Recipes and meal ideas?

  • Where do you get your recipes and meal ideas from?

    I feel like all we eat is highly processed things, and I think that needs to change. But, I struggle with quick and simple meal ideas. Where do you get yours from?
  • I have numerous foodie blogs that I follow and when I find a recipe I'd like to try I pin it to one of my boards on pinterest. Then when I'm planning my meals for the week I go through the pins and decide which recipes I'm going to try.

    Two of my favorite blogs are Skinny Taste and Kalyn's Kitchen. Both of these blogs have links to their pinterest accounts also.

    Also, this blog has a feature called Meal Plan Monday where bloggers link up their posts of their planned food for the week. It's a fun way to get lost in the foodie blog world.

    HTH.
  • I definitely use pinterest for meal ideas. I also like Skinnytaste as already mentioned above, budgetbytes (not exactly all healthy recipes, I tweak some when needed for lower cal and fat, etc), and Cooking Light.

    Thanks for the new links to Kalyn's Kitchen and the orgjunkie blog, Novus.

    Since Spring/Summer is coming up and to avoid making the house/kitchen hot, I will be looking for mainly crockpot and grilling recipes. *rubs hands*
  • Another fantastic resource is ZipList. You create a virtual cookbook from recipes on the site OR by clipping them from anywhere on the web, and then make shopping lists and meal plans based on the recipes in your account.

    Quote: Thanks for the new links to Kalyn's Kitchen and the orgjunkie blog, Novus.
    You're welcome!
  • Lol @ Amandie rubbing hands, seems so sinister!!!

    I second those blogs named above for ideas, sometimes I just need to see what others made and I'm like "oh yeah, I should have thought of that!".

    As far as eating processed foods, I just had to decide to stop buying them for the most part. There is no more Rice-a-Roni, no more Kraft mac & cheese, no more Betty Crocker Au Gratin potatoes.

    Sometimes it makes me sad since I really loved those flavors (no wonder I gained so much weight) but now, if I want those dishes, I make them from scratch. Yes it takes more time and planning (which you aren't looking for!) so that makes me wonder if I really really need them.

    Most of our sides now are fresh and frozen vegetables with salads too plus whatever protein. Sounds simple and boring but jazzing things up with spices has really made a difference.

    Good luck with your new recipes and kudos to you for wanting to make healthier food for your family.
  • Thank you so much for the links!

    I think I will have to adjust the hubby and daughter slowly but some of these just look so yummy.

    I do have pinterest and follow skinnytaste
  • Quote: Lol @ Amandie rubbing hands, seems so sinister!!!
    lolol!

    Just wanted to add another one that I like but keep forgetting about is Emily Bites. It is mostly WW recipes but I figure you may like some of them and again tweak it to your preferences.

    Enjoy!!!!
  • We used to be terrible at having processed foods, because they were so quick and easy! Now we make mealtimes an event (my flatmate and I cook together) to make it more fun, but for the nights we want something quick and filling I cook up a diced red onion, a diced chicken breast, one or two diced jalapenos, a diced capsicum and a handful of sliced mushrooms, and then add in a tin of diced tomatoes. Cook it all up, season to taste and serve in bowls. I call it 'Bowlritos' because we used to have it wrapped in tortillas as a burrito type dish, and now we have it without the tortillas to lower the carbs and calories. 20 minutes and we're sitting eating. Now we have no excuse to have processed meals- quick and delicious.

    I also like to look around the web for delicious looking recipes, and then try and 'healthify' them which is always a fun challenge!
  • Thank you!

    Oh, I completely agree about grilling and using the slow cooker in the summer to not heat up the house. I have the hardest time cooking in the summer because I don't want to heat up the house. This is the first year we have had a grill, so I am ready to put it to good use!
  • We try to eat as primal as possible, which means nothing processed, fresh ingredients etc. We us fastpaleo.com for recipes, as well as those posted on the marksdailyapple blog.

    I like to play around and modify things I've made before to make them healthier as well.
  • Hi! I found a really interesting Recipe Blog
    A lot of delicious and easy recipes!
  • Cook Books?
    My family expects fresh home cooked meals daily. It's exhausting but I don't want my son to fall into the same habits my father inflicted on me. I've switched to the keto diet (they say it can help with diabetes) but also I don't want the family to suffer with my restrictions. So I've been looking at cook books to stock up on.

    Can anyone suggest any?