@@WellWithHelsare there any similar youtubers like her? Like EXACTLY like her. Cause I can't find anyone similar to her. Her videos are so chill, cozy, and gives of comfort feeling while also being down to earth she doesn't give too overly fancy or perfect vibe which also puts me at ease and it always feels like im learning something with her, And I don't see many or other youtubers like her. Even her 2nd channel is fun watch just watching her everyday lifestyle is soooo enjoyable and fun I don't get that alot from many youtubers I have watched over the years.
You did such a good job! Don’t forget that seeds, nuts, herbs and spices all count towards the “30 different things to help your microbiome” so you probably well hit your target of 20 🎯🤙🏼
I recently realized I hit like 22 vegs/fruit/seeds/nuts/legumes/herbs a day on average, plus I eat homemade yogurt (cheese, kefir, ayran), lactofermented pickles, and kombucha almost daily. I kinda don't understand the issue with hitting the target unless the weather is bad and the homemade stuffs temps go off or my balcony garden dies, because groceries are mad expensive.
I worked in hospitality for a few years and all of the food prep was done like this. Because of that I implemented the same routine in my house! its just so easy to eat balanced and its helping with my weight loss journey! the only thing is once its preped you have around 3 days to eat the food before it goes off. so I do freeze some of the prep for the middle of the week as well as create complete meals and freeze them just in case i fancy a microwave dinner instead. I do recommend investing on a vacum sealing containers and bags so your produce can stay fresher for longer! And also get the cutting box thats now all over amazon. it just cuts vegies in squares in one go and cuts down on prep!! saving time!
i stopped watching this channel for a minute and came back pleasantly surprised with how much it has grown! Storytelling, filming and editing...everything has improved lotsss. proud :)
Ideas for quick meals: -Shakshuka (bon apetit recipe) -red pepper pesto pasta (great recipe on kitchen stories, I substituted tortellini with penne ) -penne ala vodka (serious eats recipe) -cesar salad (joshua weissman) -roast chicken with garic and lemon (bon apetit recipe, can feed one person for 2-3 days) -sriracha honey garlic lime salmon (1. Season the salmon fillet with salt and pepper, 2. Make a glaze from sriracha, honey, fresh garlic and lime juice 3. Sear the salmon on a hot pan with a bit of olive oil for 1-2 minutes per side 4. transfer to a parchemnt paper lined baking dish, glaze it and finish baking in the oven at 220C for 10-15 min (you can glaze it again at 5 min mark)) -okonomiyaki (just one cook book recipe) -gochujang glazed tofu (1. mix 2 teaspoons gochujang(korean red pepper paste) with 1-2 teaspoons rice vinegar, 3 tablespoons light soy sauce, and 1-2 teaspoons sugar, 2. Cut one block of tofu into cubes and dry with kitchen towels, sear the tofu in a non stick pan with a bit of oil, when crispy on all sides add glaze and reduce until thickened) - spicy taco skillet (kitchen stories recipe) Enjoy cooking😊
Tip for you taz, if you leave a zip lock bag slightly open and then dip it into a pan of cold water , (obviously keep it below the zip lol😅) the bags go air tight around your food and help it stay fresher for longer.
Consider preparing an "everything seasoning mix" to help with seasoning. I have a few mixes to get cooking easier - 1 dried herb mix (rosemary, thyme, oregano, cumin, coriander), 1 seasoning mix (salt, pepper, garlic powder and onion powder) and they kind of go with everything.
Here’s another idea of meal prepping! You can make a bunch of Korean side dishes like spinach, bean sprouts, cucumbers, marinated eggs and whenever it’s time to eat you can just dump it in a bowl of rice or any grain of ur choice! This is what i always do as a college student cause honestly I don’t have enough time to cook 😭 there’s a lot of recipes for it online~ you should check them out!
In South Africa, we have something called Potato salad - made with boiled potatoes and boiled eggs, cut into small cubes and tossed together with some mayonnaise, lemon juice and salt and pepper. It's absolutely amazing and is had as a cold side dish for meals
The 20 plants don’t have to be vegetables. You can include lentils, beans, fruit and more plant foods. 20 vegetables a week is actually crazy expensive😢
gurl, the only comment i have is "DONT put hot food directly in plastic" thats the first thing you have to do, if you want your gut health to improve. (love your videos, keep up the good work🥰)
@@sunnygirl5467 it is indeed severe. Plastic leach over time. The takeaway plastic boxes that food comes in are disposable. Most of the plastic you see where food comes in is disposable. So long term plastic use with hot food is indeed harmful.
@@ambivalent7glass containers are wonderful. Ello is a brand that makes glass containers with a silicone cover on the bottom to prevent them from breaking or sliding around. It’s an investment and more expensive than plastic, but they often go on sale and will last a lot longer than the plastic which breaks down overtime. The glass is also dishwasher safe, whereas some plastic containers will melt or warp in a hot wash cycle.
Let the food cool to room temp, then dispense into plastic containers, then freeze or refrigerate. (Also better for your fridge that way!) And when you use the food up, don't heat it in the plastic container. Take it out into a pan (or glass bowl if microwaving) first. The dangerous chemicals in plastics will transfer into your food more quickly if the plastic is heated, especially where there's a lot of acid eg tomato sauces.
Don't add blueberries to pancake batter. Make sure they are dry, pour your pancake and drop some on top. Cook, flip, cook, serve. This prevents berries from watering down the batter.
I also push them into the batter a little bit cause I find they they burn and start sticking, but when I push them in the batter comes up around the berries when you flip it!
i use to watch you a ton and your skin looks fantastic and you seem to be in such a healthy state, your story telling has improved and so much more. fantastic work taz!
Highly recommend roasting your Mediterranean veggies (courgette, peppers, red onions and tomatoes) they’re then already roasted and fab in salads, incorporated into sauces or served on the side of fish or chicken Roasting sweet potatoes is also one I love ❤❤
I did a similar thing last week. hahaha I have the same containers with labels. They are the best. Use "painter tape" Blue or Green. its easy to peel and plenty to use from a roll of tape. I enjoyed doing it and it works. Prep is relaxing and feels like I'm a chef or cook.
Hi Taz! I'm a longtime watcher but rare/never commenter. I'm so excited that you discovered the ingredient-prep style of meal prep. Obviously this was a first time for you and you were emulating pro chefs who go pretty hard, but as a fellow adult with severe ADHD, this is what keeps me afloat - I have a job that is hardcore and draining during the week, so I place a farmers' market/grocery order for Fridays and do ingredient prep for the week on Sundays. It allows me to satisfy cravings and not get bored while also not spending more than 10-20 minutes on meals. Also, quick tip -- things like vaguely labeled 'chicken seasoning' often already contain salt. You should check seasoning blends before adding additional salt. I've over-salted that way before.
One helpful tip I have to share is that it's best to freeze your rice in single portions as cooked rice doesn't keep for very long in the fridge and can become unsafe. Look up fried rice syndrome. Love your videos as always Taz ☺️
I keep my cooked rice in the fridge with a paper towel to prevent condensation from the lid dripping into the bowl of rice. I cook plain rice and eat with curry cooked separately.😊
Tip from a culinary student: always season by hand, pour into your hand or pinch with your fingers into the seasoning and sprinkle from air to spread more evenly. thats how you'll be able to season properly rather than being scared to accidently over/under season your food 10:00 also dont season your protein with salt or pepper until prior to cooking or you'll dry out your protein unless youre marinating/brining overnight
It’s best to portion out your starch (rice/quinoa). That way you can freeze it & simply pull 1 out to warm up in the microwave to eat w/ side/main dish of choice.
I am ingredients household (celiac and vegetarian) what i have found for sauces it to also have stock: Plain Greek Yogurt (can use as a milk and sour cream sub) EVO Sesame Seed Oil Rice Wine Vinegar White Wine Vinegar Soy Sauce Lemon Concentrate - or lemons Chili Flake Garlic Powder Onion Powder Basil Dill Oregano Black Pepper Salt Smoked Paprika Brown Sugar - or molasses Corn Starch - or Tapioca flour/starch It looks like a lot but you have the foundation for majority of the major global cuisines and can make nearly any sauce (or a variant of it) . Plus you probably use in a decent amount of the ingredients in cooking anyway.
