So, since the beginning of my eating healthy adventure, about 3.5 years, I’ve been having a really hard time trying to get my boyfriend (now fiance) to “eat healthy”. He likes vegetables, but likes a lot of meat and is usually pretty unwilling to try the meals I make because they seem “too healthy” or they “look weird”. We usually make our own meals, which to me gets EXTREMELY tiring. We definitely don’t work together on cooking.
I know this is completely normal, but deep down, or not even that deep down, I would love it if we would cook together at least once in a while or maybe he could just try my special quinoa, or the vegetarian rice dish I make. I have to admit, my meals were always a toss up. I would say about 75% of the time they were good, but a quarter of the time, my meals fell under the “error” category under “trial and error”.
I sometimes beg him to try something I’ve made because I think it tastes SOOO good and when he refuses, I feel sad and annoyed and wonder whether the dish ACTUALLY tastes good or not. Or when friends are over, they are more open minded and I feel so happy if they eat something and like it. In these cases, Jesse might try it out of peer pressure, and still may not like it, but at least his friends validate the meal.
He questions why I care so much about what he’s eating or why he doesn’t try a dish I’ve made. I try so hard not to bug him, but I can’t help it!
The point of this entry, is that he might be coming around, or perhaps I’m just getting better at cooking. Let’s not argue that point too much – don’t you remember, 75% of the time, my meals turned out. That would be a pretty good grade in school wouldn’t it??? ha.
Well, I think it’s definitely the latter. I actually feel I’m getting better at cooking. I’ve been able to remain a lot calmer in the kitchen (I tend to be a spaz when I cook), and I’m allowing myself to enjoy it which I think is showing in the results.
The other day I made a brussels sprouts with a cranberry-pistachio pesto and he ate it up and raved about it in front of his friends! Here’s the link to the recipe – Thanks to Janet for sharing!
http://steamykitchen.com/9035-roasted-brussels-sprouts-cranberry-pistachio-pesto.html
Then 2 days ago, I made a fennel salad by Michael Smith, but I threw in a little cut up granny smith apple (half of one) and some arugula for some extra color. It was excellent!
http://chefmichaelsmith.com/Recipe/lemon-fennel-slaw/
I made sure the presentation on the dish was exquisite (he wouldn’t call it that), but it did look pretty. I didn’t say anything, or beg him to try it, but with a little chicken, some roasted potatoes drizzled with the leftover pesto (above) and the fennel salad, he ate it without saying a word. I couldn’t believe it!! He actually said, “this isn’t bad” and kept forking it into his mouth.
I know it has a lot do with the fact that I over discuss the food I cook and try to convince him to at least “give it a whirl”, but nonetheless, he may be coming around, or perhaps I’m just a better cook now.
Either way, I like where things are headed, especially since we are getting hitched (which I am extremely excited about) and it would be nice if we could eat a few of the SAME meals together. 😉