Cooking: 2020 New Years Resolution Update:
Polishing my skills was the title I had for cooking on my vision board.
If you know me know I used to avoid cooking like the plague. I would come up with all sorts of excuses to avoid cooking. Today I sing a different song altogether and can happily share that my pots have become my best friends thanks to the lockdown regulations that stipulated that we have to stay home as a means to reduce the spread of COVID-19.
Growing up in a family of women and being in a boarding school for 13years of my life there was always someone to cook for me so I believe I fell through the cracks and never really had the opportunity to stand in front of the pots as the person making the meals from scratch. This built a genuine fear of failure when it comes to cooking for people and the scrutiny that might come. This was what made me realise how sensitive I really am.
Growing up hearing how a woman bears the responsibility of cooking WELL because of societal norms was the nail in the coffin. If I am being honest I am glad the world is changing. I HATE how demanding the world is when it comes to the roles we should play as women in a household.
Anyone who has been watching my social media activity over the past 3 months is in disbelief at this point – rightfully. My day is not complete if I don’t cook up a storm and I guess that is every mother’s dream, I am finally doing something right in my life LOL. On the real, I am glad I challenged myself and put in the effort to do better, not for anyone else but myself.
How to get yourself to start cooking:
Without being cliche I would definitely say JUST START. Cooking is trial and error – if you get it wrong first time around you try again. Some dishes take more practice but the sense of achievement that comes with people cleaning their plates or asking for seconds when you’ve cooked is incredible.
Favourite recipe book and blogs:
- Neo Nontso, her recipes are easy to follow, the ingredients she uses are available at most South African grocery stores – she recently started a DinewithNeo channel but most of her recipes are on her Instagram
Favourite dish to cook:
- Chicken, it’s definitely the easiest foods to cook – it’s very hard to get it wrong this is coming from someone with res life cooking skills.
How cooking makes me feel:
- Cooking calms me, it satisfies my heart, it makes me feel wholesome – its the best thing to ever happen to my creative mind. When I feel restless or upset it makes everything right in the work again. I am a happier person because of cooking it’s definitely not overrated believe the hype.
The two ingredients every meal requires:
- Garlic & onion – These two ingredients change everything by amplifying the flavour in the food you are making.
Worst Foods:
- Marmite Spread
- Pumpkin
- Peach
- Celery
Favourite foods:
- Lamb Stew with Samp
- ALL Seafood Dishes
- Pasta – Seafood
- Pizza – Seafood or Avo/Bacon and Feta toppings
The past 6 months have taught me to roll with the punches. Find what makes YOU and explore your passions in their numbers. Do something you wouldn’t ordinarily do because you never know how that could change your well being and quality of life.
Fun Fact:
- This process has helped me improve the relationship I have with food. Food is not my enemy nor is it out to get me – it is there to nourish me that is progress for someone who always feels guilty after eating unhealthy.
Next on the list is baking, I am dedicating the next 3months to learning that skill.
Check out my Instagram stories to see more of my skills 🙂
See other everyday life posts
XO
Cway
Full-Time Life Enjoyer
