Need advice on healthy but tasty recipies

[matzsy]

I want to find new healthy but tasty recipes. But I'm at a crossroad...

I grew up on my Depression-raised parents' French-Canadian cooking, most of which I find bland & heavy and don't eat anymore.

My husband grew up on heavy post-WWII Polish cooking (lots of meat, cabbage, onions, bread, potatoes, breaded/fried), which he unfortunately still loves.

For the last 20 years, I've been juggling the Polish cooking my husband likes with some ethnic cooking (Mexican, Indian...) with the 80's & 90's stir-fry/pasta/chicken nugget/burger/hot dog.

My husband would like everyday suppers of homemade soup, roast meat (or breaded & fried), potatoes, gravy, hot vegetable (with some kind of topping) or salad (with croutons, bacon bits & lots of dressing) and bread on the side. He is a little heavy, but not overweight.

That is not only too heavy and unhealthy for me, it's a lot of work. My daughter and I don't like any of this (except for the homemade soup).

My daughter and I prefer lightly grilled chicken or fish, or vegetable dumplings, with a small side of whole-grain rice or wheat noodles and, steamed vegetables. We also like Asian cooking, which my husband does not. If I prepare a light meal my daughter & I like, my husband will get a sandwich 2 hours later.

I don't know what to cook anymore. It's made me lose my will to cook. So I'm looking for a cookbook to inspire me.

Some of the new cooking is have too many fad-ish ingredients (cilantro, balsamic), too complicated (Flay, Battaglio...), too rich (Emeril, Rachel Ray, Nigella, Michael Smith), too "pretty"/artsy or too low-fat that taste is forgotten.

There are thousands of recipes on recipe websites. The odds of finding a good one are slim...finding more than that, forget it.

Please, anyone been in a similar situation? Any suggestions?

Mattie

 

[Wyogal]

My husband is a picky eater, and I love everything. I will compromise by adding a second vegetable to the meal, one for each of us, and when making my spaghetti sauce or chili, I don't make it as chunky as I'd like, same ingredients, just smaller dice.
We've switched to healthier pasta and whole grain bread. I will use a cornstarch thickener instead of a butter/flour roux. Use lighter versions of favorite dressings, and make those purchased croutons and bacon bits disappear. Just don't buy them. Fill your pantry with healthier choices.
I found the cookbook for the Sonoma Diet to be interesting.
Do you work outside the home, too? If so, then have nights where he cooks. If not, have weekend meals where he cooks... Maybe if he knew just how hard it was, he'd lighten up. so to speak. and if he feels the need to make a sandwich later, well, let him. Maybe when he gets tired of making sandwiches every night he'll learn to like what you cook.

 

[Selkie]

In my household there were always two choices: either eat or don't!

What I suggest is weaning him away from his heavy menu gradually, starting with your kind of cuisine twice a week - and tell him that - tell him you want a choice for yourself once in a while, and emphasize the benefits of whatever it is you make, and he would benefit from expanding his range of flavors to include international fare - almost like a game. And as he becomes accustom to new things, you may be able to increase to three or perhaps even every other day for yourself.

By the way, cilantro and balsamic vinegar are not "fad-ish" ingredients. They may be new to you, but they have been around for a long time! Pick a recipe that has one new ingredient to you, buy it and try it - experiment for yourself as well. If you don't like it... give it to a friend. Be bold!

Good luck and enjoy!

 

[matzsy]

My pantry *is* full of healthy choices. "...make those purchased croutons and bacon bits disappear..." ???? NOT an option. Duh! Who thinks like that anymore? He buys what he wants - the same way I do.

When he cooks, he cooks stuff he likes. He know cooking - like everything else - is work.

What I need are recipes/cookbook to bridge the gap.

 

[Wyogal]

If he buys what he wants, and you think it is stupid (the "duh!") to do otherwise, then you deserve each other and the problems you are having.
Lots of people that are trying to eat healthy empty their cupboards of unhealthy ingredients. Lots of people think that way.

 

[Wyogal]

healthy recipes - Google Search

 

[matzsy]

In my household there were always two choices: either eat or don't!

