I'm having a roast beef sandwich with provolone, roma tomatoes, and arugula for breakfast. It's pretty good.

Feeling a little better today. Had a long talk with my BFF of 40 years last night and that was better than therapy.

This morning posts all bring me smiles.

I really have to get in motion and get stuff done. First to pick up some groceries and make a bunch of homemade dog food. Doggo is super skinny and has some belly issues. So chicken and brown rice and stuff in a big crock pot today. He also won't drink city water, which I find amusing, so filtered water too. Heh.

Should I get an Instant Pot? I need to finally learn how to cook so I can have decent meals at home and have control over what goes into them. Instant Pot seems like it would make things easier, maybe?

I have an instant pot, but have never gotten around to using it. I find my crockpot to be my best bet for actually getting food on the table. I put everything together in the morning when I still have energy, and I make a big enough batch that I can either freeze leftovers or have them for the rest of the week.

I was wondering how it would be any better than my crockpot. I think I'll use the crockpot more.

Zen, I would suggest using what you have to get back into the habit or into the habit for the first time of cooking before buying something. A new gadget won't make you start cooking if you are not already doing it.

Remind me are you on a restricted diet?

I haven't gone the instant pot route yet. I do use my crock pot pretty often and I now use my air fryer instead of roasting veggies in the oven. However, this article on nifty things you can make in the instant pot has me interested. [link]

I have an instant pot, but have never gotten around to using it. 

Same. It always seems like more trouble than it's worth.

It's probably better to gather a couple of recipes that are easily adaptable and that you can quickly get comfortable cooking. Like a sheetpan chicken, pantry pasta, a grain bowl. Those are all standards for us.

I made sheetpan fajitas the other night served over limed cauliflower rice and it was sooooo tasty. Basically just strips of chicken, onions, and peppers tossed in a jerk spice mix and roasted.

The huge factor for me is having a menu plan. I do a whole 4 weeks at a time. It takes me a few hours, but then I don't have to do any planning for a month. Zen, if you are low carbing it I can send you the month plan with recipes that I sent to Sophia. If you are doing carbs then just have real rice where it calls for cauliflower rice and so forth.

I really enjoy pouring through recipes and cooking. Right now the crock pot has chicken, rice, and veggies in it cooking food for the dog. Need to fatten up the pup.

Laura, I would love to see your meal plan if you're willing to share.