About Forks and Recreation
My motivation for this blog came from trying to feed myself in New York City. I graduated from college in Vermont and moved away from the open fields, rolling hills, and cows to the land of concrete, skyscrapers, and taxis in New York City. When I arrived in the city, I was surprised to see the culture around eating out and ordering food in NYC – it’s just so easy when there are so many restaurants all around you. But the dollars and the calories quickly start piling up. I turned to the internet for recipe inspiration. I grew quickly discouraged, however, when I started scrolling through blog posts with twenty ingredients and incomprehensible words in the title like “ricotta gnudi” and “sieved eggs.” I just wanted dinner tonight and some leftovers for lunch, please.
That is where I hope Forks and Recreation comes in. I want to provide inspiration for other young folks like myself to cook for themselves. We do not have much expertise, a large budget, or a very well stocked kitchen, but that is half the fun of it. We get to dream up whatever sounds good and see if we can make it – without the help of a pizza stone. I want to show that cooking can be fun and it does not have to be work. After coming home from a long day, there’s hardly anything I look forward to more than turning on the stereo in the kitchen and cooking a nice, warm dinner or meal prepping my lunches for the week. It is completely possible to cook the majority of our food for ourselves with simple recipes and make delicious, healthy, portable meals that will save your wallet and your waistline.
Some basic guiding parameters that came to mind as I thought about the direction of this blog:
1) Mostly recipes that will make quick & easy dinners after work or lunches to take on the go. The “recreation” in the title comes from the thought that a) cooking should be easy and enjoyable, and 2) food should be enjoyed anywhere – parks, work, with friends, solo recharge time, or wherever you may find yourself.
2) Cooking from whole ingredients. When you cook for yourself with mostly whole ingredients, you naturally start cutting out processed food from your diet. I have noticed a huge difference in how I feel now that I am cooking for myself – miserable stomachaches disappeared and my energy stays more constant throughout the day. That being said, nothing is “off limits” for me.
3) No fancy kitchen gear. My kitchen has some skillets and some pots, but that’s about it. The fanciest thing I own is a blender from the 1980s.
4) No obscure ingredients that you will use only once. Living with many roommates means I have one shelf and one quarter of the fridge. I do not have room for crazy ingredients, and I am sure you do not either. No ricotta gnudi on this blog.
Beyond cooking, eating should be recreational as well – whether it’s truly taking your lunch hour to leave the office and enjoy your mid-day meal somewhere relaxing, or setting up brunch at your place with friends. The majority of recipes here will be quick, easy, and portable. Take it to work, to a park, or enjoy it at home – and always share some food with friends. Let me know what kind of recipes you would like to see in the comments or the “Contact” page.
Please join me on this grand adventure of enjoying cooking and loving eating!
About Nicole
I grew up in the beautiful Pacific Northwest, moved to the East Coast for five years for college and graduate school, and then moved to Zambia. I recently finished a Master’s program at Columbia University studying Economic and Political Development and took as many classes as I can about food security, sustainable agriculture, and nutrition. In August 2015, I moved to Zambia to work with an nonprofit consulting group that partners with NGOs, governments, private sector, and social enterprises to use evidence to inform decision-making and improve social impact. I love hiking, any activities that involve water, public parks, and knitting on cold winter days.
I started baking when I was eleven, and since then I have been the self-proclaimed family dessert chef. When I graduated college and had to start feeding myself, I quickly realized I couldn’t survive off of cookies, cakes, and brownies entirely so I grabbed a skillet and started cooking. Join me in my adventure of exploring the kitchen and learning more about food every day!
