I’ve always loved cooking. It began with simple pleasures like perfecting the art of grilled cheese sandwiches after school, OG ramen noodles in my college dorm, and breakfast foods for dinner in my early 20s. Back then, cooking was a Sunday ritual. I’d spend the afternoons preparing food with a glass of wine in hand while catching up on Bravo’s housewives. I also took this time to boil chicken and sweet potato for my spoiled but deserving pup, Bianco. Those days feel distant now that motherhood has turned cooking from a leisurely hobby into a necessity amid the demands of family life.
My relationship with cooking and with food in general has changed throughout my lifespan. There were times of stress when eating was a challenge, and periods when takeout was my go-to due to long corporate hours or sacrificing my energy to commutes in traffic. There was another season where staying within the confines of a strict budget was the most important thing to me; I admit that being primarily focused on $$ wasn’t too challenging but the quality of the food that was being consumed wasn’t necessarily great. During the pandemic, I dabbled in growing my own vegetables, which ignited an interest in homesteading and connecting with the earth and the land in new ways. I’m a total garden geek now and I love it!
These days, I focus on whole foods and herbs. I’m constantly working to balance a realistic food budget with my commitment to eating clean. Oh, and growing our own garden vegetables is another fun perk that creates an opportunity for connection and learning alongside my family. Cooking nowadays goes far beyond just feeding the mouths around me; it’s about creating meals that bring us together and nourish our well-being.