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The 4 key ingredients to winning meals every night of the week

The 4 key ingredients to winning meals every night of the week


There’s no secret one of the biggest challenges in life – especially when you feel like you didn’t get ‘the cooking gene’ is feeding yourself. Every night. Every week. For a bloody long time.

 

And thinking of new meal ideas.

And actually cooking the meal well. To everyone’s liking. In a reasonable amount of time.

And make it healthy and budget friendly. Is this too much to ask?

It can feel like an impossible task when you add in the rest of your life. After all this cooking thing should only take 30 minutes or so a night, shouldn’t it?

 

Today I’m sharing the 4 key ingredients to winning meals every night of the week.

 

HINT: It’s not roasting a chicken (although that’s great). It’s not even many trays of roasted veggies (although that’s great too). Or the best eggplant dip goin’ around.

These 4 ingredients intersect every meal you cook and are the reason you enjoy cooking… or don’t.

They’re the reason you can meal plan and meal prep… or can’t.

They’re the reason cooking feels fun, enjoyable and effortless… or not.

And they’re definitely the reason you can open the fridge or pantry and whip up a meal with what you have without a recipe… or not.

Watch the full video: The 4 key ingredients to winning meals every night of the week

 

 

DIVE DEEPER: Join me for Ditch the Recipes and save time in the kitchen by whipping up meals with what’s in your fridge and pantry… without a recipe.

 

4 ways you’re wasting money at the supermarket

4 ways you’re wasting money at the supermarket

 


 

You’ve got to be living under a rock or a 100% self sufficient homesteading ninja to NOT feel the effect of the grocery price increases over the past year. Thanks inflation, fires, floods and the rest. But there are 4 ways I see many people wasting money at the supermarket and blow their budgets and it’s totally unnecessary. Read on for 4 ways you’re wasting money at the supermarket and what to do about it.

 

 

So you think buying the cheapest option within the ingredient category is the only way to save money on your grocery bill? Think again. Here are 4 ways you’re wasting your money at the supermarket when buying your groceries.

All the goodness is in the video above. The notes below are a dot point version of the video.

 

1. You’re not paying attention to the seasons 

You have the same shopping list every week and buy the same groceries without much thought about why that cauliflower is $7 or why 2 punnets of strawberries and 1 mango cost you $20. You just do it and while you know your grocery bill is higher, you’re not sure where to start or what to do about it.

You need to pay attention while you’re shopping. You need to be taking note about how much everything is costing you.  Maybe you keep your receipts or start writing notes in your phone to keep track. Whatever you choose to do, this builds your knowledge bank over time so you can start making smarter purchasing decisions.

 

2. You don’t compare prices per kilo or litre

You have 2 packets of crackers in your hand and you’re judging by the face value cost instead of comparing the:

  • per kilo (or per litre price for liquid)
  • the ingredients and their quality

This is the way they’ll get ya. And the weight may look deceivingly similar and like there’s no reason to compare the per kilo price. Stop falling for their big shiny red and yellow signs!

 

3. You’re swapping like for like (AKA buying a cheaper version of the same product) and expecting to save a dime

So you’ve swapped your fancy milk for the cheaper option. You’re buying the cheapest bread, pasta and tasty cheese too. That must be it right? That’s the only card you have left to play. There’s nothing more you can do to save money on your grocery bill? Wrong.

These swaps will save you a few bucks and of course they’re handy but it’s nothing Earth shattering. Like my simple trick for breaking down a whole chicken which can save you around $700 per year.

Wait, what Lou? You want me to get my hands dirty and handle a whole chicken? Yes I do, but we’re not there quite yet (there’s a few steps in between) but overall – your kitchen skills and confidence directly relate to how much you can spend or save on your supermarket shop.

 

4. You blanket assume the grocery store is the cheapest place to shop

I talk about this one extensively in the video above. Your assumptions cost you money.

And you’ll never know the full extent of how much money you’re wasting at the supermarket unless you pair this with point 1.

 

5. Convenience costs money and your grocery bill will cop it 

Bonus way you’re wasting money at the supermarket. You buy convenience food.