Ingredient prep is such a game changer. My favourite way to use up my precooked quinoa is to add it to soups. It helps to bulk up a soup into a main meal, adds a cheeky portion of protein and changes things up so that you're not just eating it in a salad.
Heyy taz, this is amazing! I do 'ingrediënt prepping' for some time now and as a student it is really nice too. Something that I love is to freeze the spring onion. So once I buy it, I cut it all and put it in the small deli container and directly in the freezer. That way it doesn't go bad and in a stirfry you can just add it last minute and it will defrost in seconds! I don't eat peas that often, but if I buy it, it goes in the freezer as well. Having vegetables in the freezer is game changing!❤🎉 Keep it up!
Oohw and I saw that you had Pesto in a container. If I buy pesto, it stays in the jar it came in. When I make it, I pour it in ice cube holders and freeze it. Whenever you want pesto, you defrost it (because of the oil percentage it is done in seconds). I have seen people do this with minced garlic as well.. but I haven't done that yet. Making your own chili oil is also easy, but maybe that is one step to far😅🎉❤
quick recommendation from the kitchen where i work: INVEST IN DISSOLVABLE LABELS!!! they make life so much easier, as you stick them on like any other paper label, and just rinse off when you're done, and it goes down the drain and doesn't clog it up or anything!!! the only thing is doesn't work for is frozen stuff, because sometimes they dissolve when defrosting.
Yeah, preprep is key. I do that when i return from the market. Wash & prepare all the fruits & veg, etc, then pick & choose through the week depending on my mood. Fresh, homegrown herbs in season & a well stocked dry herb/spice pantry in the winter are the key to diversity. Glad to see you experimenting, Taz!
If you do this long term and want to make the investment, IKEA glass containers are a great alternative to plastic and you can freeze and bake them. I always keep a roll of painter’s tape and a sharpie for label making
My ingredient prep tip is to pick an area of the globe each week. You can make (or buy) sauces & soup bases from different cusines, and use herbs & vegetables that typically go with it.
If you find ingredient prepping too overwhelming and you feel lost on ideas for what to make - I initially bought the Gousto meal boxes with discount and managed to collect a lot of good recipe cards, then I found out that you can go onto Gousto recipe book for FREE and find great meals to cook, typically ~30 minutes and few than 10 ingredients. I find this so helpful for doing my food shop (I only buy the amount I need of each veg) and I use them up by the next week so I don't have any food waste. I don't have any cooking stress now and it's amazing for 1 person servings and plenty leftovers - hope this might help! Love your videos Taz
I’m so glad ur on the meal prep bandwagon….its essential if ur life is hectic but u love to cook at home and have healthy and tasty food options . I have been doing this all my life and for a foodie like me it’s just amazing to eat at home and work at the same time
That's a good idea to use the ready grocery store meals as inspiration - I sometimes get stuck with running out of meal ideas. The potato & veg curry looks good, craving that now and will probably make a similar dish this week :D
Taz your videos are the best I have been extremely sick in hospital and now you’ve posted I’m so happy your so amazing I love how real you are honestly your videos make me smile and laugh your so beautiful I’m so happy you posted ❤❤❤
Not sure if anyone has said this but i would advise ordering dry erase labels with a white board marker on the containers for ease of labelling when choosing different ingredients
I did meal prep since forever, now for me the challenge is to live in the moment and go to the market without a list. It kills off the spark of the moment over prolonged periods of time but indeed it's helpful to our daily lives. It requires a lot of efficient thinking but totally worth it. I sometimes cook the meals in advance, for 5 working days, actually only lunch. Very inspiring to keep doing it. Thanks!
I've been watching your videos for a few years now and i just want to say, your cooking skills have improved so much!! Your food genuinely looks so good, I'm proud of you taz
I buy a whole salmon and before I freeze it I cut it into single serve portions and wrap in foil and freeze. I also load up on frozen veggies as you can cook as much, or little as you want and they won’t spoil. I use the same method with ginger root and onions. They can be sliced and frozen, then take out and use as needed. There are so many ways you can make it simple and yummy! Good luck! 😊
As someone who has also struggled with meal prep and the overwhelm of grocery shopping this method has helped me as well! Often the biggest struggle for me is getting into the kitchen. I've found that If Habit Stack and turn on a video (Usually a cooking show/ YT Chef, or an audio version of a reading assignment) unlike music it helps me to stay focused on my task , learn new tips for prep and soothe the mental stress and resistance I feel to the idea of cooking. I actually look forward to it now! BTW this works with any containers you already have as well, I use a mix of deli containers from past Take-Out and glass prep containers.
What has worked for me is to learn how to make different types of sauces. Do batch prep of the sauces then on the day cook your choice of vege, meat, fish with the sauce.
I remember seeing something similar about the 20 veggies, but it was eating food items from 20 different plants, so that means your grains and anything that comes from a plant instead of an animal, so even like tofu, tempeh and other plant based proteins (all the beans!) As for the serotonin in your gut, the vagus nerve controls your gut and the main neurotransmitter it utilizes is serotonin. Serotonin itself can't pass the blood-brain barrier. Eating does increase dopamine in the brain, which does impact heavily impact mood, which is more where that comes from. And by regulating your gut, you don't feel sick and your blood sugar is more predictable (ADHD forgetting to eat and getting hangry or weepy is real).
@@YokoFuongAnh I've seen a few different people give different numbers. Not vegan as my nutritional needs make it not sustainable for me, but I'm definitely someone who grew up eating out of a garden and at least 1 identifiable vegetable was required at every dinner. It's not hard to do once it becomes part of the everyday routine. Just might have intense outcomes if you try hit a high number all at once if it wasn't already a norm
Some of my favourite “sauces” - Black bean sauce (as in fermented soybeans) - Curry sauces (obviously lots of different spice combos) - Teriyaki sauce - Silky garlic sauce - Mushroom sauce - Gochujang & sesame sauce - Ssamjang (honestly even delicious just with your raw veg snacks) - Enchilada sauce - Basil or tomato pesto 🥥🥦🍅🥕🥔🧅🌶️🧄🌮🥘🍝🍛🍲🌯
The way i feed myself is i cook 2 meals a week. Make 3 portions. 2 to eat and 1 one the freeze. So i only have to heat up meals on the days that i don't cook. it a gives me allot of different things to eat in a week ( i think i hit that 20 different vegs every week) but not all the prep every day. Supermarkets in the netherlands have magazines or recipe cards for free. I've collected allot of them over the years. And on sunday i make a list with what to eat and what to buy for it. It's been working for 6 years now for me. My favorite things to make when i haven't got a clue is stirfry or hard shell taco's. And a good risotto is always welcome. I think in all 3 you can stuff allot of veggies. I always try to mix the veggies i buy ever week. As much as i love broccoli it's not a good idea every week. It's so interesting to watch what other people eat. I can't handle spicy at all but seeing you put chili flakes on everything makes me smile.
This is my first time watching your videos and I absolutely love how relatable you are! Your personality reminds me so much of myself and I love how excited you are to try this new way of meal prepping. You did such a great job, girl! Can't wait to try this myself soon. I'm no chef so seeing you do all of this gives me hope!
This seems so obvious, yet something I’ve never done 😅 Totally trying this out! Maybe glass containers to store them in though 🥰 Glad your gut is feeling happier with you 🙏♥️
I do believe you have to be careful about keeping cooked rice in the fridge for no more than a couple of days! Also cooked potatoes only have a very limited fridge life too so do check before using some things after 5 or 6 days!
Great video. If you're keen on meal prep, please look into sou vide. You can cook using sous vide, say, chicken breast, then store for weeks in vacuum sealed bags and just use when needed or if you like, sear before eating. Also the vacuum sealer can preserve so many different types of food or prevent opened food from going off. It literally pays for itself in a short time. Sous vide is the real game changer.
