I think most people get in these weird slumps from time to time, and last week I decided to just say, "Fuck it" and take some time away from the things I felt like I had to do. (And you'll see exactly how little I cared by the end of the month when I post my goals and results!)
Instead of working on blog posts, I watched countless hours of Dexter with Eric. (And yes, we've both seen it before. We randomly decided to start the series over from the beginning a few weeks ago because we both love it so much.) Instead of stressing about finding time and energy for a workout, I did yoga videos when I felt like it and didn't worry about how hard I was pushing myself.
I'd like to say that I'm completely relaxed and centered now, and that I'm ready to get back into the groove of things ... But that's not exactly true. I'm slowly getting there, but it's definitely a process.
I realize that introduction probably doesn't seem like it has anything to do with a recipe, but it actually kind of does. One thing I struggle with when I lack motivation is the inspiration to try new things in the kitchen. I either want to go the ridiculously easy route (i.e. frozen pizza, pasta and jarred sauce, grilled chicken breasts, etc.) or, if I'm really unmotivated to throw together a meal, I resort to going out or getting takeout.
I went a little crazy with eating out last month, and the result was an emptier wallet and tighter pants. Remember how I lost two pounds in January and another two pounds in February? Well, two of those pounds found their way back after I spent the entire month of March stuffing my face with Qdoba, chocolate, gyros from my favorite Greek place, pancakes, potato chips ... The list could go on and on. The point is, I stopped caring about making stuff at home and am now regretting some of those choices.
But anyway ... There will be plenty of time to talk about that in an upcoming post.
Today's post is all about one of the recipes I made early last week that kind of helped me get my groove back in the kitchen.
I struggle with coming up with interesting side dishes. 98% of the time I stick with things like Steamfresh vegetables, salads, and rice. While those are all fine, I get sick of having the same thing all the time.
The only problem is that I never really feel like putting much effort into side dishes. In general, I don't love spending hours in the kitchen, but I'm much more willing to put in some extra time and effort for a main dish than for a side.
But, since I wanted to start trying new recipes again, I thought a simple side dish might be a good start. So I spent some time searching Pinterest and found this recipe. I tweaked things a bit, but it's essentially the same basic idea.
Honestly, I had no idea how these potatoes would turn out. I worried that they'd either get too mushy or wouldn't cook completely. But they were actually really good!
This isn't a fancy side dish ... Not at all. Sometimes, though, keeping things simple is best. And this combination of potatoes, garlic, butter, olive oil, and herbs is the perfect compliment to a meal.
Ingredient List:
Honestly, I had no idea how these potatoes would turn out. I worried that they'd either get too mushy or wouldn't cook completely. But they were actually really good!
This isn't a fancy side dish ... Not at all. Sometimes, though, keeping things simple is best. And this combination of potatoes, garlic, butter, olive oil, and herbs is the perfect compliment to a meal.
Crockpot Garlic Herb Potatoes
Adapted ever so slightly from a recipe on Damn Delicious.Ingredient List:
- 3 lbs small potatoes, halved (I used a combination of red, purple, and yellow baby potatoes.)
- 3 tbsp olive oil, divided
- 2 tbsp unsalted butter
- 4 cloves garlic (or, if you're lazy like me, the equivalent of jarred, pre-minced garlic)
- 1 tsp basil
- 1 tsp oregano
- 1 tsp black pepper
- 1 tsp garlic salt
- 1/2 tsp dill
Instructions:
1. Spray the inside of the crockpot with cooking spray.
2. Add the halved potatoes, 2 tbsp olive oil, butter, garlic, basil, oregano, dill, and black pepper to the crockpot and mix well.
3. Cook on low for 4-5 hours or high for 2-3 hours. (I checked my potatoes often, and, after starting them on high, switched to the low setting. I cooked them on high for 1.5 hours and then finished them on low for 2 hours. I felt like this gave me the slightly softened yet not at all mushy texture I was going for. I highly suggest checking the potatoes several times as they cook ... The cook time may differ depending on their size.)
4. After the potatoes have cooked for about 2 hours, add the remaining 1 tbsp olive oil. This is completely optional, but I thought my potatoes seemed like they weren't completely covered in oil and butter and I worried that they might dry out if I didn't add a little more. I opted to add oil, but you could always add more butter if you prefer.
5. At the end of cook time, add the garlic salt (or you can use regular salt if you think that's too much garlic!), and stir the potatoes several times.
Although I felt like I needed to check my potatoes regularly to ensure they didn't overcook, I still thought this was a really simple recipe. It was also a nice change from the usual steamed vegetables or salad (though definitely not as healthy!).
It probably sounds silly, but after I made these potatoes, I started feeling more excited about trying new recipes again. I guess sometimes the simplest things can work to get you back on track!
2. Add the halved potatoes, 2 tbsp olive oil, butter, garlic, basil, oregano, dill, and black pepper to the crockpot and mix well.
3. Cook on low for 4-5 hours or high for 2-3 hours. (I checked my potatoes often, and, after starting them on high, switched to the low setting. I cooked them on high for 1.5 hours and then finished them on low for 2 hours. I felt like this gave me the slightly softened yet not at all mushy texture I was going for. I highly suggest checking the potatoes several times as they cook ... The cook time may differ depending on their size.)
4. After the potatoes have cooked for about 2 hours, add the remaining 1 tbsp olive oil. This is completely optional, but I thought my potatoes seemed like they weren't completely covered in oil and butter and I worried that they might dry out if I didn't add a little more. I opted to add oil, but you could always add more butter if you prefer.
5. At the end of cook time, add the garlic salt (or you can use regular salt if you think that's too much garlic!), and stir the potatoes several times.
Although I felt like I needed to check my potatoes regularly to ensure they didn't overcook, I still thought this was a really simple recipe. It was also a nice change from the usual steamed vegetables or salad (though definitely not as healthy!).
It probably sounds silly, but after I made these potatoes, I started feeling more excited about trying new recipes again. I guess sometimes the simplest things can work to get you back on track!
honestly this looks amazing. i'm with you on being lazy with sides, and this really does look easy and delicious. i struggle sometimes because everything is too fancy on pinterest and the like, and sometimes i want a step up from frozen pizza/pasta with jarred sauce but not quite like 75 ingredients and 100 steps, you know?! there needs to be an in between haha. so i would totally make this. KC doesn't like eating potatoes as a side though (too carb-y which is exactly why i like them!).
ReplyDeletealso. we've talked about this a lot but yeah sometimes you just need to say fuck it. and then when it's time to get back on track, get back there slowly. you can do it! slowly getting there is better than not getting there at all, or going backwards!