How I did it: 1. I forced myself to cook dinner most nights of the week -- eating dinner at restaurants was not an option.

2. I bought myself tupperware containers to store & freeze leftover meals, and a (wood) cutting board - an essential item.

3. I bought myself a Presto digital timer, which has been a lifesaver in the kitchen. You'll never burn a meal again!

4. Went on Amazon and looked for the highest rated vegetarian cookbooks. One of them, Quick-fix Vegetarian, I purchased.

5. Every Sunday I would make a list of 3-4 recipes I would make for the coming week. As I was browsing through my cookbook, I would write on a separate sheet of paper a list of ingredients for my 3-4 recipes. I'd then buy everything I needed, looking for recipes with common ingredients to save money.

6. I would make sure to stock my pantry with food staples - things like bottled garlic cloves, diced tomatoes, crushed tomatoes, various pasta - fusilli, ziti, spaghetti, penne, udon, etc. And all the spices I would use - red pepper flakes, oregano, basil, salt, pepper, curry, peppercorn, parsley, cilantro, etc.

7. I used Mint.com to track my spending.

8. I would make an effort to cook with fresh produce wherever possible. Fresh parsley, fresh basil, bay leaves, etc make your meals come alive with flavor.

Lessons & tips: Cooking is about so much more than feeding yourself when you're hungry. The act of slicing, dicing, grating & peeling truly soothes the soul, not to mention the aroma that makes its way through your kitchen and home when cooking a freshly-prepared meal. I think there is a lot to be said for connecting with the food you eat, as opposed to going to a restaurant and enjoying the tail end of the process.

Resources: Quick-fix Vegetarian - Robin Robertson
http://www.amazon.com/Quick-Fix-Vegetarian-Healthy-Home-Cooked-Minutes/dp/0740763741/

Presto Digital Timer (buy two!)
http://www.amazon.com/Presto-04213-Electronic-Digital-Timer/dp/B001CQG618/

Slow Food International
http://www.slowfood.com/

Slow Food USA
http://www.slowfoodusa.org/

Organic Gardening magazine
http://www.organicgardening.com/

American Community Gardening Association
http://communitygarden.org/

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Aug 14, 2010, 07:15AM PDT | 0 comments | 4 cheers