Cooking and Bike Riding

Pin It

Cooking is like riding a bike. You’re thinking, “What?” Remember the first time you got on a bike? It felt uneasy and shaky-you probably had someone hold on the back of the seat while you kept your balance. Different commands were coming full force. “Hold on to the bars, keep steady, don’t shake so much, turn, you’re leaning in too far, stop!” It was overwhelming and then you fell. Did you get back up? Sure, most of us got right back up and tried again. 

That’s the way it with cooking. You fall and you get right back up. The first time I made graham crackers, I messed up royally. I altered the recipe, which is usually a “no-no” for a first timer, and then I didn’t read all the directions, which stated: leave the crackers on the parchment paper. So mine stuck to my pan and where’s a bulldozer when you need one? Thankfully, they tasted great and we gobbled the crumbs. I’m not giving up. I’ve got visions for my next batch.

Remember once you learned to ride a bike, you saw someone doing cool bike tricks and that was the next step. New tricks take patience, persistence and practice and they don’t happen overnight. My best freezer cooking tricks didn’t happen overnight either. In fact, it’s taken me eight years to perfect some of the best ways to freeze items.

Pin It

Eventually you learned great new moves on your bike, but it didn’t happen by sitting around watching. You had to get your head in the game. You probably asked friends, adults and long time riders how to do a special move.

The same is for cooking, a little investigation and research goes a long way. Visiting blogs and trying new recipes expands your knowledge and skills.

Okay, you learned to ride a bike when you were a kid, but can you still ride a bike as an adult? Sure, we haven’t been on one in maybe ten to twenty years (I’m just throwing out a numbers-humor me), but with prodding and encouragement we’ll gain the skills back.

Perhaps you haven’t really “home-cooked” in a long while. You may start shaky, but you’ll find your groove again. Did you know you have a hidden niche in cooking? Everyone has something they prefer to cook or bake and they’re good at it. Yes, you have a secret recipe or two up your sleeve, I know you do. Discover what your good at and aim high. Duplicate your culinary masterpiece and freeze it. Triple or quadruple it.  Keep it on hand to shine for others. Give it away. Indulge and have fun in the kitchen.

Soon, you’re coasting on your bike without hands. Remember those days? “Look Mom, no hands.” You take your eye of the road and hit a pebble and fall flat on your face. You know how easy it is to get up and try again because you’ve done it as a child.

Pin It

When you fail a new recipe or your freezer meal doesn’t taste exactly right, don’t give up. Remember, like bike riding, new tricks require practice, practice, practice. Freezer cooking requires the same kind of persistence and the end result is better health. Your food is freshly frozen without preservatives, you’re controlling the quality ingredients you ‘re cooking with (like whole wheat flour or organic) and you’re eating out less because “dinner’s in the fridge thawing.”

Pin It

What attempts have you made toward freezer cooking? Were some of them failures or success? How can you encourage others with your mistakes? Remember my first graham crackers. Are you on a journey to better health?