What I suggest is weaning him away from his heavy menu gradually, starting with your kind of cuisine twice a week - and tell him that - tell him you want a choice for yourself once in a while, and emphasize the benefits of whatever it is you make, and he would benefit from expanding his range of flavors to include international fare - almost like a game. And as he becomes accustom to new things, you may be able to increase to three or perhaps even every other day for yourself.

By the way, cilantro and balsamic vinegar are not "fad-ish" ingredients. They may be new to you, but they have been around for a long time! Pick a recipe that has one new ingredient to you, buy it and try it - experiment for yourself as well. If you don't like it... give it to a friend. Be bold!

Good luck and enjoy!

For years, I have introduced great meals the rest of the family loved, but he never acquired a taste for any of it. I still make make them and he still doesn't enjoy any.

P.S. Balsamic is not new to me...I have given it years...it's truly horrid.

 

[matzsy]

"healthy recipes" on google...

Did that exact search a few months ago. That is what caused me to write "...There are thousands of recipes on recipe websites. The odds of finding a good one are slim...finding more than that, forget it..."

 

[Wyogal]

point? I guess we are just trying to help, but you have found a negative aspect to everything thus far.
Have you looked at the Sonoma Cookbook that I recommended?

 

[Wyogal]

healthy cookbooks - Google Search

 

[matzsy]

If he buys what he wants, and you think it is stupid (the "duh!") to do otherwise, then you deserve each other and the problems you are having.
Lots of people that are trying to eat healthy empty their cupboards of unhealthy ingredients. Lots of people think that way.

Your comment is in poor taste.

The "duh" referred to anyone thinking they can "make those purchased croutons and bacon bits disappear" from another *adult*!

 

[Bilby]

I know this isn't really what you are chasing but I can't think of anything that will bridge the gap by recipe alone. If it were me, I would look at making extra when I made the food he likes and freezing the extra portions for other nights. Also I would look at two soups/stews as they are easy to make and freeze (as a rule), one really thick and heavy one that he will prefer and a lighter, clearer soup that you and your daughter will enjoy. I know it sounds more but you wouldn't have to do it as often.

How about changing the veges that you serve so that they are still filling but less starchy. Give him an extra potato and you and your daughter have more broccoli say.

My father was English of Lithuanian heritage and potatoes were his thing. Mum used to say taht he would eat chips with every meal if she gave him the option. And I guess when he lived with his parents, he probably did have latkes and chips with every meal! Mum refused to make chips very early on in my life because of that. If he wanted to have chips with his meal, he had to cook them for everyone. Needless to say, we had mashed potato most nights, not chips!

As to the croutons/bacon bits thing -well I guess you can make your own to make them healthier but either way that is the least of your issues.

Being of an English background, we used to have lots of meat pies - beef, beef and mushroom, egg and bacon, chicken and veg, etc. You could try that but with phylo pastry instead of puff and up the veg content. You can serve that with a simple garden salad and he can have a potato and all his salad extras. Vary the portion size to suit the eater.

As another suggestion, is there such a thing as a lighter Polish cookbook? Or a Polish Weight Watchers website that you can look to for inspiration and compromise? Just a thought.

 

[chefkathleen]

www.allrecipes.com has a lot of good recipes. Full of flavor and different ways to cook whatever you're looking for. You'll have to look at each one in the category that you're interesting in and make your choices from there. I won't do your research for you, I don't know you, your family or your likes or dislikes. You have to do the work for yourself. That's a good place to start though as they give you the values in all the recipes.

 

[matzsy]

I know this isn't really what you are chasing but I can't think of anything that will bridge the gap by recipe alone. If it were me, I would look at making extra when I made the food he likes and freezing the extra portions for other nights. Also I would look at two soups/stews as they are easy to make and freeze (as a rule), one really thick and heavy one that he will prefer and a lighter, clearer soup that you and your daughter will enjoy. I know it sounds more but you wouldn't have to do it as often.

How about changing the veges that you serve so that they are still filling but less starchy. Give him an extra potato and you and your daughter have more broccoli say.

My father was English of Lithuanian heritage and potatoes were his thing. Mum used to say taht he would eat chips with every meal if she gave him the option. And I guess when he lived with his parents, he probably did have latkes and chips with every meal! Mum refused to make chips very early on in my life because of that. If he wanted to have chips with his meal, he had to cook them for everyone. Needless to say, we had mashed potato most nights, not chips!

