HOW TO Create a Simple Evening Moment Through Dinner
Food is a beautiful opportunity to show yourself love every single day, and there are so many ways to spice it up and turn it into one of your simple moments of the day. So let’s dive into a “HOW TO” for creating a simple evening moment for yourself through the gift of food:
Simplicity's Keys to Success:
Plan Ahead – Pick out a recipe, maybe from Instagram or Tik Tok, that you are excited about trying. REMEMBER, you don’t have to have mad cooking skills to be able to execute the vision. And hey, getting out of your comfort zone is good for you right?
Pick a night that you have a little more time – Give yourself the gift of enjoying the process. You are about to make a GLORIOUS meal and savor it. NO RUSHING ALLOWED.
Set the tone – put on your favorite music or podcast, dim the lights, maybe even light a candle if you’re really going for it!
-- BONUS: Take an extra 5 minutes to set the table. You will be shocked at how much this elevates the experience and makes you feel taken care of. Some easy ways to elevate your table setting include:
Use a water glass, not your water bottle
Include REAL cloth napkins (if you have them)
Set each seat with a fork, knife, and spoon – even if you only need a fork for the meal!
Use a tablecloth
Put some candles on the table (PRO TIP: buy some battery powered candles from the dollar store!)
Alright, now that you are in the right headspace, and you have set your table, let’s get into the main event: COOKING!
Tips to Make the Cooking Process Painless:
Read the recipe THOROUGHLY before beginning – if you are trying something new, make sure you know all the steps before you start cooking. This will make the process smoother and give you a better chance of success.
Prep your “mise en place” – the French culinary term for “putting in place” all the ingredients you will need prior to starting the cooking process. This could mean cutting all your veggies before turning the burner on, so everything is ready to go. This way you can enjoy the cooking and not worrying about doing 3 things at once.
Clean as you go.
This is CRUCIAL. If you have your onions in a bowl, and then you add them to the pan, instead of leaving the bowl in the sink, take the 30 seconds while the onions begin cooking to clean it or load it in the dishwasher. This applies to every step of the process. Then when you get to the end, all you will need to clean is the dish you eat from, and the main pan! It is a sure-fire way to improve your cooking experience, I promise.
If you are looking for a way to spice up your evenings, I hope you will put some of these tips to the test and create a beautiful, simple evening moment for yourself.
And remember, taking time to cook for yourself is such a powerful form of self-love, and you are capable of having fun with food and enjoying the process of cooking.