A Nudge for Change: A lesson from my kitchen
A Nudge for Change
My friends eat organic, all natural food, without a lot of oil or frying and they have been after me to eat more like them. So tonight I thought I would try to do it their way...I put in chicken tenders (unbreaded) in the oven about 20 minutes after I put in the baked potatoes, and put green beans on the stove on low. I was so sure of myself and that my friend would like my meal....
But what I got was not what I expected:
The tenders were dried out because I had left them on just a little longer cause when I cooked them in the toaster oven (on the oven setting) they got crispy and when I checked them in the oven they weren't crisp yet. The funny looking "Green Beans" turned out to be peas, still in the pod, and they were not done because I forgot to turn them up the last 20 minutes and The potatoes needed at least 30 minutes more of cooking, after everything else was done, because I didn't set the temp. high enough
But what I got was not what I expected:
The tenders were dried out because I had left them on just a little longer cause when I cooked them in the toaster oven (on the oven setting) they got crispy and when I checked them in the oven they weren't crisp yet. The funny looking "Green Beans" turned out to be peas, still in the pod, and they were not done because I forgot to turn them up the last 20 minutes and The potatoes needed at least 30 minutes more of cooking, after everything else was done, because I didn't set the temp. high enough
Lesson Time
But its all good we managed to "save the meal" anyway. My friend put her chicken on a sandwich and got a salad, she ate her potato 30 minutes later and I did what I normally do... threw it all in the microwave and nuked it. Popped the peas out of the pod at the table and enjoyed.
In my defense:
I have never seen a bag of frozen peas still in the pod before, they looked like funny green beans to me and I haven't baked a potato in years...microwaving is a much preferable option when it comes to that matter, and until today I didn't know that the "oven" setting on a toaster oven was not the same as the Oven. (I had rarely used a toaster oven before moving in here two months ago.) Truly, I swear, I remember somewhere in my past that cooking potatoes on 350 for an hour was enough time.
Lesson Time:
In doing this, I am intrigued by how something as simple as cooking can change so much over time without us even realizing how much that change has affected us. I did not grow up "nuking" my food, and while I am no fancy chef, after cooking meals for 20 some years without a microwave I am confident I can cook a decent meal... Or at least I was confident. ((smiles))
In my defense:
I have never seen a bag of frozen peas still in the pod before, they looked like funny green beans to me and I haven't baked a potato in years...microwaving is a much preferable option when it comes to that matter, and until today I didn't know that the "oven" setting on a toaster oven was not the same as the Oven. (I had rarely used a toaster oven before moving in here two months ago.) Truly, I swear, I remember somewhere in my past that cooking potatoes on 350 for an hour was enough time.
Lesson Time:
In doing this, I am intrigued by how something as simple as cooking can change so much over time without us even realizing how much that change has affected us. I did not grow up "nuking" my food, and while I am no fancy chef, after cooking meals for 20 some years without a microwave I am confident I can cook a decent meal... Or at least I was confident. ((smiles))
Keep Nudging Just a Little
It is amazing at how little things can seep in and start to push you in another direction and they just keep pushing, a little bit more as time goes by and before long, you are into a totally different way of doing things without even realizing it.
It begs the question to be asked: "How many times have I been pushed, just a little, here and there, till I changed something about myself and didn't know it?"
Then you have to ask "How many times have I pushed someone, just a little, here and there till I got them to change and/or do what I wanted?"
Then apply this to life, both personal and professional and realize that when you get a "no" answer or hit a "wall" Don't write that person off or give up. Just keep pushing, just a little, more and more, each time and who knows? Maybe, before long, you will be able to look back and see where some changes have been made and caused other things to happen...
Just like what the modern technology of the microwave did to me.
By The Way:
If it had been up to me I would have sliced the taters and put them and the chicken in a pan to simmer in margarine, garlic and 21 solute spice mix till nice and tender and thrown canned green beans into a bowl and nuked them.
What can I say? My Mama didn't call me a "grocery store junky" for nothing and this meat loving, pre-prepared and pre-packaged, microwave loving, modern day girl, has got a lot of re-learning to do. Because if I know my friends, they are gonna push, just a little, every day till they see some changes in me!
It begs the question to be asked: "How many times have I been pushed, just a little, here and there, till I changed something about myself and didn't know it?"
Then you have to ask "How many times have I pushed someone, just a little, here and there till I got them to change and/or do what I wanted?"
Then apply this to life, both personal and professional and realize that when you get a "no" answer or hit a "wall" Don't write that person off or give up. Just keep pushing, just a little, more and more, each time and who knows? Maybe, before long, you will be able to look back and see where some changes have been made and caused other things to happen...
Just like what the modern technology of the microwave did to me.
By The Way:
If it had been up to me I would have sliced the taters and put them and the chicken in a pan to simmer in margarine, garlic and 21 solute spice mix till nice and tender and thrown canned green beans into a bowl and nuked them.
What can I say? My Mama didn't call me a "grocery store junky" for nothing and this meat loving, pre-prepared and pre-packaged, microwave loving, modern day girl, has got a lot of re-learning to do. Because if I know my friends, they are gonna push, just a little, every day till they see some changes in me!