Welcome to 2025!
I don't do resolutions, mainly because of the cliché, but I also prefer challenges with achievable goals and results that can be measured. So this year, alongside my fitness goals (getting the monthly Apple Watch badge each month of the year and hitting a 100 day Peloton streak in the first 100 days of the year), I've decided to address something that's been bugging me for a while.
We all have that shelf of books we love to look longingly at, but are barely more than dust collectors. You know the ones, bright, colourful, creative titles, exuding a smug middle class aura and conveying the impression that you're a mature, cultured, adult human being. They might be on display in the lounge for visitors to view, perhaps you rotate them on the coffee table, pretending they are actually used, or maybe they're on a shelf in the kitchen and you get pangs of guilt when they catch your eye as you make pesto pasta for the hundredth time...
There are some incredible recipe books out there. There are also some less good ones. We've all looked at the latest celebrity chef book, usually accompanied by a tv show promoting it, and thought "wow, that's the book for me". And then never opened it. There are a million reasons why we don't cook - it's too hard, too complicated, the ingredients are too costly, it takes too long, I don't have the space, the right pan, the right gadget... But those excuses are self-imposed barriers - it's very rare a recipe will be impossible to make, after all, these books have been written for you to use (although some also look really pretty).
Full disclosure: I'm vegan (I know...). Lactose intolerance and IBS triggered by onions, garlic and sweet potato also restrict my diet. This rules out a lot of the processed quick and easy foods and ready meals. It also means I need to modify a lot of the recipes I have, and the inconvenience of working switches out (it really isn't that hard...) has been my own personal barrier to using my books. I've spent the last year reverting to student cooking habits - you guessed it, pesto pasta, spag bol, stir fry made with frozen veg. Food has become purely functional, it's fuel. Shop cheap, stock up on frozen veg from Iceland, economy tinned foods, tofu as a treat, maintain a basic dried herbs and spices cupboard. Cook quick - if it takes longer than 30 minutes it's a no go - time in the kitchen is time I should be working, or could be playing video games, or something "useful".
Modern life is hectic and stressful. I've lost my connection with food, and the joy cooking can bring. Yes, peeling potatoes and grating them to make latkes can be tedious, but time in the kitchen with music, an audio book or podcast, or cooking with friends does bring me joy. And few things are as comforting and satisfying as fresh, hot, tasty latkes. The satisfaction of a homecooked soup in winter warms the body and the soul. Discovering meals from different cultures feeds the desire to travel and explore. It's not wasted time, it's positive growth. And a key pillar of achieving a growth mindset is surrounding yourself with people and things that bring you joy, and engaging in joyful activities.
So this year, my personal challenge is too cook one new recipe from one of my books every week. Not just fall back on my favourite pad thai and BBQ tofu as treats (although I will absolutely be making those too).
This blog will document my journey, recording the recipes I make, reviewing them, and noting possible modifications to enhance and adjust them for my personal taste. I'll also log the nutritional values of each meal, but I'm not obsessive about macros, it's more a means to help plan the rest of my meals for the weak as part of wider fitness goals. My dietary restrictions mean it's hard to hit protein intakes. I'll also document rough meal costs per serving, overcoming the perception that cooking is more costly than ready meals. I might suggest matching beverages - I like wine, but am by no means an expert on pairings.
What you'll find front and centre is the recipe - because there's nothing more annoying than having to scroll through a lengthy blog before you get to the actual recipe. The notes and reflection will come after each recipe, because that's how we experience cooking.
This blog is a notebook and part of my personal growth journey, and an accountability tool for my challenge. I hope it helps and inspires you too. So grab a spoon, dust off your recipe books, and dig in!
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