As to the croutons/bacon bits thing -well I guess you can make your own to make them healthier but either way that is the least of your issues.

Being of an English background, we used to have lots of meat pies - beef, beef and mushroom, egg and bacon, chicken and veg, etc. You could try that but with phylo pastry instead of puff and up the veg content. You can serve that with a simple garden salad and he can have a potato and all his salad extras. Vary the portion size to suit the eater.

As another suggestion, is there such a thing as a lighter Polish cookbook? Or a Polish Weight Watchers website that you can look to for inspiration and compromise? Just a thought.

I appreciate your comment.

The croutons/bacon bits was an example of an overall trend.

I suspect you may be right in saying that may not be fixable by recipe alone. I already do your freezing and the vegetable suggestion. So I guess what I'm doing, although frustrating and time-consuming, is the right thing to do. I posted to see if there was a solution I missed.

I limit chips as much as possible. Light Polish is a possibility, but the rest of the family dislikes the cooking immensely. (How many people do you know go: "Ooo! Let's have Polish tonight?" ha ha

Your kind & intelligent response has been most helpful. Thank you.

 

[matzsy]

all recipes.com has a lot of good recipes. Full of flavor and different ways to cook whatever you're looking for. You'll have to look at each one in the category that you're interesting in and make your choices from there. I won't do your research for you, I don't know you, your family or your likes or dislikes. You have to do the work for yourself. That's a good place to start though as they give you the values in all the recipes.

I've been here too. Many times. Like many sites, it has many contributors, which makes it lack a certain consistency. Recipe quality (despite the ratings) are all over the map. Thank you nonetheless for the suggestion. =)

 

[chefkathleen]

I've been here too. Many times. Like many sites, it has many contributors, which makes it lack a certain consistency. Recipe quality (despite the ratings) are all over the map. Thank you nonetheless for the suggestion. =)

What kind of consistency are you looking for? If you pick a recipe out of a thousand, it will still be the same when you look at it tomorrow. And there are probably a lot of different ways to make that one recipe. You have to decide if the ing. will be to your families liking. They're data bank is huge and the storage capacity to hold all the different ones is there. Recipe quality, you should be able to look at it and tell if it's going to work for you and your family. I never look at the rating and neither should you. They're just opinions.

 

[matzsy]

point? I guess we are just trying to help, but you have found a negative aspect to everything thus far.
Have you looked at the Sonoma Cookbook that I recommended?

I saw a Williams-Sonoma cookbook on amazon...Could be interesting. I will browse through it at my local bookstore before I buy...Thanks.

 

[Bilby]

How many people do you know go: "Ooo! Let's have Polish tonight?" ha ha

LOL

We have one Polish restaurant in Perth, where I live, and one or two Serbian ones - all heavy foods, and I am yet to try any of them!! But because it is a "novelty" here, there are lots of people here that are curious but we are all too scared of not being able to roll through the door on the way out!! People always over order when they go, I hear, cos everywhere else you can have two to three courses and just be pleasantly full. They say that you only need a main at these places. I would love to go to sample some of the foods and get a glimpse into my father's heritage. I did go to a Russian restaurant in Paris (!) when I was 18 but .... (read that sentence twice and complete it on your own terms!!)

I did try looking up Weight Watchers in Poland but the site seems to have been discontinued.

You know I don't think this is something you will ever solve. Only your husband can solve this in my opinion cos he is the stumbling block whichever way you turn. You are trying to battle habits that he doesn't want to give up. He has to want to meet you part way.

Good luck.

 

[Wyogal]

The Sonoma Diet Cookbook
sonoma diet cookbook - Google Product Search

 

[matzsy]

What kind of consistency are you looking for? If you pick a recipe out of a thousand, it will still be the same when you look at it tomorrow. And there are probably a lot of different ways to make that one recipe. You have to decide if the ing. will be to your families liking. They're data bank is huge and the storage capacity to hold all the different ones is there. Recipe quality, you should be able to look at it and tell if it's going to work for you and your family. I never look at the rating and neither should you. They're just opinions.

Very true. I don't know about you, but just looking at the recipe has produced many disappointments. And recipes that read boring are sometimes amazing (my leek soup, for example). And one contributor can have an amazing recipe...then a dud. Food is expensive to experiment with.

It's like drinking out of a firehose at time, isn't it?