She’s also started a fun You Tube channel.
Food & Wine. This is the only print food magazine I get. I always find something. Interesting articles, too.
Menus. Ever have a hard time deciding what to get when you go out because it all sounds so good? Try to recreate things at home. Look for a recipe that’s close enough and then make it your own. Or, when you’re stuck for an idea, think about where you’d like to go out for dinner and then try a new recipe along those lines.
Of course, there’s always my recipe index. I have a search function, in the event you’re looking to use a certain ingredient.
I do pay to subscribe to NYT Cooking because I just love it. Lots to see here, on Instagram.
What did I miss?! Let me know your sources of inspiration. Happy Cooking!
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