Honestly I think this is probably the best way to prepare food. It's like watching baking shows where they have the pre measured bowls of all the ingredients which they just put together x
I saw a girl make a list of things she likes for BF, L,D and made 2 options each and meal prep in small quantities, no waste, no boredom! I found that amazing and want to try
It's so nice to see someone find a new passion for cooking. 🤩 If you are pressed on time, using the oven is a great alternative for veggies and proteins, because you dont have to stir as much. Also, wraps are very versatile and an amazing way to use up leftovers 🌯
As a mother of three boys, this is consistently what I have done for the last year. It is so much better than cooking a full meal and putting it on repeat for the week!
You've given me a few ideas, thanks! If you want to reduce the prep time, a food processor to speed up chopping/grating or even pre-prepped frozen veg (cheaper than fresh) might be useful options. For your blueberry pancakes, you needed to make American or Scotch pancakes - just use self-raising flour instead of plain flour and they should rise a little. You can also add more flour for a thicker batter (although obviously don't add too much or it won't mix in properly and you'll end up with lumps of flour in your pancakes).
18:03 Serotonin is found in both. I was also surprised when I first found that out According to the Cleveland Clinic, we see: "Most of your body's serotonin is in your GI tract where it helps control your bowel function and plays a role in protecting your gut. Your gut can increase serotonin release to speed digestion to rid your body of irritating foods or toxic products." So, it's likely the case that neurotransmitters are found throughout the body, not just in the brain, because the entire body has other regions outside of the brain and spinal chord with a bunch of nerve clusters.
A combination of food prep and ingredient prep works for me. Food prep consist of dump-and-go dishes and cooked dishes that is frozen. Thus way I cover all my basis for the days with no time to cook and the says I feel inspired to cook from 'scratch'.
i was recently diagnosed with PCOS and finding it so hard to cook (never did much before) and meal prep. Basically everything I used to eat isn’t the best for me anymore and I have so many restrictions now (to prevent diabetes). This is really eye-opening and I think I will try it!
I was diagnosed with pcos 11 years ago and was type 2 diabetic. I'm now pre-diabetic...the best diet I have found is whole food diet/Mediterranean diet. Focus on foods in their most basic form or as near as you can instead of sugar use honey Wholemeal instead of white bread. My periods came back and I lost 4 stone. Also inositol, vitamin D and folic acid are a must!!
Regarding the best pancakes you can make, blueberry pancakes. When you mix the batter, you need to let it sit and it will thicken in a few minutes. then it will give you thicker batter to work with. My dad's secret is to slap them on the griddle/pan when you flip them to activate the baking powder, and make them rise. Good luck on the next batch!
My husband and i just moved into our first apartment and ive been very nervous about the cooking process since i didnt really have to cook before…. Wish me luck!
Hi Taz, I love the South African flag magnet on our extractor fan. Thank you for inspiring me to try and do the prep and hopefully enjoy making food again
Taz I hope you’re doing well in terms of mental health too. Looking after your physical health helps with mental health but it’s important to look after both. Lots of love to you ❤
This is actually what I always do when do 'Meal Prep'. You're preparing the ingredients for the meal later on that week. So watching a bunch of influencers meal prepping 2 or 3 dishes and eating them for the rest of the week is insane for me who eats different food 3 times a day 😂. What works for me is keeping different types of ready-to-use sauce in jars/bottles like teriyaki or hot & spicy and also a dried mix of herb/spices like curry, allspice, or even paste, like tom yum or curry paste. It's a game changer. I would also usually prep the veggies a couple of different ways. Like I would dice the carrot for quick stir fry, but also cut it into wedges/bigger chunks for soup/stew. And I always think of texture as well. In one meal I would always like to have something soupy or at least moist alongside with some crunch. So I do different kinds of fritters as well Some of them I would parboil it then freeze, some will be cut and stored
I am writing this as I am watching the videos. These are the things I have picked from my mom, sisters and others along my cooking and baking journey as a home cook. ( over 18 years) 1. Never pour SALT directly into the dish. take it in hand and sprinkle over. This way you get to not only control it, but also learn how much to put next time. Most people I know keep their salts in a large jar with a tsp scoop, with mine I know that 1 scoop of salt for 1 glass (ikea kiddo glass) of rice. This will differ with the kind of rice you use and how you cook it. 2. For pancakes 1:1:1 ratio of flour, egg and milk. Add salt and flavourings from there on. When you mix the batter, run your across the back of the spoon and the batter shouldnt come back. This will give you medium thickness batter, berries and chocolate chips and such will be well integrated. I like mine on the crepe side so I add more milk. You can always prep pancake batter too. Remember the batter right out fridge will be thicker then the one on room temp. But with a non flavoured batter you can do sweet for breakfast and add a splash of make savoury crepe with sauteed veggies and chicken for dinner. 3. Given that you have a rice cooker, I would suggest make a fresh batch of rice the day you want to eat it, makes a huge difference to the meal. Some yoghurt with tadka and fresh hot rice with a side of spiced potatos (made from the boiled potatoes) and maybe some leftover protein and you are set. 4. Try and get a readymade roast chicken into your cooking plan. Shred the breast, ready for wraps, sandwiches, soups. Eat the the legs and wings for protein. Boil the the rest and bones with a few aromatics gets a delicious broth. 5. Things I always try and have on hand are. Chopped and sliced sauted until soft onions. Ginger and garlic paste. Coriander paste ( use that a lot on my fish). Crushed garlic. Sliced and sauted mushrooms/capsicums/green onions. Blanched and pureed spinach, sometimes I will add dill, fenugreek or amaranth leaves to it. And some form of Arabic dip.
Taz with the pancakes and blueberry.... Pour some batter in allow it to cook a little bit the top will still be wet.... Ass blueberries then add more of the batter on top this is what I do and I usually use frozen blueberries and it works so I guess fresh will be even better. Your batter needs to be a bit thicker but that's defo the way I have found works best 😁💜🙏🏿💜
I think this could work for me too! I love having lots of different left overs that i can throw together as a meal so this seems sensible. Can also involve other members of my household for the prep on the shopping day and then it'd feel like even less work!
The way i smiled so hard when i saw this video pop up 😭 I haven't just scrolled down TH-cam in such a long, i loved Taz's videos of her trying to make like $10 last a week
Couscous is a great grain for this style of cooking. Add some olive oil, lemon, garlic and fresh herbs, sprinkle on some nuts, and boom, a great base. If your salt is giving you problems, get a new container! I often use commercial sauces. Shrimp and avocado with poppyseed dressing on rice is so good. Costco has a great commercial butter chicken sauce. Commercial peach chutney is fantastic on pan fried chicken thighs Spinach sautéed with lots of garlic and pepper is great
You can get square-shaped boxes to spare some room in your fridge, even better to get vacuum-sealed boxes (but more costly). A further tip, blanch your food to preserve quality. So those broccoli florets, cook them for the shortest amount of time and then put them in ice water before storing. The spring onions, you can dip directly in ice water (this will ensure they are crispy and will remain fresh).
