Why You Should Be More Adventurous in the Kitchen

I used to hate cooking with a passion.

One of the major reasons was that I hated the clean up and the dishes. I'm a quick eater, so I have always felt like there is so much work for just a little bit of time enjoying the food, and then it's all over. Next thing you know, you've got a sink full of dishes. So I figured, if you don't cook, you don't have to clean the kitchen. Here's what I learned:

A) Ordering in creates garbage as well, so you'll have to clean up anyway.

B) You still have to clean the counters and stove because of dust, even if you've convinced yourself you're not making a mess.

C) Not cooking your own meals costs a lot of money.

When I lived on my own, I spent a lot of money on takeout. Way more than I'm proud of. But the experience taught me a life lesson about money, so I'll appreciate that.

I've come to accept that there will always be dishes to do, no matter how much you try to avoid cooking.

I also felt like I could never think of something new to make. I didn't have a lot of ideas, I cooked the same things over and over, and I felt really uninspired in the kitchen. Sometimes when you're standing there in the kitchen, trying to come up with an idea for dinner, you'll have absolutely nothing. It's like a desert in the lush rainforest that is your imagination.

So I want to pose a question... does it pay off to be adventurous in the kitchen? Is it worth all the mess and the struggle? And why?

Recently, I have started cooking a lot more. I've been researching new recipes, prepping ingredients, and getting my hands dirty. To tell you the truth, I've loved it. Not only have I been successfully making and putting my own spin on recipes my household hasn't tried, but I'm also experimenting with new things and coming up with whole new recipes.

For example, I found a recipe for burger bowls (delicious, by the way). While eating it, I realized that the meat itself had a meatloaf consistency and tasted really good. I wanted to try making a meatloaf, so I just used the seasoning instructions from the burger bowls recipe for my own pound of meat, put it into a loaf, and baked it.

It turned out amazing. I also did some research on sauces, looking for something BBQ-y and ketchup-y, and I found a perfect base to use that I bounced off of from there. Now, my boyfriend's favourite meal is my meatloaf with my newly-named KBQ sauce.

I love the fact that I made something brand new that my family absolutely loves. Experimenting and making this recipe gave me so much more confidence in the kitchen.

The other night, I made a new recipe - chicken breasts stuffed with fajita-seasoned peppers and onions. I struggled with this one, I'll admit that. At the end of the day, it didn't turn out so bad, but I wasn't happy with it.

I learned then that there will be times when I mess up, or when something doesn't turn out right, or the way I expected. But the important thing is that I tried something new and I didn't give up.

Even though I'm in the comfort of my own home, I see these accomplishments as pretty big. From a girl who used to avoid cooking, to trying a new recipe almost every night, I think I've made huge steps. It pays off to be adventurous in the kitchen. Not only do you feel good, but you get to eat some good shit, too.