Not a Recipe, But Related To It

Today I want to write to you about how to be more confident in the kitchen.

When it comes to creating a meal or following a recipe, always remember that YOU are in control of it.  A few weeks ago, I took a class with Chef Richard LaMarita, which was great.  But the recipes we were learning to make included some animal protein and dairy.  I, of course, could have chosen not to take the class or to be proactive and think ahead of what substitutions I could do to make the recipes happen.  The chef was making a sauce with heavy cream, so I used unsweetened coconut milk. His meal looked a certain color because of the fat of the animal protein, so I used turmeric to achieved a similar color.  Also, his recipe called for ricotta cheese, so I used my homemade vegan ricotta (which ended up being so tasty).  I also made other adjustments, but the main point is that, I just wanted to make it work.  And it did.  My husband approved the meals and was actually impressed.  *wink, wink*.

So if you don’t have certain ingredients at home but really want to make a recipe, just add what you have in your fridge and pantry.  Swapping ingredients will make you feel empowered and in control. It will also give you more ideas for future meals.  And going grocery shopping will start to be fun.

The same goes with spices.  You don’t need to have one hundred different spices.  Just have a few that you and your family enjoy the most and swap them within meals.

You also don’t need to meal plan (if you do, great!) and get stressed about it.  Just take a look at what you have at home and search online for the main ingredient you have available, and come up with a simple great meal.

The key is to make cooking fun, not stressful. Enjoy it, be creative, make a bucket list meal(meals you would want to make in the near future) and go to town!

I hope I have given you a little push and you feel inspired to cook more and with a positive and proactive mindset.

Thanks for stoping by my kitchen, y buen provecho!

Aixa