Eating: We do it every day

I recently introduced my dad to a kale salad. It was premade from Sam's Club and I pared it with some caramelized Brussels sprouts and roast chicken. He had a good time and said he would like to buy more of that kale salad.

Slowly, but surely, I'm introducing my parents to more foods and new ingredients.   

My parents (and I) are from the Navajo Nation reservation and they live in a small town called Crownpoint, New Mexico. Unlike a lot of Navajos on the reservation, my parents have access to good food. They live less than a mile from the grocery store, which carries a wide variety of foods. Even though fresh things can be expensive, the store has a nice little produce section. 

As a family, we started eating healthier about 5 or 6 years ago. We lost weight together and gained weight together. It's a challenge but we always try to keep to that healthy goal. 

The thing for my parents, though, is that they sometimes get stuck in a rut when it comes to variety and flavor. They get bored (even though they're both very good in the kitchen). I believe, you can give people healthy foods and tell them to eat healthy foods, but do they know how to cook them? Variety and spice is key to never getting bored with your food. 

If your food doesn't excite you, why would you keep eating it? 

I'm trying to bring variety and flavor to my family because I'm a foodie whose tasted variety and flavors from all over the world and I make it a personal hobby to try new things and cook new things whenever I get the chance. 

My family now has a passion for food and it blossomed since my sister and I "left the nest." My parents have more money and time to themselves now and they sometimes use it to explore foods. My sister and I have more money and time to explore food too. And every time we get together or talk on the phone, we talk about food and new things we tried and liked and didn't like. These are some of the most lively conversations we have because the passion is there.
We're exploring together and it's a fantastic journey that leads to healthier choices and more passion for the food we buy, cook and eat. 

There was a time I didn't have this much passion for food and flavor. But I realized: eating is something we do every day and we do it for as long as we're alive. Food is the most important part of life. We should have a passion and respect for it. We should be excited about food and it should be a good experience.  

Like I said before, flavor and variety is key to never getting bored but that comes with either a lot of take-out or from cooking. One of them is definitely harder than the other, but it's necessary. For something we do every single day, we should know how to cook. 

I learned to cook through years of observing, listening, reading and trying. And I'm still no expert. I get bored sometimes and I end up eating something premade that's much saltier and greasier than what I would normally cook for myself. I can't imagine what's it's like for people who can't cook. They probably eat a lot of take-out, fast food and premade salty things. 

I'm a big advocate for cooking in the home. If you're just beginning, keep at it! If you don't know how, please try. At the end of a great meal that you've made yourself (after 30 minutes or 3 hours in the kitchen), there's an uplifting, almost spiritual experience that ignites that passion and excitement. It's a great feeling. That's what keeps me in the kitchen.