While thinking about what to cook for dinner tonight a thought came into my head.  Why are so many people afraid of cooking.  Is it fear that your special creation won't turn out right?  Is it that you just don't like cooking?  Are you afraid to really mess up the recipe you're following?  What is it that makes so many people reach for pre-made foods or packaged dinners?

Since I've been an adult cooking for myself I find that the more I cook, the more I know about food and the more I enjoy it.  The discovery of new food combinations is very exciting to me.  There is also something very therapeutic about chopping fruits and vegetables and baking bread or other goodies.

Consider mastering these 3 basic skills to make cooking easier, faster and more fun:

1. Learn some knife skills.  To eat healthy foods you need to know how to prepare them safely and efficiently.  Buy good knives too because a sharp knife is much safer than a dull knife.  Nothing worse than trying to hack through a butternut squash with a dull knife. Learn some knife skills at Knife Skills 101.
2. Familiarize yourself with some basic cooking methods.  If you know 3 different ways to cook or prepare broccoli then you probably won't get bored of eating it.  You'll feel more comfortable in the kitchen knowing these basic cooking methods and you'll have more confidence tackling new recipes too.
3. Discover your favorite flavors using herbs and spices.  Herbs and spices add a ton of flavor to a recipe without increasing the things you might be trying to limit like saturated fat, salt and sugar.  Believe it or not, many herbs and spices provide health benefits such as having antiseptic properties, antioxidant power or anti-inflammatory.  This article will help you learn how to use some common herbs and spices: Seasoning Basics.

After mastering these 3 basic skills I hope you will find some joy in cooking.  I can assure you that your homemade pasta dish will taste better than a package of lipton noodles and your fruit salad will taste better than any canned fruit cocktail.

Happy Cooking!  What are your hurdles to cooking a good, healthy meal from scratch?

These peppers are stuffed with ingredients that are typically found on a pizza and mixed with quinoa for a great nutritious meal that everyone will love!

Ingredients:
4 large bell peppers
1 cup quiona
1 1/2 cup water or broth
1 can pizza sauce (approx. 14 oz. can)
1 small cooking onion
1/2 cup sliced mushrooms (canned or fresh)
4 basil pesto or italian style chicken sausages, (pre-cooked), diced
2 cups shredded, part-skim mozzarella cheese

Directions:
1. saute onion and mushrooms in saucepan until onion is cooked through
2. add quinoa, water or broth, pizza sauce and bring to boil
3. cover and simmer 10-15 minutes until quinoa is cooked through
4. while quinoa is cooking, slice through top of peppers to make a lid then scoop out ribs and insides of peppers and discard, put tops aside
5. place peppers in a square baking dish
6. once quinoa is cooked add sausage and cheese, stir mixture together
7. fill peppers with quinoa mixture and put tops back on peppers
8. cover and bake at 375 degrees F until peppers are cooked through (about 30-45 minutes)

Taking a healthy lunch to work is one of the simplest ways to get the recommended amounts of fruits, vegetables, whole grains and protein during the day.  Most meals packed at home are healthier than foods at restaurants. When we eat out, we're often faced with large portions and fattening foods, but when you pack lunch at home, you can control your portions and choose healthier ingredients.

To start, make sure your lunch is balanced. Lunches that include some lean or low-fat protein along with carbohydrates will keep your body fueled for the afternoon and stave off hunger. The combination of protein and fiber from whole grains, beans, nuts, vegetables and fruit will give you the most satisfying and nutritious combination of foods that will keep you feeling full until dinner. However, be aware of cues your body sends to warn you of being full. This will prevent overeating and the mid afternoon slump that follows.

Use a variety of whole-grain breads, pitas, and wraps for your sandwiches. Choose lean fillings like sliced eggs, tuna fish, reduced-fat cheeses or lean meats. Then fill your sandwich with assorted greens, fresh herbs, sprouts, sliced cucumbers, onions, and tomatoes.

Leftovers are great to pack and take for lunch because you can control the portions and calories in the meal to ensure it will be nutritious, filling and delicious. Try cooking in bulk. On the weekend, make a large pot of chili, soup, or rice and beans and freeze into individual portions that are ready to take to work in a flash.

10 Easy Lunch Ideas Planning ahead is a must for quick lunch assembly. A week of planned meals with all the ingredients in the kitchen will make it easy to put together tomorrow's lunch after dinner.

This grocery list is a week's worth of lunches costing $5 or less a day (assuming you already have salad dressings on hand):

• Whole wheat pita bread
• Romaine lettuce
• 2 tomatoes
• 1 cucumber
• 1 bag baby carrots
• 1 bag of apples & oranges
• 1 can of light tuna in water
• 1 can of salmon (split for two meals)
• 1 cooked rotisserie chicken
• 3 cans of low-sodium, broth-based soup

With this list of foods, you can prepare:

• 1 pita with lettuce and grilled chicken with light Caesar dressing; baby carrots; and an apple.
• Salmon lettuce wraps with light sesame Asian dressing; 1 can of broth-based soup; and an orange.
• Tomato & cucumber salad with olive oil and vinegar; tuna salad on pita; baby carrots; and an apple.
• 1 can of soup, low-fat, low-sodium; and grilled chicken on a bed of romaine with sliced apple and light vinaigrette.
• Garden salad with salmon, tomato, cucumber, and baby carrots; an orange; and 1 can of soup.

Here are 5 more lunch options that are also simple to prepare:

• Whole-wheat tortilla wrap of hummus, lettuce, sliced tomatoes, feta cheese and black olives; plus a cup of fat-free vanilla yogurt, and berries.
• Whole wheat pita stuffed with vegetarian refried beans, salsa, tomatoes, lettuce and shredded cheddar cheese; and apple slices with peanut butter.
• A peanut butter and banana sandwich on whole wheat bread; a piece of fresh fruit; and low fat yogurt.
• Whole-wheat tortilla roll with sliced turkey, sliced low-fat mozzarella cheese, red pepper strips, and lettuce leaf (chill and slice into bite size pieces); with fruit salad and a glass of skim milk.