Oh and try to refrain from prepping stuff like rice if possible. Cooked rice goes off quite quickly yet it is very simple to make when needed. Your tastebuds will thank you too :)
I have tried different methods also with average satisfaction. Look forward to trying and experimenting this. Would love to see another video in the near future to see how it's going. Thankyou
Hi Taz! I loved this episode and I think I'm going to give ingredient prepping a shot based on how it worked for you :D I wanted to also include a pancake recipe, though as I have gotten a pretty good one from a little experimentation over the years. You need: 1 cup flour, 2 tsp baking powder (powder, not soda, that much soda will make it taste funny), salt to taste (I usually do like a quarter tsp), 2 tablespoons of sugar, 1 or 2 eggs, 1 cup of milk, 2 tbsp of melted butter, and a little vanilla extract (optional, but makes things tasty). The eggs in this case just make the flavor of the pancakes a little richer (since we're using the baking powder as leavening), so you can add 1 or two depending on your taste. You can also use different kinds of milk and flour depending on your taste as well! I've started making whole grain pancakes for the protein (they come out a little flatter than all purpose flour pancakes, but still v tasty). Method: Set a pan on the stove to preheat or, if you're fancy, turn on your griddle to a medium heat. Alton Brown says the surface is the right temp for pancakes if you sprinkle some water on and the beads dance around rather than evaporate (too hot) or just set (too cool). Combine the flour, baking powder, sugar and salt in a medium bowl and whisk together. Make a little well in the center and add your eggs, melted butter, vanilla and half your milk. Whisk together until mixture begins to smooth out (some lumps are good! they help the pancakes get fluffy). Add the rest of the milk, little by little, until the batter is to your desired thickness (desired thickness will take some experimentation). Pour into a non stick skillet or one generously greased. As pancake begins to rise and form bubbles on the top, add any mix ins your desire (blueberries, chocolate chips, bananas, etc). When the bubbles that have begun to form start to pop, flip your pancake! You can test the second side for done-ness by poking the cooked side. If it crackles, the pancake should be cooked through. Great video as always!
Other grain to try: farro, millet, barley. We made a farro mushroom & spinach last week. It was so good. We make an edamame quinoa salad that is super tasty & lots of veggies. We always have a vegan protein & a bean in our ingredient prep. We like tempeh & tofu, chickpeas & lentils. Sometimes we make white bean hummus, sometimes roasted chickpeas, sometimes roasted lentils. Great video. This is my first one of yours to watch.
For better salt portioning get a salt cellar. It allows you to pinch the salt and drop it more evenly on the food. You have a lot more control with your hand than the spout on the package.
I'm going to try this, it makes a lot more sense then meal prepping which also bores me. I've got a food processor and I struggled to add veg in, but now the start of the week I shread 1 large cucumber and a half bag of carrots and it's so easy to just add as an extra to meals.
If even prepping is too much, go for pre cut frozen veggies. Go for canned legumes, red lentils etc. So you can toss things into a pot, throw some seasoning onto it, tada. You got something edible that's not just junk.
so happy for you! usually for my weekly marinades, i either do a curry rub, miso pepper lemon, spicy mala or a soy sauce sesame! these are for my proteins. my carbs are quick oats, vermicelli, and some bread. so i do stir frys with vege, something the proteins go in them. usually they are airfried, or i even slice them thin to go into noodle soups. this way of ingredient prep totally works! the biggest game changer for me tho was getting a mushroom platter of 6 diff types. they are so easy to cook and make most dishes very hearty!!! good luck to you, my dear!!! ❤
Getting ideas for prepped ingredients from a grocery shop is such a good idea! Their prepped ingredients are already designed to be easy to use and have a decent fridge-life span. Great idea!
I have been doing something similar on and off for a few years and it definitely results in my healthiest meals. To make it even friendlier for my ADHD brain, I often get my groceries delivered and get some things pre-chopped, whenever I can afford it. I am so glad these options are now a lot more accessible where I live than they were a few years ago. My favourite prep ingredients are carrots, sweet potato and pumpkin. I love pumpkin and sweet potato but hate cutting them so I am glad I can afford to buy them prepped. I peel and cut the carrots and then dump the carrots, pumpkin and sweet potato cubes on some baking sheets and add oil, and whatever spices I feel like that day (usually copious amounts of garlic as well) and put in in the oven while I make some rice in my microwave rice-cooker and wash some salad. I love assembling bowls throughout the week and using different things as sauces and dressings. Unfortunately my fridge is tiny so I never can prep enough for every meal for an entire week, but it at least gets me started and makes me remember how good it actually feels to eat proper meals ever once in a while instead of just random snacks all day. I do still lack consistency with eating at all, let alone eating full meals, but I am slowly getting better at it and your videos always motivate me to keep trying.
I’ve thought about doing this before but I have never seen a good example of ingredient prepping online. Meal prepping doesn’t work well for me because I really don’t like leftovers. I love hot fresh meals. So thanks for introducing something I’m willing to try. Also, your pancake batter needed more flour. When in doubt about the texture of your food, you probably need more of one of the ingredients. The more you cook, the more you learn overtime how to troubleshoot food problems.
You can make pizza dough by mixing all the ingredients and just chucking it in the fridge covered in oil. The yeast rises super slow and the longer it sits the better it tastes
You are doing really good jumping in and trying. It was inspiring to me and I want to do it. I cook meals for a whole work week and eat the same thing throughout the week. Ingredient prep gives new ideas. My first view and I am sharing yourvideo.
Years ago I read from some diet book that focused on Japanese dishes that in Japan people eat over 30 different fruits and vegetables per week. Now, I have no idea and don't much care about the credibility of the info, but it has become a fun game for me. I also struggle a lot with consistency, so a few times a year I will track the number of different fruit, veg, berries and herbs I eat in a week and try to get to 30. Honestly the only reason I stick with this number is because it's challenging. 20 would be too easy (for me personally) for it to be any fun. I do this with a sibling because my interest would not last as long alone. Whenever I'm doing this I get very excited and try to find new ways to incorporate different things in my meals. I usually do it for 2-3 weeks and after I stop counting the habit of finding new things to try and trying to have a good variety naturally carries on for a while.
anyone reading this, if you're in no rush to get good sauce containers, just buy those Heinz Ketchup bottles that stand upside down and are squeezable... When you're done, just reuse them. eventually you'll have a couple of them
Honestly Taz is the most endearing youtuber out there , girlie isn't a green flag, she is an entire green forest
🥦💚✅ So true!
@@WellWithHelsare there any similar youtubers like her? Like EXACTLY like her. Cause I can't find anyone similar to her. Her videos are so chill, cozy, and gives of comfort feeling while also being down to earth she doesn't give too overly fancy or perfect vibe which also puts me at ease and it always feels like im learning something with her, And I don't see many or other youtubers like her.
Even her 2nd channel is fun watch just watching her everyday lifestyle is soooo enjoyable and fun I don't get that alot from many youtubers I have watched over the years.
@@melodygray2727someone I would say is quite similar would be @grackle
I agree it's been so so many years I still feel her warmth in every video
Jenna phips is very different but also very herself and bubbly .
You did such a good job! Don’t forget that seeds, nuts, herbs and spices all count towards the “30 different things to help your microbiome” so you probably well hit your target of 20 🎯🤙🏼
Seeds and spices is such great shout! So easy to add to lots of things 🙏 x
Yes and grains!
And beans.
I recently realized I hit like 22 vegs/fruit/seeds/nuts/legumes/herbs a day on average, plus I eat homemade yogurt (cheese, kefir, ayran), lactofermented pickles, and kombucha almost daily. I kinda don't understand the issue with hitting the target unless the weather is bad and the homemade stuffs temps go off or my balcony garden dies, because groceries are mad expensive.
For labels - use painters tape. Its adhesive isn't much stronger than a post-it note for easy removal for washing.
As a former teacher I used this method to save my walls. 👍🏽
Excellent idea xxx
The other option is Freezer Tape & a sharpie. Then you’re using the same labeling method for anything that needs to go into the freezer.
Carmy would agree
@@jackieworthington6892agreed
I worked in hospitality for a few years and all of the food prep was done like this. Because of that I implemented the same routine in my house! its just so easy to eat balanced and its helping with my weight loss journey! the only thing is once its preped you have around 3 days to eat the food before it goes off. so I do freeze some of the prep for the middle of the week as well as create complete meals and freeze them just in case i fancy a microwave dinner instead. I do recommend investing on a vacum sealing containers and bags so your produce can stay fresher for longer! And also get the cutting box thats now all over amazon. it just cuts vegies in squares in one go and cuts down on prep!! saving time!
