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Want to Get in the Kitchen More? This Guide will Set you up For Success

April 4, 2022 by Monica Nelson Leave a Comment

If you want to be healthier, then you will know how important it is to try and cook as much food from scratch as possible. If you do not feel as though you are a natural cook, then you will know how frustrating it can be to fail time and time again in the kitchen. That being said, there are things you can do to not only make better meals, but to also enjoy them more. Take a look below to find out more.

Source: Pexels (CC0 License)

Why aren’t you Cooking?

With every habit, you have to know that the real work starts with introspection. You may feel as though you don’t have time to cook or that you don’t even know how. This is understandable, but there are ways around this. If you don’t have time to cook, then you can easily prepare ingredients in advance and you can also try and focus on meals that you can batch-cook. If you can do this, then you will soon find that it is easier than ever for you to stop eating out all the time. If you don’t know how to cook, then you simply need to start focusing on cooking easier meals. It may be that you are trying to run before you can crawl, and this is the last thing that you need. Try and make a fresh pizza, even if it means buying ready-made dough to start with, you will soon gain confidence, to the point that maybe you can make your own. Try this easy grits recipe if you want to learn more.

Address the Issue

Now that you have a good idea about why you are not cooking, you can then address it. It may be that you are simply not creating a weekly routine for example. If this is the case, then you need to spend the weekend trying to plan out the meals you are going to have and then write a grocery list. You can then go out and buy whatever you need without the worry of having to hunt through the cupboards aimlessly every day after work. You may also find that by doing this, you hold yourself accountable each day which is always a good thing. If the issue more lies with the cooking process itself, then you should know that there are many 30-minute recipes out there and each one gives you all of the timings you need. Why not try and work from them if you want to get the best result out of your cooking process?

Start out Small

With any new habit, it is important that you start out small. Most people tend to fail at working out because they cannot go from being a total couch potato to going to the gym consistently every day. This is understandable so if you want to try and do something about this, then you have to try and work yourself up to that level. If you do not cook at all, then begin by cooking a single flavorful meal a week. Over time, you may find that you end up getting more comfortable. You can then increase it to twice a week and so forth.

Make Bigger Portions

If you look at your ancestors, you will soon see that they did not have the luxury of being able to refrigerate things. The great thing is that we do. If you can refrigerate things, then this can cut down your cooking time by 50% throughout the entire week. If you can cook once a week then make sure that you make enough for leftovers. If you can do this, then you will soon find that you only have to cook once per week, but you get two days of food out of it. If you continue to apply this logic, then you will soon find that you can cook 3 days out of the week but have enough meals to cover you for 6.

Of course, if you want to start cooking more, then there are a few things that you can do, and if you follow this guide, you will soon find that you can not only be healthier but you can also be much happier. If you want to try and be healthier overall, then you may want to try and eat things such as carrot sticks, and celery sticks for snacks. If you can do that, then you will find it easier not to snack on things that are unhealthy throughout the day so keep that in mind.


This is a collaborative post. 


Filed Under: Blog

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Hi! I'm Monica Nelson and I'm thrilled that you're here. As a healthy chef, personal trainer & fitness expert, I love helping people look & feel great! That's why I've developed more than 350 recipes from diet-conscious to decadent - but all delicious - so you can experiment with healthy foods that taste great. Take a look around and try a recipe or two and head over for a quick workout at monicanelsonwellness.com

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Let’s fire up the grill and here is a healthy ye Let’s fire up the grill and here is a healthy yet super tasty and fun treat for the 4th!
You can also use this same coconut cream again and just serve with your favorite fresh berries all season long! Enjoy. 

GRILLED PINEAPPLE WITH COCONUT CREAM
🍍🍍🍍

INGREDIENTS

For the Marinade:
• 1 tbs coconut oil (can also use olive)
• 1 tsp  ground cinnamon
• 2 1/2 tbs dark honey
• 1 vanilla bean (can be optional – but I love it here)
• 1 tbs of fresh lime juice
• 1 firm yet ripe pineapple, can buy already cut
For Garnish (Optional):
• 1 tbs dark rum
• 1 tbs grated lime zest from the lime
My Coconut Cream:
• 1 cup heavy cream
• 1/2 cup cream of coconut (such as Coco Lopez)

