Sick and tired and burned out of cooking, need chizzuk!

amother

Tue, Sep 16 2014, 7:42 am

I've been cooking for years and years, and I'm so sick and tired of it. I make very simple foods, but for Shabbos and yom tov I can't get away with challah + chicken + salad for all the meals.

It doesn't help that DH is on a diet that requires only natural foods, nothing processed, not even whole wheat flour. So his starches must be bland things like brown rice, quinoa, plain potatoes, etc. And no sugar or fake sugar.

And I LOVE sweet chicken and meats and sweet kugels and sweet salads!

I am not motivated to cook all together, so I definitely won't cook extra for myself, it's enough that I have to cook for DH and the kids. So, after all this cooking work for yom tov, and I will not care for the food at all.

Vent.

Need chizzuk.

My friends are all planning their menus, and I really should do the same so I won't be rushed at the last minute, but I'm so burned out of all of this! Exploding anger

tichellady

Tue, Sep 16 2014, 10:51 am

I think most people get sick of cooking. It really is very overwhelming to have to think of so many meals! I think you should make a few things that you like, even if your husband can't eat them, as you deserve to eat food you enjoy. Obviously, make food for your husband as well. Do you want some help with menu planning? I am happy to help if you tell me more about your husband's diet.

tichellady

Tue, Sep 16 2014, 10:57 am

Can you make sweet potatoes? root vegetables like beets and parsnip? Grains like Farro,Teff, or millet in order to have some variety?

MamaBear

Tue, Sep 16 2014, 12:29 pm

Get creative with dips and toppings. Make sweet and spicy sauce for you to dip your own chicken in. Make some caramelized onions for your potatoes and rice. Add caramelized nuts to your own serving of salad. etc

Simple1

Tue, Sep 16 2014, 6:38 pm

Can you treat yourself to a new cookbook? The nice big ones with colorful pictures of each food can sometimes get the motivation going again.

If you can find a health/diet food cookbook that would be great, but otherwise, maybe you can adapt the recipes - if you're good with that type of thing.

amother

Tue, Sep 16 2014, 7:14 pm

Can't you make all the foods you like for yourself and the kids? It's only dh on the diet, right? Or can't you make plain foods and add spices to part of them later for yourself? Example: plain grilled chicken breast for your dh, then add fajita spices to your grilled chicken and slice into thin strips. Put in warmed tortillas with sauteed peppers and onions mixed with fajita spices, guacamole, and salsa. Yum! Or make plain boiled potatoes for dh, take part of the potatoes and turn into potato salad for yourself. It's only a few minutes of work.

spring13

Tue, Sep 16 2014, 7:38 pm

Would it help to just have some new things to try? Make interesting soups or stews (one pot meals are the bomb), or look for new and unusual vegetables or fruits or grains to use. Can you use maple syrup, stevia, or monkfruit extract to add sweetness?

A Paleo cookbook might be a good source of inspiration, or perhaps a Mediterranean one.

granolamom

Wed, Sep 17 2014, 5:06 pm

I eat a very different diet than my family, so I know how it is when you get tired of cooking..you manage to pull something together for everyone else but yourself. I'm going to suggest that you cook something that YOU love first when preparing for shabbos or yom tov. this way, your food is prepared before you get tired or short on time. you deserve to have foods you like too. personally, I find that this helps keep me from burning out. there's nothing worse than sitting down fri night after a long day of cooking only to have nothing on the table that I really want to eat.

ra_mom

Wed, Sep 17 2014, 5:50 pm

I agree. Make sweet sauces to heat up and drizzle over your roast slices. Or warm up half of the roast slices in the grav it was cooked in for your dh and half of the roast slices in a sweet sauce.

Also, you might need some new exciting ideas here. Tell us what your dh can eat and we will try to help you. Can he have fresh onion, fresh garlic, fresh herbs, olive oil, honey, fresh orange juice, lemon juice?