The cutting box is a game changer for ingredients prep! People don’t use freezers enough! Freeze your produce/protein and your meals!
i stopped watching this channel for a minute and came back pleasantly surprised with how much it has grown! Storytelling, filming and editing...everything has improved lotsss. proud :)
Ideas for quick meals:
-Shakshuka (bon apetit recipe)
-red pepper pesto pasta (great recipe on kitchen stories, I substituted tortellini with penne )
-penne ala vodka (serious eats recipe)
-cesar salad (joshua weissman)
-roast chicken with garic and lemon (bon apetit recipe, can feed one person for 2-3 days)
-sriracha honey garlic lime salmon (1. Season the salmon fillet with salt and pepper, 2. Make a glaze from sriracha, honey, fresh garlic and lime juice 3. Sear the salmon on a hot pan with a bit of olive oil for 1-2 minutes per side 4. transfer to a parchemnt paper lined baking dish, glaze it and finish baking in the oven at 220C for 10-15 min (you can glaze it again at 5 min mark))
-okonomiyaki (just one cook book recipe)
-gochujang glazed tofu (1. mix 2 teaspoons gochujang(korean red pepper paste) with 1-2 teaspoons rice vinegar, 3 tablespoons light soy sauce, and 1-2 teaspoons sugar, 2. Cut one block of tofu into cubes and dry with kitchen towels, sear the tofu in a non stick pan with a bit of oil, when crispy on all sides add glaze and reduce until thickened)
- spicy taco skillet (kitchen stories recipe)
Enjoy cooking😊
Thans for suggestions sounds yummy
I needed this because I'm running out of ideas. Could you also add the recipe links
I think links don’t work in youtube comments
Wow thank you for this!
This is great, thanks!
Tip for you taz, if you leave a zip lock bag slightly open and then dip it into a pan of cold water , (obviously keep it below the zip lol😅) the bags go air tight around your food and help it stay fresher for longer.
Consider preparing an "everything seasoning mix" to help with seasoning. I have a few mixes to get cooking easier - 1 dried herb mix (rosemary, thyme, oregano, cumin, coriander), 1 seasoning mix (salt, pepper, garlic powder and onion powder) and they kind of go with everything.
Here’s another idea of meal prepping! You can make a bunch of Korean side dishes like spinach, bean sprouts, cucumbers, marinated eggs and whenever it’s time to eat you can just dump it in a bowl of rice or any grain of ur choice! This is what i always do as a college student cause honestly I don’t have enough time to cook 😭 there’s a lot of recipes for it online~ you should check them out!
That's a fantastic tip!
In South Africa, we have something called Potato salad - made with boiled potatoes and boiled eggs, cut into small cubes and tossed together with some mayonnaise, lemon juice and salt and pepper. It's absolutely amazing and is had as a cold side dish for meals
We have the same in the US.
Yumm!
@@tianamarie989 oh I didn't know that.. Cool
Same in Brazil
Same here in Canada! Love potato salad
The 20 plants don’t have to be vegetables. You can include lentils, beans, fruit and more plant foods. 20 vegetables a week is actually crazy expensive😢
gurl, the only comment i have is "DONT put hot food directly in plastic" thats the first thing you have to do, if you want your gut health to improve. (love your videos, keep up the good work🥰)
It's definetely not that severe if you don't heat it up🤔 most foods already come in plastic packaging🤷♀️
@@sunnygirl5467 it is indeed severe. Plastic leach over time.
The takeaway plastic boxes that food comes in are disposable. Most of the plastic you see where food comes in is disposable. So long term plastic use with hot food is indeed harmful.
@@jeon_artemis how do we store food and reuse it then? I always use microwaveable plastic containers!! is that not safe?!
@@ambivalent7glass containers are wonderful. Ello is a brand that makes glass containers with a silicone cover on the bottom to prevent them from breaking or sliding around. It’s an investment and more expensive than plastic, but they often go on sale and will last a lot longer than the plastic which breaks down overtime. The glass is also dishwasher safe, whereas some plastic containers will melt or warp in a hot wash cycle.
Let the food cool to room temp, then dispense into plastic containers, then freeze or refrigerate. (Also better for your fridge that way!)
And when you use the food up, don't heat it in the plastic container. Take it out into a pan (or glass bowl if microwaving) first.
The dangerous chemicals in plastics will transfer into your food more quickly if the plastic is heated, especially where there's a lot of acid eg tomato sauces.
Don't add blueberries to pancake batter. Make sure they are dry, pour your pancake and drop some on top. Cook, flip, cook, serve. This prevents berries from watering down the batter.
I also push them into the batter a little bit cause I find they they burn and start sticking, but when I push them in the batter comes up around the berries when you flip it!
i use to watch you a ton and your skin looks fantastic and you seem to be in such a healthy state, your story telling has improved and so much more. fantastic work taz!
Highly recommend roasting your Mediterranean veggies (courgette, peppers, red onions and tomatoes) they’re then already roasted and fab in salads, incorporated into sauces or served on the side of fish or chicken
Roasting sweet potatoes is also one I love ❤❤
Or toss it with your quinoa and one of those sauces! :)
You can mix kefir into smoothies or use it in a pancake batter instead of having it straight, so you won't mind the taste
I wouldn’t suggest heating kefir or you’re just destroying all the good bacteria.
You can always make kefir ice cream - I used the ninja ice cream maker and it works like a charm.
I put mine in overnight oats!
I like adding some salt and other spices to mine! Tastes so much better omg
I did a similar thing last week. hahaha I have the same containers with labels. They are the best. Use "painter tape" Blue or Green. its easy to peel and plenty to use from a roll of tape. I enjoyed doing it and it works. Prep is relaxing and feels like I'm a chef or cook.
Nice! I used masking tape and it too is easy to peel. 😊
Hey Taz, if your pancake batter is too thin, try adding flour! You can always add more milk if you think you've added too much flour
I'm also thinking she didn't put baking powder or soda.
It was probably crepe not pancake:)
Hi Taz! I'm a longtime watcher but rare/never commenter. I'm so excited that you discovered the ingredient-prep style of meal prep. Obviously this was a first time for you and you were emulating pro chefs who go pretty hard, but as a fellow adult with severe ADHD, this is what keeps me afloat - I have a job that is hardcore and draining during the week, so I place a farmers' market/grocery order for Fridays and do ingredient prep for the week on Sundays. It allows me to satisfy cravings and not get bored while also not spending more than 10-20 minutes on meals. Also, quick tip -- things like vaguely labeled 'chicken seasoning' often already contain salt. You should check seasoning blends before adding additional salt. I've over-salted that way before.
You're the most authentic TH-camr/influencer I've ever known.❤
One helpful tip I have to share is that it's best to freeze your rice in single portions as cooked rice doesn't keep for very long in the fridge and can become unsafe. Look up fried rice syndrome. Love your videos as always Taz ☺️
I keep my cooked rice in the fridge with a paper towel to prevent condensation from the lid dripping into the bowl of rice. I cook plain rice and eat with curry cooked separately.😊
Yeah I own a rice cooker and just make it to order, but I wouldn't let cooked rice linger more than a day or two maximum
Tip from a culinary student: always season by hand, pour into your hand or pinch with your fingers into the seasoning and sprinkle from air to spread more evenly. thats how you'll be able to season properly rather than being scared to accidently over/under season your food 10:00 also dont season your protein with salt or pepper until prior to cooking or you'll dry out your protein unless youre marinating/brining overnight
It’s best to portion out your starch (rice/quinoa). That way you can freeze it & simply pull 1 out to warm up in the microwave to eat w/ side/main dish of choice.
Taz, please consider reading the book Woman’s weight loss secrets: the unspoken truth, reading that book was the best thing I ever did
who is the author?
Olivia Thompson
I am ingredients household (celiac and vegetarian) what i have found for sauces it to also have stock:
Plain Greek Yogurt (can use as a milk and sour cream sub)
EVO
Sesame Seed Oil
Rice Wine Vinegar
White Wine Vinegar
Soy Sauce
Lemon Concentrate - or lemons
Chili Flake
Garlic Powder
Onion Powder
Basil
Dill
Oregano
Black Pepper
Salt
Smoked Paprika
Brown Sugar - or molasses
Corn Starch - or Tapioca flour/starch
It looks like a lot but you have the foundation for majority of the major global cuisines and can make nearly any sauce (or a variant of it) . Plus you probably use in a decent amount of the ingredients in cooking anyway.
