SUNDAY DINNERS

As I began to eat the NOODM way it dawned on me that I would need to learn a whole new way of cooking. Gone are the days of adding oil, cheese and using eggs to bind things together.  New ingredients, new processes, new recipes.

So the first thing I did was begin to research recipes. I insist that my food taste good and be a pleasure to eat. I went to the library and picked up every vegan cook book I could get my hands on and voraciously read them from cover to cover. 

As a particular recipe would spark my interest I would cook it. If I liked it I entered it into my binder for future reference. 

On my way home from work one evening I noticed a sign on a local church reader board stating “Free Vegan Cooking Class Monday at 7 pm”.  You bet I was there that night and was pleased to get new recipes and samples of dishes. 

Not too long after that I got a wonderful little cookbook program for my computer and began compiling all my recipes--it is such a great little program! I am able to drag & drop the recipes I’m interested in cooking that week and it puts together my shopping list. 

And so it continues...my quest for the next great tasty vegan recipe! I am always looking on-line and any cookbooks I come across. I am continuing to grow my recipe collection. 

My Weekly Process

Each week I sit in front of my recipes and look for inspiration for the weeks menu. As I’ve been NOODM cooking I prefer my own homemade meals over going out for dinner. It has become a source of pleasure to create my dishes and know that I am going to eat well throughout the week and not compromise my health in any way.

So somewhere near the end of the week I look through my recipe book and choose about 4-7 of them. Then I print out my grocery shopping list. I like to go grocery shopping early in the morning or late at night to avoid the crowds. Either I go late at night on Friday, or very early Saturday morning. 

I spend the majority of my time in the produce department and the bulk food section. Between the two I can get almost everything for my recipes. I love the bulk food section and buy seasoning/spices, brown rice, whole wheat flour, whole grain pasta, and beans galore. Then it’s off to a few isles in the store to pick up canned items and the refrigerated section for my Almond milk and maybe the frozen food section. That’s about it. There really isn’t anything else in the store that I want or need.

When I finally get home and unload everything I figure out the order that I am going to prepare the dishes. I might spend the entire day cooking or I might break it up into a 2-day affair. Either way, when I am done my entire week of food is prepared. I don’t have to do much throughout the week to have a good meal on the table in just matter of a few minutes. 

Sunday Dinner 

I try to make a very special dish to have for dinner on Sunday--it’s always an enjoyable time. We come away from the table very well fed and feeling satisfied. 

My hope is that this will help others to explore new cooking methods and take pride in preparing their meals. Each week I am going to post a “Sunday Dinner” recipe which will be one of my favorites. Hope you enjoy! Let me know what you think.