DIRECTIONS

Marinade:
1. In a large bowl – combine the oil, cinnamon, honey, vanilla bean (if using), and lime juice; whisk to well to blend together. Set aside.
2. Place each pineapple half cut-side down and cut it lengthwise into four long wedges; slice away the core. NOTE: Or you can slice it in rings too, which I do often. 
3. Place the pineapple in the bowl with the marinade and stir to coat the pineapple. Heat up the grill.
4. Place on the grill and cook about 3 to 4 mins. You can baste once or twice with the remaining marinade. Turn the fruit and move it to a cooler part of the grill or reduce the heat. Baste again with the marinade. Grill until the pineapple is tender and golden, about 3 more mins.
5. Remove the pineapple from the grill and place on a platter. Next, brush with the rum – if using. Last, sprinkle with the lime zest. Serve hot or warm!

For the Coconut Cream:
1. With an electric mixer, beat the heavy cream and cream of coconut until soft peaks form. TIP: You can also use this same cream again and just serve with your favorite fresh berries all season long.

So perfect for a summer treat with friends. Enjoy!
Let’s make my GREEN ME UP smoothie! I’ve been Let’s make my GREEN ME UP smoothie! I’ve been making this smoothie or a variation of it for the past 13-14 yrs, heck before there was TikTok. 😂 Such a delicious way to pack in some serious nutrition and those GREENS. 

Smoothies are an incredible tool to your wellbeing. They are super easy, versatile, and gosh dang - delicious and healthy. (If made correctly). That’s why I’m all about getting my clients on the smoothie train - if they’re up for it. 😉 

Just love providing clients with dozens of smoothie recipes I’ve created packed with protein and fiber, including healthy fats that keep you full 3-5 hrs easily. No matter what season of life I’ve been in personally: serious training, fitness modeling, both pregnancies/postpartum/nursing, healing, and now being a busy mom feeding our kids smoothies each morning, smoothies have been an essential piece.

This is a loose recipe so you can add anything else you want. Just make sure you have your protein source, your favorite veggies (hello phytonutrients), fiber sources and healthy fat. 

** Tip: put all the ingredients (EXCEPT the liquid) in the blender the night before! This tip has helped for years.

🥬GREEN ME UP SMOOTHIE🥬

• Handful of organic greens
• 1-2 cups organic celery (vitamins A, K, C, hydrating, supports digestion)
• 1/2 cup frozen cauliflower rice (makes it thick, extra fiber)
• 1 Brazil nut (gives daily selenium, which is important for fertility)
• 1/4 of an avocado
• 1/4 cup wild blueberries
• 1 tsp organic spirulina @nowfoodsofficial 
• 1/4-1/2 ceylon cinnamon (helps regulate blood sugar, antioxidant)
• 1 scoop @paleovalley bone broth powder
• 1 scoop whey - I like isolate and @nowfoodsofficial has a good one
• Creatine @nowfoodsofficial (fav supplement for 10+ yrs)
• 6-8 oz of unsweetened almond or coconut milk
• 1 scoop of @beeyawellness for topping, optional 

Other options I rotate in: ginger root, basil & chia seeds, psyllium husk powder, lemon (vitamin C), herbs like cilantro & mint, dandelion greens (great source of vitamin K).

1. Place everything in a HIGH-speed blender (yes this is important. Otherwise you’ll get salad texture). Blend for about 1 min. Enjoy!
Happy 2nd birthday to this special girl who I’m Happy 2nd birthday to this special girl who I’m utterly positive is a true magical fairy princess. We did a purple bday theme to match her cast. We just love watching you shine and embrace your world! 
You bring such joy and laughter to us Aubyn and may your birthday be as extraordinary as you are, sweet one. 💜🎂💜
Your kids are always listening. Always watching. A Your kids are always listening. Always watching. Always paying attention to your every move. They want to be. just. like. you. Healthy habits start young! Glad to see these two at 23 months & 6 yrs old lifting all on their own. 💪🏻

Recently Asher rushed home from school and said “I’m working out for 10 mins to get strong.” Followed by “then I can break free from all the hugs.” We learned that apparently 3 girls at recess hug Asher nonstop and he wants to get strong to “get away from all the girls.” 😳 Never a dull moment.
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About

Hi! I'm Monica Nelson and I'm thrilled that you're here. As a healthy chef, personal trainer & fitness expert, competitive athlete & sports model, I love helping people look & feel great! Try a recipe or read a wellness blog and tell me what you think.

Popular Posts

Salad with kale, chickpeas, and butternut squash.
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