Everyone is busy. You will always make time for the things you find important or exciting. Like my morning coffee that I never forget about, but I was terrible at taking my pregnancy multivitamin back in 2019 when I was pregnant. Or how I’m never too busy to go to the beach, but I’m too busy to go to the dentist. What you prioritise, you’ll always fit in.

There could be more going on too. If your kitchen confidence sucks, you’re always going to be opting for convenient food because you’re lacking what it takes to cook. PS: it takes more than following a recipe to make a good meal and a cooking habit that you’ll be happy to stick to. Convenience costs money and we’ve been conditioned to believe that prepackaged food is the answer to cooking. It’s not.

 

It’s worth noting – I’m a huge supporter of local farmers and I believe in local business. 

Price gouging is a huge part of the issue we’re facing right now with major companies all reporting record profits while the people are feeling the burn. We buy our fruit and veg from Ooooby, we buy our meat from Full Circle Farm and I support these 2 businesses in particular as much as I can with the budget we have. I supplement with supermarket stuff (and I buy other home products mainly from Woolworths with their Everyday Rewards 10% off system).

But I honestly believe we could all buy better quality food if we increased our cooking skills and kitchen confidence. Because once you know what to do with the food, you’re so much savvier with how and what to buy, how to store it, how to cook it and what to do with the leftovers. And until you’re confident, the only cards you have to play are to buy a cheaper version of the same product which will only ever get you so far.

How to get over the fear of cooking a bad meal

Ask Lou: How to get over the fear of cooking a bad meal


Today I’m answering a question submitted to my Ask Lou mailbox: How can I get over the fear of not cooking perfect meals. AKA how can I get over the fear of cooking a bad meal.

At the end of the day, we all make mistakes. It’s a part of being human (and not a robot). But there’s a fine line between a kitchen disaster which cannot be fixed and a flop that’s sneakily covered up with some genius ingredients. You need kitchen wins to spur on your enthusiasm for cooking, otherwise what’s the point? But there is magic in the mess of a failed meal and this is how I suggest you get over the fear of cooking a bad meal.

IN THIS EPISODE I CHAT ABOUT:

  • Why messing up your meal is important and the key to your kitchen success
  • My secret ‘Dude Food’ toppings that can get a meal over the line in my house
  • The best ingredients to ‘save’ a failed meal

 

Here are some additional tips to help you overcome your fear and become a more confident cook:

  1. Start with simple recipes: Begin with simple recipes that have few ingredients and are easy to follow. This will help you build your confidence and skills in the kitchen.
  2. Follow the recipe: you may know by now, I’m not so keen on recipes. I see them as the ‘training wheels’ of cooking. But if you’re lacking skills, they are a great place to start. Please note – they’re NEVER the end goal. Follow the recipe carefully, paying attention to measurements, cooking times, and any special instructions. This will help ensure that your dish turns out as intended.
  3. Practice: You MUST cook to get better at cooking. There’s no way around it. You can watch all the pretty Insta reels but until you chop that onion and sautee it in a pan, you’re not reallly getting any better or more comfortable in the kitchen. Confidence is everything in the kitchen. Try to cook something new every week or so to challenge yourself and build your skills.
  4. Accept mistakes: Accept that mistakes will happen. They are a natural part of the learning process. Don’t be too hard on yourself if a dish doesn’t turn out perfectly – instead, use it as an opportunity to learn and improve for next time. My best tips for this are in the video above.
  5. Get feedback: Okay – this one is tricky. We don’t want to place the final verdict on the other people around our dinner table. Sometimes we focus TOO MUCH on them and this is why we’re lacking kitchen confidence in the first place. Ask for feedback from family and friends who try your dishes OR listen to what they’re saying or not saying around the dinner table already. I also believe we can do this ourselves without involving them whatsoever. And look, we don’t want to ignore their opinion and needs for life. But ignoring them can help you find your path again, especially if you’re finding cooking tough. This can help you identify areas for improvement and build your confidence.
  6. Have fun! Cook what you’re excited to cook and what you love to eat. Remember that cooking should be a fun and enjoyable experience. Don’t be afraid to experiment and try new things, and enjoy the process of creating something delicious in the kitchen.

