Cooking to some is like second nature. It’s something you usually have to do if you want to eat, but it can also stand on its own as a hobby. Just like with any other hobby, there are different levels when it comes to cooking. It can be as easy as making a delicious sandwich or as tedious as making homemade gnocchi. No matter what level you are looking to start on, just know that cooking can be a really fun and creative activity with great results.
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Throw Out The Recipe
I am someone who hardly ever uses recipes unless it’s something that I have no idea how to make. Throwing out the recipe gives you complete creative freedom. Unless you are a professional chef or in cooking school, there really are no rules to cooking. You get to do what you want. It gives you a chance to think about your favorite meals and how you can make them yourself with your own unique spin. Not following a recipe can also take the pressure down a few notches. You can base the meal that you made on your own expectations and not someone else’s. You might even start making your own recipes that other people can either throw out or choose to use when they are looking to try something new.
On the other hand, not all recipes should be thrown out. Recipes can be the perfect guide for when you are just starting to venture outside of your comfort zone. They give you a better understanding of how certain foods are made so that you can use that knowledge for your own creations. With that being said, whether you use a recipe or not, looking at cooking as a hobby invites you to think outside the box.
Work With What You Got
Another thing I like to do when it comes to cooking is work with what’s in my fridge or pantry before going out to buy something else. It really makes you think about different food and flavor combinations plus it also helps with minimizing food waste. There are certain items that provide a lot of versatility like garbanzo beans, pasta, and coconut milk. You can always have them on hand, and they work in many cases with different produce and meats that you tend to buy weekly.
This is also a good way to see how your cooking has progressed. Sometimes you can have all types of ingredients, but no place to start. Other times, you can have five ingredients that turn into the best thing you have ever made. You learn from your mistakes, and you take note of what you do and don’t like so that you are always making moves to get better or get closer to what you want. That’s one of the greatest things about cooking, you are always learning something new. It’s just up to you to decide what you do with that new piece of information.
Look At Cooking From A Different Angle
Of course, we cook to eat, but cooking can be so much more than the food you make. It can be an introduction to new cultures and traditions. It can be a fun activity to do with family and friends. Cooking can even be something you do to relax yourself or a time to listen to new music. There are so many other wonderful benefits that come along with picking up cooking as a hobby, so think about those and not the only downside, which is the cleanup. No one likes the cleanup.
A Little Inspiration
I just want you to know, some of your food may come out picture-perfect and delicious like my burger and fries are quite pretty if I do say so myself. Other times it may come out funny-looking and delicious, like the squid ink spaghetti. As long as you are happy with what you made, you did just fine.
Share some of your favorite food combinations in the comments below!
Photo by Calum Lewis on Unsplash