Ingredient prep is such a game changer. My favourite way to use up my precooked quinoa is to add it to soups. It helps to bulk up a soup into a main meal, adds a cheeky portion of protein and changes things up so that you're not just eating it in a salad.
I haven’t had it this way myself but I’ve heard it can be eaten as a breakfast cereal with your choice of milk, fruit, and nuts.
Heyy taz, this is amazing! I do 'ingrediënt prepping' for some time now and as a student it is really nice too. Something that I love is to freeze the spring onion. So once I buy it, I cut it all and put it in the small deli container and directly in the freezer. That way it doesn't go bad and in a stirfry you can just add it last minute and it will defrost in seconds! I don't eat peas that often, but if I buy it, it goes in the freezer as well. Having vegetables in the freezer is game changing!❤🎉 Keep it up!
Oohw and I saw that you had Pesto in a container. If I buy pesto, it stays in the jar it came in. When I make it, I pour it in ice cube holders and freeze it. Whenever you want pesto, you defrost it (because of the oil percentage it is done in seconds). I have seen people do this with minced garlic as well.. but I haven't done that yet. Making your own chili oil is also easy, but maybe that is one step to far😅🎉❤
@@c.han.b_ Speaking of freezing, if you freeze a nub of ginger whole, you can grate it while frozen to use in recipes that call for fresh ginger.
quick recommendation from the kitchen where i work: INVEST IN DISSOLVABLE LABELS!!! they make life so much easier, as you stick them on like any other paper label, and just rinse off when you're done, and it goes down the drain and doesn't clog it up or anything!!! the only thing is doesn't work for is frozen stuff, because sometimes they dissolve when defrosting.
Yeah, preprep is key. I do that when i return from the market. Wash & prepare all the fruits & veg, etc, then pick & choose through the week depending on my mood. Fresh, homegrown herbs in season & a well stocked dry herb/spice pantry in the winter are the key to diversity. Glad to see you experimenting, Taz!
If you do this long term and want to make the investment, IKEA glass containers are a great alternative to plastic and you can freeze and bake them. I always keep a roll of painter’s tape and a sharpie for label making
My ingredient prep tip is to pick an area of the globe each week. You can make (or buy) sauces & soup bases from different cusines, and use herbs & vegetables that typically go with it.
If you find ingredient prepping too overwhelming and you feel lost on ideas for what to make - I initially bought the Gousto meal boxes with discount and managed to collect a lot of good recipe cards, then I found out that you can go onto Gousto recipe book for FREE and find great meals to cook, typically ~30 minutes and few than 10 ingredients. I find this so helpful for doing my food shop (I only buy the amount I need of each veg) and I use them up by the next week so I don't have any food waste. I don't have any cooking stress now and it's amazing for 1 person servings and plenty leftovers - hope this might help! Love your videos Taz
Thanks so much! I just pulled up the Gousto website and am looking forward to browsing the recipes.
I've been rewatching your older videos this week and it's incredible to see your growth in relation to food!!
Off topic, but I love you've let your hair grow, it looks so nice!
I’m so glad ur on the meal prep bandwagon….its essential if ur life is hectic but u love to cook at home and have healthy and tasty food options . I have been doing this all my life and for a foodie like me it’s just amazing to eat at home and work at the same time
That's a good idea to use the ready grocery store meals as inspiration - I sometimes get stuck with running out of meal ideas. The potato & veg curry looks good, craving that now and will probably make a similar dish this week :D
Taz your videos are the best I have been extremely sick in hospital and now you’ve posted I’m so happy your so amazing I love how real you are honestly your videos make me smile and laugh your so beautiful I’m so happy you posted ❤❤❤
Hope you're getting good care and are feeling better soon :)
@@AnnieThymethank you I’m ok still in hospital but getting better turns out it was mild sepsis pls pray for me that it doesn’t get really bad ❤
Not sure if anyone has said this but i would advise ordering dry erase labels with a white board marker on the containers for ease of labelling when choosing different ingredients
I did meal prep since forever, now for me the challenge is to live in the moment and go to the market without a list. It kills off the spark of the moment over prolonged periods of time but indeed it's helpful to our daily lives. It requires a lot of efficient thinking but totally worth it. I sometimes cook the meals in advance, for 5 working days, actually only lunch. Very inspiring to keep doing it. Thanks!
I've been watching your videos for a few years now and i just want to say, your cooking skills have improved so much!! Your food genuinely looks so good, I'm proud of you taz
i LOVE THIS and i hope it's a series!! i'd love to see you shop on a budget, plan your meals and prepare for the week for inspo
Ingredient prep is so much smarter than meal prep, it leaves you with so many options on what to eat. Thanks for posting this 😀
I buy a whole salmon and before I freeze it I cut it into single serve portions and wrap in foil and freeze. I also load up on frozen veggies as you can cook as much, or little as you want and they won’t spoil. I use the same method with ginger root and onions. They can be sliced and frozen, then take out and use as needed. There are so many ways you can make it simple and yummy! Good luck! 😊
As someone who has also struggled with meal prep and the overwhelm of grocery shopping this method has helped me as well! Often the biggest struggle for me is getting into the kitchen. I've found that If Habit Stack and turn on a video (Usually a cooking show/ YT Chef, or an audio version of a reading assignment) unlike music it helps me to stay focused on my task , learn new tips for prep and soothe the mental stress and resistance I feel to the idea of cooking. I actually look forward to it now! BTW this works with any containers you already have as well, I use a mix of deli containers from past Take-Out and glass prep containers.
I love that you have learned about ingredient prep. That's how I run my household. It's work on the first day, but it's just better during the week.
What has worked for me is to learn how to make different types of sauces. Do batch prep of the sauces then on the day cook your choice of vege, meat, fish with the sauce.
I remember seeing something similar about the 20 veggies, but it was eating food items from 20 different plants, so that means your grains and anything that comes from a plant instead of an animal, so even like tofu, tempeh and other plant based proteins (all the beans!)
As for the serotonin in your gut, the vagus nerve controls your gut and the main neurotransmitter it utilizes is serotonin. Serotonin itself can't pass the blood-brain barrier. Eating does increase dopamine in the brain, which does impact heavily impact mood, which is more where that comes from. And by regulating your gut, you don't feel sick and your blood sugar is more predictable (ADHD forgetting to eat and getting hangry or weepy is real).
It;s actually 35 different plants per week not 20. I easily get around 40. ( I am vegan so that helps too) 😁
@@YokoFuongAnh I've seen a few different people give different numbers. Not vegan as my nutritional needs make it not sustainable for me, but I'm definitely someone who grew up eating out of a garden and at least 1 identifiable vegetable was required at every dinner. It's not hard to do once it becomes part of the everyday routine. Just might have intense outcomes if you try hit a high number all at once if it wasn't already a norm
Some of my favourite “sauces”
- Black bean sauce (as in fermented soybeans)
- Curry sauces (obviously lots of different spice combos)
- Teriyaki sauce
- Silky garlic sauce
- Mushroom sauce
- Gochujang & sesame sauce
- Ssamjang (honestly even delicious just with your raw veg snacks)
- Enchilada sauce
- Basil or tomato pesto
🥥🥦🍅🥕🥔🧅🌶️🧄🌮🥘🍝🍛🍲🌯
The way i feed myself is i cook 2 meals a week. Make 3 portions. 2 to eat and 1 one the freeze. So i only have to heat up meals on the days that i don't cook. it a gives me allot of different things to eat in a week ( i think i hit that 20 different vegs every week) but not all the prep every day. Supermarkets in the netherlands have magazines or recipe cards for free. I've collected allot of them over the years. And on sunday i make a list with what to eat and what to buy for it. It's been working for 6 years now for me.
