soLo Carbing: Cooking for One

I am not Martha Stewart.

I am not Julia Child.

I'm not even Diane Sawyer watching Wolfgang Puck on Good Morning America. In fact, until I started low carbing, my kitchen was just that room between the den and the bathroom where I kept my beer and my Lean Cuisines. I mean, what would I, a singleton, need with a stove and oven? Everything I could ever want to eat could be nuked, or better yet, delivered.

And then, I became a low carber.

First, I had to become introduced to my kitchen.

"Kitchen, this is Emelia. Em, this is your kitchen. I'd like to point out a few things." I was being taken on a tour. Helpful, since I didn't know my way around.

"Now I think you're familiar with the refrigerator. You keep beer here, and oh, look. A jar of strawberry preserves your mom gave you six years ago. Very austere look, Em." My invisible tour guide tossed the jar of preserves and a white lump that had been a clove of garlic in a former life.

A few steps to the left was a white box I couldn't name. "Ah, that's the stove."

"What's it for?" I inquired, turning the knobs.

"You cook on it. And in it." Hmm. I thought that's what the microwave was for. It was clear I had a lot to learn.

I walked over to the counter and pointed to the stainless steel object. "This is where I stand when I eat so I don't make a mess."

"Ah, yes," replied my guide. "That is the sink. You'll be using it for a lot more than catching drippings." Huh. Who'd have thought?

The tour continued through drawers full of utensils I didn't know I had, cabinets full of pots and pans and colanders and baking dishes that must have magically appeared during my last move. My guide explained that now that I'm a low carber, I wouldn't be eating frozen dinners and take out. I'd have to actually buy food in the grocery store and cook it. I tried to imagine the aisles that would contain the food I needed, and I realized I'd be venturing past the frozen food section. Wow, I thought, I might actually have a load of groceries that didn't have to be rushed into the freezer!

As I came out of my reverie, my guide was going through my pantry, throwing out box after box of cereal, pasta, rice mixes, and ramen noodles.

"Not the ramen noodles! They were 10 for a buck!" But my guide was merciless, and all of my dry convenience foods were now at the bottom of the big green trash bag I didn't realize I had. Next to go was the stack of take out menus. I stood there in amazement, watching the mainstays of my single life being removed. I think I shed a tear.

"Whatever will I do now?"

"You're a smart girl. You?ll figure it out." And with that, my guide disappeared into thin air.

Okay, so it wasn't that bad. I actually enjoy cooking, when I'm cooking for more than one. But the truth is, for many of us singletons, cooking for one is more trouble than it;s worth. And while I joke about the empty fridge, the stack of take out menus and convenience foods is not a joke, and breaking that habit is one of the hardest parts of singleton low carbing.

But all hope is not lost! Here are some simple tricks and tips that I've learned in my now seven months of low carbing that making cooking for one a task now less daunting than cleaning your gutters.

1. Shop every day for vegetables.

Unless you live in a rural area 45 minutes or more from the nearest grocery, it's easy to make frequent stops at the grocery store on your way home from work or school. Why do this? Have you ever bought a bag of string beans and have them go bad before you get to them? How many green peppers have rotted in the veggie drawer of your fridge? As singletons, we just can't eat bulk vegetables fast enough. It's better to stop by the store and get a one- or two- day supply and know they're fresh.

2. Buy your meats in bulk.

Welcome to the contradiction of grocery shopping for one! The nice thing about those family packs of meat is that they're usually cheaper, and meat freezes! When you get home from the store, wrap each piece of meat or poultry separately, then freeze them. They are easy to thaw individually, and you don't waste food by not cooking everything all at once.

3. Purge the pantry.

As a singleton, you have no excuse for keeping boxes of macaroni and cheese or sugar or cereal or any other carb-laden food item. I mean, who's gonna eat it, the cat? I don't think so. Resist temptation. If you don't have significant others or rugrats running around demanding chips and potatoes and Kool-Aid, don't keep the stuff around. Caveat: I do keep a small container of sugar for when I have visitors over for coffee...but Splenda and Stevia are so tasty, I'm not tempted to use it myself.

4. Cook in advance.

Pre-LC, I would make big pans of lasagna and tuna-noodle casserole and other carb-laden one-dish meals on a Sunday, then cut them up into individual portions for easy lunches/dinners throughout the week. That doesn't have to change now! Your casseroles may be different, but consider roasting a bunch of chicken breasts for your lunches, crustless quiches for speedy breakfasts, and other yummy casseroles (check out Sharron's cookbook or the LowCarbEating recipe database for ideas).

5. Get smaller pots and pans.

Does your one pork chop seem too lonely in that big frying pan? Does it seem like too much effort to drag out the big steamer for a cup of broccoli? Buy smaller pots and pans. Not only is that a nice treat/reward for you, it makes food preparation and clean-up just that much easier.

6. Sit down!

I was the queen of eating over the sink. I'd eat quickly before I ran off to my next activity. Sure, I saved on dishes, but I wasn't enjoying my food or doing any favors to my digestive system. Do sit down at the table and eat. Read...watch a little tv...or just listen to good music. But make sure you sit down and enjoy your meal. There's nothing stopping you from making it a special occasion, either. Light candles. Use the good dishes. Buy some flowers. Drink your water out of a wine glass. Make your dining area a beautiful, special place just for you. After all, you're doing something very special for yourself by sticking to this WOE...reward yourself for it!

7. Don't let the dishes pile up.

Nothing makes me want to cook LESS than walking into the kitchen and seeing stacks of dirty dishes. Take the time after dinner to wash the dishes. It is not only better for you and your house, it is another step in the self-care department.

8. Throw away the takeout menus.

The longer the soy sauce-stained Chinese take-out menu sits on your counter, the more tempted you will be to use it again. Remember, take out, by and large, is our enemy. Throw away the pizza coupons, discard the piles of duck sauce and hot mustard. It may be convenient, but it doesn't fit your WOE, and it's more expensive.

But most of all, do become aquainted with your kitchen. Your colander will become your friend, and your body will thank you for it.