Man, I have been so uninspired in the kitchen lately. Zero. Zilch. Nada.
I'm making due. I'm still busting out pesto salmon, naan pizza, stuffed flounder and such but I feel like I'm reaching into a mental rolodex on that one and not being very creative.
Sometimes I look at the pantry and close the door...same with the fridge.
Open.
Meh.
Close.
*sulk*
Even looking at other blogs, recipe sites and stuff isn't sparking anything right now. I have a friend and her hubby coming over and we're making a homemade dinner so I'm going to make chipotle mashed potatoes and either grilled asparagus if I can find some good ones or grilled green beans from the farmers market then an ice cream sandwich cake that I found a recipe for but needed more than just the two of us to try out. I've got another friend coming into town the following weekend and I told her I'd do cookout foods and I'm pretty sure I know what I'm making for that but it just takes it out of me these days to think about whipping up something new. I did do a new push pop last night so I might post that but entree wise I'm empty right now. I wonder if it's the heat.
How do you snap out of a food rut?
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I'll let you know when I snap out of this one, LOL! I think the heat does have something to do with it... I find if I just keep it simple the funk passes soon enough. Current food magazines (my favourite 'Clean Eating') usually help... glossy pictures, seasonal ingredients... YUM!
ReplyDeleteI've been in a food rut for almost a year now. It doesn't help matters that I do not like to cook, nor am I very good at it when trying new things. I'll be watching the comments to see if anything helps me out of my sorry rut.
ReplyDeleteI think even those of us who like cooking, get tired of it once in a while. For me, the only reason I cook healthy is so I can eat healthy, but sometimes I just throw some chicken or fish on the grill. Not everything I eat has to be a gourmet meal, just want it to be healthy and edible. Why not just knock off for a week or two and keep menus simple or fall back on a few favorites. It's ok to give yourself a break. Keep looking for new recipes, and who knows, you may become inspired again, especially when Fall rolls around. I realize I'm giving you permission to slack, but I believe in going with the flow.
ReplyDeleteI am sure it is the heat in my case. Eating at all takes a lot out of me! Hang in there! You'll be back whipping up great things soon. Hey! New push pops seem like the perfect option at this point!
ReplyDeleteI agree it's a heat issue. I don't want to cook or eat much in the summer. Feeling in a rut over here too. I just pull out the 'ol cookbooks, but that only works when the desire returns :/. Good luck and there is nothing wrong with not trying something new for awhile.
ReplyDeleteI am just as happy getting the "same old same old" now that the "same old same old" involves yummy things like naan pizza, pesto salmon and those awesome chicken burgers you make. Not to mention the awesome push pops. Yeah, I'm spoiled.
ReplyDeleteI'm always in a rut. The kids are super picky, so it's the same 10-12 that get rotated. When hubs and I can get a night alone I usually break out the cookbooks. Sorry, again, not helpful... I'm sure you'll come up with something = )
ReplyDeleteI'm not certain how to get out of it - I think it's the heat - I'm just going to 'ride it out'. I've been there for about a month - no food cravings - no anything!
ReplyDeleteOh, I have started squeezing fresh lemon or lime juice into my daily drinking water (6-8 glasses/day). For some odd reason that makes me feel better!
We tend to live in a food rut and just recycle the same things over and over. It's hard to please everyone in my house, so things that we'll all eat tend to get used to death.
ReplyDeleteI definitely think the heat has something to do with it. Who wants to cook or even prep when it's like 900 degrees outside. Here it's been too hot to even grill (the grill is in the backyard which catches the afternoon sun and is approximately the same temperature as Mercury).
Just think, before long we'll all be griping about how cold it is.
I do not have any suggestions on how to get out of a food rut because I am continuously in one. When I get really bored with the food, it's dangerous as I start binging and can not stop. Hence gaining and losing the same 10 pds for the last 8 months.
ReplyDeleteI received my push up containers last week. I have made orange sherbert. It was good but I am patiently awaiting your latest chocolate push up recipe. Luv chocolate.
It has to be the heat. I always feel that way for a stretch in the summertime. Just let yourself mentally relax; you'll be refreshed and back at it in no time!
ReplyDeleteI join a CSA that will deliver random produce, then make a little game out of figuring out how to use it.
ReplyDeleteAs with any rut, I don't try to snap out of it. I allow it to take its course, knowing that ruts (like funks) are finite. Inspiration is right around the corner...
ReplyDeleteI hear that! I'm totally feeling the same way. I agree with a lot of others, I have no desire to turn on the oven in the heat! I made brussle sprouts and steak monday...turned out bad. I made shredded chicken in the crock pot tuesday for tacos...turned out bad. I'm just in a funk!
ReplyDeleteI'll tell you what helps me, and that I'm looking forward to, is getting my bountiful basket this weekend. There is always something in there I have not tried yet...(red corn, white cherries, squashes!!) I find cooking something totally different really gets me movivated. It's not like, oh, chicken again.... Maybe you could grab a veggie you've never worked with before and give it a go.
When I get into a food rut, I take it back to ultra simple stuff. Like big salads with protein and stuff on it. Or I make a soup. Generally soup lasts us a few days. I know during the summer, I don't look forward to cooking because it's just too blamed hot here. So, we do have a LOT of salads and simple things that can be cooked in the crockpot.
ReplyDeleteLately, I've been reading your food blogs to see if I can find something that fits into MY calorie budget, lol. Have you tried looking back through the older ones to see if you've forgotten a recipe you liked? Every now and then I remember I haven't made (fill in the blank) for a while, and that snaps me out of it. Or I suddenly remember something my grandmother used to make, and that will do it too.
ReplyDeleteI find what I have in the freezer then do a web search for recipes with that item or dig through cookbooks that I haven't touched and try to make something way out of my comfort zone or my usual fare. My cure for boredom is to make something NEW and DIFFERENT.
ReplyDelete