My favorite things to make when i haven't got a clue is stirfry or hard shell taco's. And a good risotto is always welcome. I think in all 3 you can stuff allot of veggies. I always try to mix the veggies i buy ever week. As much as i love broccoli it's not a good idea every week. It's so interesting to watch what other people eat. I can't handle spicy at all but seeing you put chili flakes on everything makes me smile.
This is my first time watching your videos and I absolutely love how relatable you are! Your personality reminds me so much of myself and I love how excited you are to try this new way of meal prepping. You did such a great job, girl! Can't wait to try this myself soon. I'm no chef so seeing you do all of this gives me hope!
This seems so obvious, yet something I’ve never done 😅 Totally trying this out! Maybe glass containers to store them in though 🥰 Glad your gut is feeling happier with you 🙏♥️
I do believe you have to be careful about keeping cooked rice in the fridge for no more than a couple of days! Also cooked potatoes only have a very limited fridge life too so do check before using some things after 5 or 6 days!
Great video. If you're keen on meal prep, please look into sou vide. You can cook using sous vide, say, chicken breast, then store for weeks in vacuum sealed bags and just use when needed or if you like, sear before eating. Also the vacuum sealer can preserve so many different types of food or prevent opened food from going off. It literally pays for itself in a short time. Sous vide is the real game changer.
Honestly I think this is probably the best way to prepare food. It's like watching baking shows where they have the pre measured bowls of all the ingredients which they just put together x
The most realistic TH-cam meal prep I’ve seen so far! So relatable!
I saw a girl make a list of things she likes for BF, L,D and made 2 options each and meal prep in small quantities, no waste, no boredom! I found that amazing and want to try
It's so nice to see someone find a new passion for cooking. 🤩
If you are pressed on time, using the oven is a great alternative for veggies and proteins, because you dont have to stir as much.
Also, wraps are very versatile and an amazing way to use up leftovers 🌯
As a mother of three boys, this is consistently what I have done for the last year. It is so much better than cooking a full meal and putting it on repeat for the week!
You've given me a few ideas, thanks!
If you want to reduce the prep time, a food processor to speed up chopping/grating or even pre-prepped frozen veg (cheaper than fresh) might be useful options.
For your blueberry pancakes, you needed to make American or Scotch pancakes - just use self-raising flour instead of plain flour and they should rise a little. You can also add more flour for a thicker batter (although obviously don't add too much or it won't mix in properly and you'll end up with lumps of flour in your pancakes).
18:03 Serotonin is found in both. I was also surprised when I first found that out According to the Cleveland Clinic, we see: "Most of your body's serotonin is in your GI tract where it helps control your bowel function and plays a role in protecting your gut. Your gut can increase serotonin release to speed digestion to rid your body of irritating foods or toxic products." So, it's likely the case that neurotransmitters are found throughout the body, not just in the brain, because the entire body has other regions outside of the brain and spinal chord with a bunch of nerve clusters.
I’m really glad that this ingredient prep worked out for you, it’d definitely give it a go seeing how simple and effective it is!
did you try it? if so how did it go
@@me-yx3iq I did not try it yet because I don’t really need to rn, but if I were you I definitely would.
A combination of food prep and ingredient prep works for me. Food prep consist of dump-and-go dishes and cooked dishes that is frozen. Thus way I cover all my basis for the days with no time to cook and the says I feel inspired to cook from 'scratch'.
😮 I thought the same! When food is preped it feels like a game 😊
Love absolutely every video of yours. Content is so authentic I can’t stop watching
i was recently diagnosed with PCOS and finding it so hard to cook (never did much before) and meal prep. Basically everything I used to eat isn’t the best for me anymore and I have so many restrictions now (to prevent diabetes). This is really eye-opening and I think I will try it!
I was diagnosed with pcos 11 years ago and was type 2 diabetic. I'm now pre-diabetic...the best diet I have found is whole food diet/Mediterranean diet. Focus on foods in their most basic form or as near as you can instead of sugar use honey Wholemeal instead of white bread. My periods came back and I lost 4 stone. Also inositol, vitamin D and folic acid are a must!!
@@Collette-it9ft thank you so much. i’m definitely trying, i’m glad to hear your symptoms have been reversed
hi guys, hope your day is going great and if not thats ok
Regarding the best pancakes you can make, blueberry pancakes. When you mix the batter, you need to let it sit and it will thicken in a few minutes. then it will give you thicker batter to work with. My dad's secret is to slap them on the griddle/pan when you flip them to activate the baking powder, and make them rise. Good luck on the next batch!
You’ve come such a long way with your cooking! It’s wonderful to watch your journey ❤
I haven't adopted the ingredient prep part, but the uniform containers and labeling / dating them has been a life saver for us.
My husband and i just moved into our first apartment and ive been very nervous about the cooking process since i didnt really have to cook before…. Wish me luck!
Hi Taz, I love the South African flag magnet on our extractor fan. Thank you for inspiring me to try and do the prep and hopefully enjoy making food again
Taz I hope you’re doing well in terms of mental health too. Looking after your physical health helps with mental health but it’s important to look after both. Lots of love to you ❤
ingredient prep is actually brilliant!
This is actually what I always do when do 'Meal Prep'.
You're preparing the ingredients for the meal later on that week.
So watching a bunch of influencers meal prepping 2 or 3 dishes and eating them for the rest of the week is insane for me who eats different food 3 times a day 😂.
What works for me is keeping different types of ready-to-use sauce in jars/bottles like teriyaki or hot & spicy and also a dried mix of herb/spices like curry, allspice, or even paste, like tom yum or curry paste.
It's a game changer.
I would also usually prep the veggies a couple of different ways.
Like I would dice the carrot for quick stir fry, but also cut it into wedges/bigger chunks for soup/stew.
And I always think of texture as well. In one meal I would always like to have something soupy or at least moist alongside with some crunch.
So I do different kinds of fritters as well
Some of them I would parboil it then freeze, some will be cut and stored
I am writing this as I am watching the videos. These are the things I have picked from my mom, sisters and others along my cooking and baking journey as a home cook. ( over 18 years)
1. Never pour SALT directly into the dish. take it in hand and sprinkle over. This way you get to not only control it, but also learn how much to put next time. Most people I know keep their salts in a large jar with a tsp scoop, with mine I know that 1 scoop of salt for 1 glass (ikea kiddo glass) of rice. This will differ with the kind of rice you use and how you cook it.
2. For pancakes 1:1:1 ratio of flour, egg and milk. Add salt and flavourings from there on. When you mix the batter, run your across the back of the spoon and the batter shouldnt come back. This will give you medium thickness batter, berries and chocolate chips and such will be well integrated. I like mine on the crepe side so I add more milk. You can always prep pancake batter too. Remember the batter right out fridge will be thicker then the one on room temp. But with a non flavoured batter you can do sweet for breakfast and add a splash of make savoury crepe with sauteed veggies and chicken for dinner.
3. Given that you have a rice cooker, I would suggest make a fresh batch of rice the day you want to eat it, makes a huge difference to the meal. Some yoghurt with tadka and fresh hot rice with a side of spiced potatos (made from the boiled potatoes) and maybe some leftover protein and you are set.
4. Try and get a readymade roast chicken into your cooking plan. Shred the breast, ready for wraps, sandwiches, soups. Eat the the legs and wings for protein. Boil the the rest and bones with a few aromatics gets a delicious broth.
5. Things I always try and have on hand are. Chopped and sliced sauted until soft onions. Ginger and garlic paste. Coriander paste ( use that a lot on my fish). Crushed garlic. Sliced and sauted mushrooms/capsicums/green onions. Blanched and pureed spinach, sometimes I will add dill, fenugreek or amaranth leaves to it. And some form of Arabic dip.
Taz with the pancakes and blueberry.... Pour some batter in allow it to cook a little bit the top will still be wet.... Ass blueberries then add more of the batter on top this is what I do and I usually use frozen blueberries and it works so I guess fresh will be even better. Your batter needs to be a bit thicker but that's defo the way I have found works best 😁💜🙏🏿💜
Thx for sharing your yourney over the years. it's relatable and inspiring. Love the idea of meal prepping the ingredients.
