This Could Use Some Onions

My dad hates onions. I mean really hates (detests, despises, loathes) onions. He will not so much as come near a dish that he even suspects was prepared with onions, and if you think you can be sneaky and blend/chop/puree and slip a bit of onion into his meal... forget about it.

That said, my mom (who does all the cooking 'round here) does not include onions in anything she makes. And I mean anything. If she were to make an onion soup she'd leave out the onions. Okay, I'm exaggerating a bit and I'll admit, she occasionally uses a wee, ever-so-tiny bit of dried onion powder to dash in soups, stews, etc. Don't tell dad. But growing up on an onionless diet I must have somehow felt that lack. My mother would accuse me of "doctoring" my food, I was always adding as many spices as I could find in the cabinet to whatever she cooked. Now I'm no chef, and my mom is a pretty good cook, but I always felt her meals just "needed a little something" to give them that extra zing of deliciousness.

It wasn't until my mid-twenties that I finally realized what I had been searching for in every home-cooked-meal I ate.Whether it was meatloaf, pasta, sandwiches, stir-fry, soup, salad, hamburgers or even spaghetti- I always find myself thinking, "This could use some onions." Much do my dad's chagrin, I have developed  a deep love for onions and always keep some on hand. I like to slice/dice them up and have them as a raw or lightly sauteed addition leftovers or whatever the family is having for dinner.

But I didn't stop with onions. As my food journey has progressed, I've learned more and more about the benefits and necessity of vegetables in general. I've also come to learn we don't eat nearly enough of them. I've also come to love them.

This year I am working toward my certification as a holistic health coach, and going through the curriculum, every day I become even more inspired to up my veggie intake in any way I can. But it's easy to get off track and stuck in a "food rut," which for me means waiting until I'm starved and then devouring anything I can find in the fridge or pantry. Which usually leaves me with some pretty poor food choices. Which reminds me I need to be more intentional about what I eat. Which is why I made this blog.

I am not a professional writer/photographer/ nutritionist/blogger chic. I'm not even a great cook.I don't subscribe to any particular "diet" philosophy (ie. vegan, paleo, macro, etc). I'm not going to tell you what's good for YOU and what YOU should be eating. I'm just here to remind myself and anyone else who comes along, that eating "healthy" is not hard. It's not a certain diet or plan or regime. It's not about eating "perfect" or depriving yourself. It's not about what we eat sometimes, it's about what we eat most of the time. And lets face it, most of the time what we're eating could probably use some veggies. And maybe onions too.

In this blog I'll be sharing simple meals and snacks I make incorporating  nutritious foods. Most of the meals I make will not require any fancy kitchen equipment or hard-to-find ingredients. My goal is to remind myself and others that eating healthfully can be quick, easy and delicious.