People ask me all the time if I can cook. Do I look like I can’t cook? Skinny people don’t eat, so surely they can’t cook.
I will let you in on a little secret, I will eat you out of a house and a home. Since I love to eat, cooking good food is a necessity. The fact that I don’t eat meat means there is room for larger portions. I have not “intentionally” eaten any meat since 1995 (I think my family has tried to trick me a few times); I have been pescetarian for at least 10 years. If you were vegetarian in the 90’s cooking was a survival skill. I was making avocado toast and smoothies in the 90’s, before it was trendy. Dumping a smoothie in a bowl and topping it with pretty fruit and berries is cute and new, but that’s about it. When it comes to cooking I have a few original dishes, but to be honest I like trying other people’s and then adding my own twist.
My favorite all time cookbooks are by Afya Ibomu titled:
I need food with flavor and soul! I don’t eat a lot of tofu or meat substitutes in search for the “meat taste.” I’ll eat seafood once a week, but rarely cook it. No desire. Asian noodle dishes or stir fries are my favorite. Thanks to Afya’s collard green recipe I have mastered greens (kale and collards) and can cook a soulful Thanksgiving dinner that would please any carnivore.
I can cook because I know how to follow recipes and have taste-buds! In the past two weeks several people have asked me to share vegetarian and vegan recipes. Here are links to my favorite recipe Pinterest Boards:
If you live in Atlanta check out one of Chef Beee’s vegan cooking classes. Click here for her recipes and schedule. Her classes are affordable and fun!
The dish above I made last night. It’s an Asian Cucumber Noodle Salad with Almond Butter Dressing; the recipe is from Vicky’s site Avocado Pesto. I later added zuchini and carrot spirals. The almond dressing was delicious! The drink is a Basil Vodka Lemonade inspired by Get Healthy U.
In short, can I cook? I can show you better than I can tell you!
Can’t wait to sample your skills! — CH
LOL! Cheers!
LOVE this!!! And I’m getting into cook using books and not just wingin it all the time so appreciated the book recs. Yayy!!! Thanks for sharing Kenya!! 🙌🏾😘
Thank you! You would love the two books I recommended!! If you get them let me know. Pinterest is my BFF, tons of good recipes.
da gal can cook…i am a swift witness!
That means a lot coming from you!! Thanks!!!
I live in Chattanooga and I saw your Instagram which is what led me to this page. I love it! Hope you had a great time I our city. If I could ask one question it would be how are you able to travel so much? That is My life’s dream but sometimes I find it hard to even afford to go to Florida. Happy HAPPY travels!
Hi Rory,
Thanks for the follow!! I love Chattanooga, it’s one of my favorite places to visit. There is so much to do in the area. I have been able to travel a lot through work and school. However, I am 41 and just now in a position to be able to afford leisure travel. This past year I decided to put aside in my savings about $50 a month for personal travel, it’s not a lot but a start. When I travel I try not to stay in hotels, I use Airbnb for my accommodations. This last trip to TN I stayed two nights in a tent and it cost me about $80 total for the weekend (food, gas and accommodations). Unfortunately, traveling on a budget takes more planning, but it’s worth it! I am going on a trip in November to Australia with my family; we set up a 6 month payment plan with the travel agency so that we wouldn’t have to pay for everything all at once. Thanks again for the support!