I think this could work for me too!
I love having lots of different left overs that i can throw together as a meal so this seems sensible.
Can also involve other members of my household for the prep on the shopping day and then it'd feel like even less work!
I would recommend getting more frozen veg like the broccoli or spinach as i found these so much easier to add to meals to get more veg in my diet.
Not a fan of TH-camrs but Taz comes across as a really genuine person which is why I keep coming back to watch her
The way i smiled so hard when i saw this video pop up 😭 I haven't just scrolled down TH-cam in such a long, i loved Taz's videos of her trying to make like $10 last a week
Couscous is a great grain for this style of cooking. Add some olive oil, lemon, garlic and fresh herbs, sprinkle on some nuts, and boom, a great base.
If your salt is giving you problems, get a new container!
I often use commercial sauces. Shrimp and avocado with poppyseed dressing on rice is so good. Costco has a great commercial butter chicken sauce.
Commercial peach chutney is fantastic on pan fried chicken thighs
Spinach sautéed with lots of garlic and pepper is great
You can get square-shaped boxes to spare some room in your fridge, even better to get vacuum-sealed boxes (but more costly). A further tip, blanch your food to preserve quality. So those broccoli florets, cook them for the shortest amount of time and then put them in ice water before storing. The spring onions, you can dip directly in ice water (this will ensure they are crispy and will remain fresh).
Oh and try to refrain from prepping stuff like rice if possible. Cooked rice goes off quite quickly yet it is very simple to make when needed. Your tastebuds will thank you too :)
I have tried different methods also with average satisfaction. Look forward to trying and experimenting this. Would love to see another video in the near future to see how it's going. Thankyou
Hi Taz! I loved this episode and I think I'm going to give ingredient prepping a shot based on how it worked for you :D I wanted to also include a pancake recipe, though as I have gotten a pretty good one from a little experimentation over the years.
You need: 1 cup flour, 2 tsp baking powder (powder, not soda, that much soda will make it taste funny), salt to taste (I usually do like a quarter tsp), 2 tablespoons of sugar, 1 or 2 eggs, 1 cup of milk, 2 tbsp of melted butter, and a little vanilla extract (optional, but makes things tasty). The eggs in this case just make the flavor of the pancakes a little richer (since we're using the baking powder as leavening), so you can add 1 or two depending on your taste. You can also use different kinds of milk and flour depending on your taste as well! I've started making whole grain pancakes for the protein (they come out a little flatter than all purpose flour pancakes, but still v tasty).
Method: Set a pan on the stove to preheat or, if you're fancy, turn on your griddle to a medium heat. Alton Brown says the surface is the right temp for pancakes if you sprinkle some water on and the beads dance around rather than evaporate (too hot) or just set (too cool). Combine the flour, baking powder, sugar and salt in a medium bowl and whisk together. Make a little well in the center and add your eggs, melted butter, vanilla and half your milk. Whisk together until mixture begins to smooth out (some lumps are good! they help the pancakes get fluffy). Add the rest of the milk, little by little, until the batter is to your desired thickness (desired thickness will take some experimentation). Pour into a non stick skillet or one generously greased. As pancake begins to rise and form bubbles on the top, add any mix ins your desire (blueberries, chocolate chips, bananas, etc). When the bubbles that have begun to form start to pop, flip your pancake! You can test the second side for done-ness by poking the cooked side. If it crackles, the pancake should be cooked through.
Great video as always!
Other grain to try: farro, millet, barley. We made a farro mushroom & spinach last week. It was so good. We make an edamame quinoa salad that is super tasty & lots of veggies. We always have a vegan protein & a bean in our ingredient prep. We like tempeh & tofu, chickpeas & lentils. Sometimes we make white bean hummus, sometimes roasted chickpeas, sometimes roasted lentils.
Great video. This is my first one of yours to watch.
How and what sauces did you make? I would love to learn and get to know more recipes.
For better salt portioning get a salt cellar. It allows you to pinch the salt and drop it more evenly on the food. You have a lot more control with your hand than the spout on the package.
I'm going to try this, it makes a lot more sense then meal prepping which also bores me. I've got a food processor and I struggled to add veg in, but now the start of the week I shread 1 large cucumber and a half bag of carrots and it's so easy to just add as an extra to meals.
If even prepping is too much, go for pre cut frozen veggies. Go for canned legumes, red lentils etc. So you can toss things into a pot, throw some seasoning onto it, tada. You got something edible that's not just junk.
so happy for you! usually for my weekly marinades, i either do a curry rub, miso pepper lemon, spicy mala or a soy sauce sesame! these are for my proteins. my carbs are quick oats, vermicelli, and some bread. so i do stir frys with vege, something the proteins go in them. usually they are airfried, or i even slice them thin to go into noodle soups. this way of ingredient prep totally works! the biggest game changer for me tho was getting a mushroom platter of 6 diff types. they are so easy to cook and make most dishes very hearty!!! good luck to you, my dear!!! ❤
Getting ideas for prepped ingredients from a grocery shop is such a good idea! Their prepped ingredients are already designed to be easy to use and have a decent fridge-life span. Great idea!
I have been doing something similar on and off for a few years and it definitely results in my healthiest meals. To make it even friendlier for my ADHD brain, I often get my groceries delivered and get some things pre-chopped, whenever I can afford it. I am so glad these options are now a lot more accessible where I live than they were a few years ago.
My favourite prep ingredients are carrots, sweet potato and pumpkin. I love pumpkin and sweet potato but hate cutting them so I am glad I can afford to buy them prepped. I peel and cut the carrots and then dump the carrots, pumpkin and sweet potato cubes on some baking sheets and add oil, and whatever spices I feel like that day (usually copious amounts of garlic as well) and put in in the oven while I make some rice in my microwave rice-cooker and wash some salad. I love assembling bowls throughout the week and using different things as sauces and dressings.
Unfortunately my fridge is tiny so I never can prep enough for every meal for an entire week, but it at least gets me started and makes me remember how good it actually feels to eat proper meals ever once in a while instead of just random snacks all day.
I do still lack consistency with eating at all, let alone eating full meals, but I am slowly getting better at it and your videos always motivate me to keep trying.
I’ve thought about doing this before but I have never seen a good example of ingredient prepping online. Meal prepping doesn’t work well for me because I really don’t like leftovers. I love hot fresh meals. So thanks for introducing something I’m willing to try.
Also, your pancake batter needed more flour. When in doubt about the texture of your food, you probably need more of one of the ingredients. The more you cook, the more you learn overtime how to troubleshoot food problems.
You can make pizza dough by mixing all the ingredients and just chucking it in the fridge covered in oil. The yeast rises super slow and the longer it sits the better it tastes
You are doing really good jumping in and trying. It was inspiring to me and I want to do it. I cook meals for a whole work week and eat the same thing throughout the week. Ingredient prep gives new ideas. My first view and I am sharing yourvideo.
OMG I’ve not seen your channel in YEARS I used to watch you all the time !!
Years ago I read from some diet book that focused on Japanese dishes that in Japan people eat over 30 different fruits and vegetables per week. Now, I have no idea and don't much care about the credibility of the info, but it has become a fun game for me.
I also struggle a lot with consistency, so a few times a year I will track the number of different fruit, veg, berries and herbs I eat in a week and try to get to 30. Honestly the only reason I stick with this number is because it's challenging. 20 would be too easy (for me personally) for it to be any fun. I do this with a sibling because my interest would not last as long alone. Whenever I'm doing this I get very excited and try to find new ways to incorporate different things in my meals. I usually do it for 2-3 weeks and after I stop counting the habit of finding new things to try and trying to have a good variety naturally carries on for a while.
anyone reading this, if you're in no rush to get good sauce containers, just buy those Heinz Ketchup bottles that stand upside down and are squeezable... When you're done, just reuse them. eventually you'll have a couple of them
Love watching your exploration. Your authenticity and energy is beautiful. ❤