93: The anti-cook | tori's tales: 93: The anti-cook

10 September 2013

93: The anti-cook

Image from lunchboxbunch.com
Food. I assume we are all familiar with the concept. Eating? Ditto. Now, I need to combine these two on a daily basis not necessarily because I want to - although, at times that is the case - but because I need to. You see, I have to do this called living. I'm sure you've heard of it. However, I have to be honest here, if that wasn't the case - if that combo wasn't a necessity  (just go with it for a mo!) - I'd be one happy lil' lady because it would mean that I would no longer have to do something I dread doing on a daily basis. That something is otherwise known as...

COOKING

If you are sat there thinking, 'what does she mean? I love cooking!' then, boy, am I jealous of you. Because I hate it. I do. Which doesn't make for easy evenings when I have to peel myself off the sofa, or away from the internet (lets face it, always the latter), and make my way over to the kitchen with only the large feeling of dread that settles itself inside my chest for company. 

How fantastic are these magnets?!! Left, Right, both Anne Taintor
Ok, so yes, that may be my dramatic side rearing it's not-so-pretty head but, honestly, I really can't stand it. And surely I'm not the only one?! (Please tell me I'm not?!). Furthermore, not only do I not enjoy the act of cooking but I also don't like coming up with dinners. Actually, I think I dislike this the most. Looking at recipes isn't for me (I'm not one to spend hours trawling through Pinterest, as I'm sure you've already gathered). I get bored after about 2 minutes because, the majority of the time, I'm faced with lists of ingredients that include things like yeast (honestly, who has yeast in their cupboard? Do not say you. Just don't!), cayenne (I never have it. Even when I've noted down on a list that I need to buy it, it never makes its way into my trolley), walnuts (or a kind of - I swear - mythical nut that only the nut-gods stock, because Asda certainly doesn't) and some sort of fresh bloody herb (don't even get me started on parsley), all of which are never a feature of my kitchen. I never, ever have what the recipe-maker seems to suggest should be a cupboard-staple because, honestly, when are any of those ingredients staples?! I've got salt, pasta and boxes of stuffing in mine. Et voila!

Kenwood kMix Blender
Not only that but I also don't have all the necessary equipment one needs for some of the more, shall we say, elaborate recipes I come across (or not so, in the case of soup!). I own one saucepan. ONE. With a broken lid. And I don't own a shu-sher (that'd be a blender) which would be a good thing to own because the amount of times I have come across a soup recipe, bought the ingredients and then realised I can't make it because of the lack of shu-sher-ness is probably a good few more times than I'd be willing to admit to. 

Image from A Beautiful Mess
This situation is a frustrating one because, you know what, I do like food. I like trying new things. I dislike my boring dinners (of which, out of 7, all of them are so). I scroll through foodie blogs and think 'YUM, I want that for dinner' but I can never seem to recreate it, even when I try. This seems to be worse now I'm a veggie because a lot of the recipes I come across, the really good-looking ones, are vegan and I'm not sure Nottingham is that vegan-friendly (grant it that may just be because of where I live/slash the places I shop at). Not only that but I find recipe-following to be expensive (don't forget one has to live on a student budget). Each one seems to list its own herbs/spices/whatevers of which none coincide with those on any others so I'm always stuck to know what to do. Or rather, this means I do nothing because I can't choose which to cook over the other (my indecisiveness forever kicking up a fuss) and thus we are back to square one. Boring mealtimes. 

I'd love a cure for all these - seemingly ridiculous and not at all serious - problems. Quick, easy but fabulously-tasting (although not too-extraordinary when it comes to its ingredients), student-budget-friendly dinners. That don't need a shu-sher. Anyone fancy helping a gal out?!!

7 comments:

  1. I'm the same, the idea of cooking sounds more fun than the actual doing the cooking! I would try home made pizza, saw one of Ericas blog that looked so good! Xx

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  2. I hear ya Tori!! I really love making food but I'm not too terribly inventive. I LOVE making deserts though!! If I could live off deserts I'd be one happy gal!! I saw a recipe that I want to try out for pumpkin donuts but it calls for a few utensils that I don't have and I'm wondering if i'd be worth it to pick them up + spend the money...

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  3. I'm with you sister, I just cannot be arsed with cooking! I have about 4 dishes that I have on rotation and I just make them on autopilot. Cooking takes the fun out of eating! xx

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  4. I go through phases with cooking - because I'm awful in comparison to Trout, I tend to stick to my safety-zone recipes and rarely stray. But you know what - pick a recipe you really like the sound of, which doesn't take too long, and follow every single step and you'll be fine! It feels like a real achievement (for me, anyway!) to whip something up for us that tastes pretty good. You've got to blog about your creations! I've got a few vegan recipes, and links to vegan blogs, on my blog if you want some new inspiration x

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  5. I'm similar Tori! I love to bake and could spend hours baking, but cooking actual dinners, isn't something I enjoy spending lots of time doing. I'm forever googling "quick pasta dishes" or something along those lines! I often find the simplest recipes, with few ingredients are best anyway in all honesty :) xxx

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  6. Slow cookers! Cut up food, plonk in slow cooker, bugger off and stare at Twitter for six hours. Dinner!
    Student recipes are a good place to start; cheaper, easier, and don't assume you're feeding a dinner party. I hate when I find nice recipes and then read 'serves 8'. That's nice, but what shall me and the boyfriend eat?

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  7. ahaha :') the thought of cooking makes me a tad iffy but eating on the other hand? don't mind if i do! haah!

    http://wishuponasmile.blogspot.com/

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