When cooking for others

[Goldenrod]

My DH and boys are cooked vegan, I'm on my 9th day raw. I'm doing really well and I have a separate menu for them which is working well. However, I've noticed two things. First, I need to break the habit of licking spoons and fingers. After the first couple days I've gotten better, but still sometimes find it right at my mouth before I remember not to stick it in. Second, since I don't want to taste their food I haven't got any idea if I've got the spices right and whether or not it will taste ok.

Has anyone else dealt with the latter issue and how do insure that you've got things right?

TIA

[Jo-anne]

Yeah, I know what you mean, it sure is hard but what I do is ask them to taste it and what they feel it needs I mean after all they are the ones who will eat it, also you will find your taste changing so much that what you thought tasted nice when cooked (spices etc) actually will probably have the opposite effect, so no matter how much you start altering the recipe to suit your own taste buds, the family probably won't like it.

My thoughts anyway, hope it helps a little.

Joanne

[sweetgoddess]

I know that challenge also, lol.
I too had to call my daughter or husband in to taste things.
Funny what an unconscious habit it is to lick and taste when you cook, isnt it? Raw sure brings that into awareness! :)

[Rawadventures]

I just had to add in here. I must admit that I was the Queen of Tasters! I would nibble, sample, taste and test so much before the SAD food was done that I probably had consumed a whole meal.... HMMM... could that be how I got over 200 lbs!!!

Anyway...I want to say that although it has been my hardest habit to break, I have not sampled nor tasted for the last 8 days of being 100% raw! I have just had to make the resolve and constantly remind myself! If I can do it - ANYONE can do it!

Great ideas about having the family members who are going to eat it actually taste it - that will hep a lot!

[twinyoga]

I really don't have the nibble and lick habit. My cooking is very basic for my family so I really trust that it will be fine. For example, I might make them a baked tofu dish, steamed rice, and veggies or steamed fish, grain, and veggies. It's hard to mess that up. I recommend that you simplify your cooking for a while so you're not tempted to lick and nibble.

[Essensual]

...I kinda add spices by .................................(wait for it)...................smell. :eek:

Okay yes, I use to lick fingers and spoons as well, and I do also add seasonings by weight or measure (i.e 1 tsp of this for every cup/pound/whatever of that).

But I have found that I have sort of a weird ability to tell if cooked food is well seasoned by way of smell. The spice/seasoning must have time to blend with the other ingredients before this method is effective, but it usually works. How do I know? Because every now and then when I doubt it...I lick my spoon and sure enough it tastes as expected. :cool:

HERE'S THE EVEN STRANGER PART.....

This method does NOT work for me with RAW! :mad: I absolutely MUST taste the mixture to know if it is correct. Maybe it will get better with time. :D

[Goldenrod]

For your thoughts everyone. I think with somethings smelling would work, DH usually isn't available when I'm putting supper together so having him taste it probably won't so. Actually, me not eating the food will probably be a plus because I like things much spicier than he does.

[Gosia]

I observed that licking spoons can sometimes lead to wanting to have more, so I also try avoiding doing that. My children still eat a little bit of cooked, but as time passes by, it is less and less. Since I went raw, my dinners for the children reduced from full-on cooked meals to just potatoes or rice-and-beans, as my chidren progressed to higher and higher % of raw. Recently, my 14-year-old son has been rejecting cooked dinners and demanding smoothies instead. I guess, the best way to avoid cooking altogether is to convert one's own family!

Gosia.