What are your thoughts on cooking? Do you enjoy it? Do you hate it? Do you not have time? Do you think that what you make will be so disgusting that you wouldn’t even torture your dog with it? I love to cook. Here are some reasons why I am cooking’s number one fan and think you all should be too.
1. Cooking is an awesome way to get creative. Whether you want to try to make a Moroccan cous-cous recipe or some zesty Mexican enchiladas – cooking can be an excellent way to explore new cultures.
2. You can have exactly what you want. Have you ever been to a restaurant or looked through the frozen food or premade dinner section at the grocery store and thought – these all look fine but nothing is EXACTLY what I’m craving? When you cook, you can choose every ingredient and adjust the recipe to the exact sweetness or spiciness you enjoy.
3. Cooking is an excellent tool when trying to be healthy. Often times, being healthy can come from a simple adjustment in your lifestyle. All it takes is eating fresh, natural and non-processed foods (and maybe some exercise too!). There are plenty of recipes that can help make these foods absolutely delicious and completely satisfying.
4. On the flipside, cooking is an irresistible way to indulge. I have a huge sweet-tooth and I’ve realized that home baked goodies taste so much better than anything store bought. There’s nothing wrong with a little indulgence every once in a while!
5. Cooking is a way to have fun and relieve stress. There’s no right or wrong way to cook. It’s easy to follow a recipe, but you can also tweak recipes so that the dish is exactly what you want. Unlike baking, cooking is less scientific and it doesn’t really matter if you add one or two tablespoons of curry powder. Even if you have only a couple hours on Sunday to cook – a big pot of soup will last the whole week; or you can cook on Sundays, freeze whatever it is you’re not ready to eat, and then take it out with ample time to defrost when you want to eat it.
6. You can cook with friends! Make it an activity. Your friends will love you if you cook for them every once in a while!
Some of my favorite cooking blogs are: Smitten Kitchen, Epicurious and Sifting Focus. Cooking Light also has some delicious recipes. Enjoy!