My food is BORING

I see this ALOT.  Someone mentioned it in group in Monday night:

 

"I can't eat one more grilled chicken breast"

 

My answer to this - your food is only as boring as you let it be.  This is not some emotional control rant - so stop rolling your eyes and saying"its just Rob again".  Seriously.

I eat chicken breast every day, often twice a day in some form or another.  I will let you in on a little secret - unless I am eating left overs it is never the same twice.  Just because you have the same protein ingredient doesn't mean you have the same food.  I never ate a lot of chicken before surgery, Why have that when Beef was available.

So what do I do with my chicken - EVERYTHING.  Its the tofu of the non vegan proteins.  The reason everything tastes like chicken is that chicken tastes like NOTHING.  Seriously.  If I want a pot roast, I marinate my chicken breast with beef bouillon cubes and slow cook it like a roast.  If I want mexican, I marinate it with home made taco seasoning (especially good if you make the marinade with a nice chardonnay!).  IF I want asian stir fry, I make my marinade with soy sauce, ginger, garlic and the like.

The only thing I have found i cant do anything with is turkey - thats always gonna taste just f'ing awful - LOL.

The same thing with my greek yogurt and cottage cheese.  Those do not have to be the same thing every time you eat them.  Use Mio, Syrups, mixes.  

Eating lean, low fat foods does not have to be bland, textureless, and tasteless.  I used to heartily believe that the only two things in the world that tasted good were fat and salt.  My Sleeve journey taught me just how full of it I was when I though that.

So whats the message - Not "STOP WHINING".  It's "GET CREATIVE".  Everyone on here says they love food.  I challenge you, if you love food - show it by not being boring with it.  Look at some of my recipes I posted, some of Elina's, and Friscos.  Try mixing your own favorite flavors.  Cook your food in different ways than you thought.s

 

I have to say I was a good cook before surgery, but surgery requires some more hurdles to jump food wise.. that led to becoming a better cook, a more creative cook. Spices, fresh herbs, different combinations..

I don't know how often the weeknight veggie dish was just steam in a bag, plop on a plate pre-op.. now I treat the veggies with the same attention I give to the meats. That's my two big food groups, so I want to be able to enjoy them both.. I'm no longer choking down boring veggies then eating my meat, I'm savoring both. We have too little room, and too little food to entertain boring in any form. Food to me will never not be enjoyable, and I intend to get the most healthy enjoyment I can in the little amount I get to have!

For those that don't cook, slowly start dipping your toes in.. easy stuff.. but try it out- you'll be hooked once you get into the swing of it.

I completely agree with you Rob. I rarely eat the same thing more than once in a week. Do they share ingredients? Of course! However, each time they are prepared differently. You need to change it up or you will get bored of the same old grilled chicken.

I have to say that I was JUST saying this last night... I cannot eat one more grilled lemon pepper chicken breast. Or can of tuna.

I made turkey tacos last night with white turkey and old el paso taco seasoning for something different. I'm not a very creative cook!

Love the fage yogurt with splenda and sugar free syrup. I ordered the brown sugar cinnamon and walden farms peanut butter. I MFP stalked you for weeks. Maybe you should post recipes there! lol

I agree with almost everything you said.  My kitchen is the best chemistry lab in the world -- filled with herbs and spices to create taste excitement from all over the world.   I've created some amazing foods playing in the kitchen.  I've also created some HORRIBLE tasting things -- BUT, by adding more of this and more of that and using some spicy sauces (Sriracha for example), I've "repaired" almost every YUCKO thing I've created.

My only disagreement is that turkey can be made to taste better than "f'ing awful"!  I've served my Italian turkey meatballs to not just family, but friends at dinner parties and no one has a clue they are turkey.  The only "non-complimentary" comment I've had is that some prefer the fattier beef and why was I using the low fat version of ground beef.  No one has figured out my "secret" for my Italian meatloaf (using turkey) either.  While I've had to really "zest it up" a LOT, turkey can be a great substitute for beef.........just have to have the nerve to go for the gusto when adding those herbs and spices and sauces.

I truly enjoy the little bit of food I eat now.  Before, I did work hard to make things taste good and pleasing to people........now I finally appreciate my efforts because I don't shovel it in any longer.  Myrtle enjoys what I give her in tiny bites well chewed and she repays the favor by staying quiet and not becoming cranky!

So, I ditto your thought about being creative and whimsical in your cooking.   Okay, you didn't say whimsical -- but I am!  LOL

Happy Cooking! Buon Appetito!

I will say in the turkey vs chicken debate that I do have some turkey recipe's I don't totally hate.  I do make meatballs and blend turkey with chicken.  In my zeal to optimize protein over calories, I usually choose chicken over turkey.

You can make turkey taste good with effort, in my case I think of it as putting a coat of paint on a rusted out 70's El Camino.

 

My favorite way to have turkey is a marinated grilled turkey breast. My dad used to make it all the time, so moist and yummy!!! 

Amen! My mom was just *****ing about the fact that her "diet" food is so borning, same thing over and over again. WHY? Spices often add NO calories or carbs, and many have crazy health benifits with use, so WHY NOT SPICE IT UP? 

I have a new lunch, its so freaking good. Sliced thin and pounded chicken breast marinated in lemon, pepper and garlic, then roll roasted peppers and basil in the middle and skewer with tooth picks, bake until chicken is done, throw a slice of brie on top when it comes out of the oven and let it melt before eating. DELISH, protien packed and full of flavor.

I don't eat boring food, life is way to short.

I have to admit I got tired of chicken and moved on to beef cause I'm on a grilling kick and to me grilling chicken it just comes out too dry. Perhaps I'm just not a successful chicken griller. Still I have like 10 different flavors of beef that I marinated and grilled this past weekend.

My program did not allow us to have beef until we were at 75% EBW lost.    Even now in maintenance I only allow myself to have beef once, maybe twice a week. 

When grilling chicken, you do have to be careful.  You can dry it out something horrible.  I tend to turn mine more often than I would with beef.  I also try not to cook it too fast.

Also marinate it for at least 30 minutes.  If you are trying to do a quick marinade you have to include either salt or an acid.