GOT A QUESTION YOU’D LIKE ME TO ANSWER ON THE SHOW? WRITE IN WITH YOUR QUESTION HERE.

Ask Lou: How to bring more flavour to steamed veggies

Ask Lou: How to bring more flavour to steamed veggies


 

Today I’m answering a question submitted to my Ask Lou mailbox: How can I bring more flavour to my steamed veggies? I usually revert to roasted or pan-fried vegetables, but I’d love to mix up the way I cook and serve veggies to my young kids.

Steamed vegetables somehow survived the 90’s and have made their way back onto dinner tables around the world. But they’re so boring or they can be if you cook them too much or don’t add anything to them. Steamed veggies need the flavour and fun bought to them.

 

In this episode I chat about:

  • The number 1 thing that’ll ruin your steamed veggies
  • The benefits of buying vegetables in season
  • The simple flavour tip and most important question you need to be asking yourself when cooking (it’s the one that I get all my clients to ask themselves while cooking and taste testing)
  • My favourite ways to bring flavour to steam veggies

 

Got a question you’d like me to answer on the show? Write in with your question here.

If I were starting over on my cooking journey, here’s what I’d do first

If I were starting over on my cooking journey, here’s what I’d do first


They say hindsight is 20/20 and they also say it’s all about the journey, not the destination. And while all that is true, this video is a shortcut to what I’d focus on if I were learning to cook or starting over on my cooking journey. Or even if I was looking for a way to get organised in the kitchen and plan better for busy weeknight meals. 

If you’re unfamiliar with how I got here, this has been my journey so far:

My journey from cooking tragic to self taught Kitchen Coach is one I never planned for or expected but I’m here and I want to give you all the shortcuts so your journey doesn’t need to take as long as mine. So here we go…

 

Watch: If I were starting over on my cooking journey, here’s what I’d do first

 

Read: If I were starting over on my cooking journey, here’s what I’d do first

Pssst: this is the dot point version. All the gold is in that video, so plug your headphones in a go for a walk while you soak up some cooking truthbombs.

 

#1 I’d write out everything I knew how to cook.

For me in 2007, this was bacon and egg rolls, spagetti bolognese, tomato cream pasta, 3 hour corn fritters, a few salads. 

#2 I’d then categorise this list by time – eg: 15 minutes to make, 30 minutes.

This is an under vauled reference point for recipe collating and organising. This step should be essential for every home cook. It acts as a reference point for when you’re busy and overwhelmed, you’ll have a place to come back to where you’ve already done the thinking. And it begins to organise ‘your brain’ or better yet, gets your thoughts and knowledge out of your brain and into order. This list will help you get organised which is essential to learning and mastering the skill of cooking. 

 

#3 I’d then write out everything I wanted to know how to cook.

This could be, learn to roast a chicken, make sauerkraut. Whatever it is, it’s good to get these ideas out. You need to dream. You need to know what you’re aiming for.

 

#4 I’d write out a list of ingredients i love and try to find recipes that use that ingredient.

#5 I’d find trustworthy people online

And I’d cook their recipes. A minimum of 5 times each recipe. I’d read the recipe over and over and break it down into it’s components.  Then I’d swap out the main ingredient for something else and see if it worked.

 

#6 I’d explore flavour

and really pay attention to how a squeeze of lemon, tablespoon of tamari or heaped handful of coriander changes things for better or worse. The best way to do this is to start with a dip.

 

#7 I’d cook with different cooking techniques (slow cooker, soups etc)

 

#8 I’d learn about the seasons and begin to buy produce according to them.

 

#9 I’d do all these 8 steps to build my foundation skills so I could ditch recipes asap.

Because the benefits of learning the proper skills of cooking so you can ditch recipes means you’re not bound to finding new recipes. It means you can buy what’s in season and save your money. It means you know how to use what you have on hand in your pantry, fridge and freeezer – which means you save money and reduce your food waste. It means you save time because you don’t need to search for recipes or even meal plan, unless you want to and have the mental space for it.

Ditching recipes is the ultimate goal for savvy home cooks and it’s not a skill that’s reserved for chefs or those with a massive love of cooking.  It’s the way humans used to cook, before we forgot our skills and became addicted to convenience foods.