Lauren Long (she/her/hers), Low Entropy Volunteer Writer
If my workout time is my “me-time,” the time that I carve out every day for a reset so I’m ready for what the rest of the day brings, then the time I spend in the kitchen is a quiet release of stress.
Whether I’m cooking or baking, there’s something to be said for the time I spend making meals. It’s almost . . . meditative, in a way. Just as exercise helps me reset mentally and emotionally while giving my body the chance to move, cooking and baking relieves stress.
When I’m in the kitchen, I’m not thinking about the stuff rolling around in my head. I’m focusing on the recipe in front of me, because if I don’t, something is going to go amiss and the recipe will either taste different than it’s supposed to or it won’t be edible. I have experience with both scenarios . . . just ask my parents and my sister about the time I tried to make pancakes for breakfast and forgot to put the baking powder in, but remembered the baking soda!
That said, for the longest time I only made recipes that I was familiar with. I can’t count how many times I made spaghetti whenever it was my turn to cook because that was something I was comfortable cooking. But, at some point, you have to make room for growth.
I slowly went from cooking spaghetti to cooking meals that took more time to prep and to get comfortable with, but I got there in the end. I can now roast a chicken, which sounded super intimidating the first time I tried it but is actually super easy, as well as curries, soups, stews . . . the list goes on.
I’m comfortable cooking not only for myself, but also other people. I still live at home with my parents because the housing market is not great right now, and I would rather save money so that one day I can buy my own place. My parents and I have a cooking schedule worked out for the week: I cook Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday, while they cook Sunday, Monday, Wednesday and Friday. Sometimes, if there’s something happening on our scheduled nights, we’ll swap nights, which works out for everyone and reduces the stress of whoever has a commitment that night. My dad and I actually cook a lot together on my nights, which is super nice.
Here’s a list of things I like to cook and bake:
- Spaghetti: I make this at least twice a month. I have two spaghetti recipes that I make regularly, one is called Mighty Meaty Pasta Sauce, and the other is Date Night Spaghetti and Meatballs that is inspired by the Disney film Lady and the Tramp.
- Cheese Biscuits: I make these to have with soups and chili. They’re so delicious and they’re super easy to make too!
- Corn Bread: While the cheese biscuits are super tasty, they’re also very high in calories. If I don’t feel like making the biscuits, or if I’m short on time, I will make corn bread. It’s pretty hard to mess this recipe up, and it’s ready in 25 minutes.
- Tacos: Who doesn’t love taco night? This is something I make when I’m feeling tired or low energy, because it’s super easy to make and it doesn’t take super long to prep. It’s also a godsend on those hot summer days where the temperature leaches all of your energy.
- Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies: This has quickly become one of my family’s favourite recipes. We have two other cookie recipes that we love in addition to this one, and you can usually find one of the three in the cookie jar.
- Banana Chocolate Chip Muffins with Cranberries and Coconut: This is actually a banana bread recipe, and I’ve made it as both muffins and banana bread. Depends on how I’m feeling that day!
I could keep going with my favourites, but this article would need another several pages!
Cooking and baking aren’t just life skills; they’ve been scientifically proven to help lower stress levels. If I have a busy day and I don’t get a workout in, my stress release will be cooking dinner or baking cookies or muffins. Later, I’ll do some gentle stretching to get some movement into my day.
I have Hypermobile Ehlers-Danlos syndrome, and while my EDS is mild, there are definitely days when my joint pain makes standing in the kitchen for long periods of time tiring. On those days, I usually sit down for a few minutes to give my body a break, and then I get back up.
More often than not, I usually have music or an episode of a show playing while I’m cooking or baking, but there are days when I just appreciate the quiet.
—
Born and raised in Quesnel, BC, Lauren Long is a strong advocate for mental health and well-being, as well as being a major Swiftie and a role model for positive body image. She believes in the value of truth, and that truth matters. When she’s not writing, you can find her on the pole, on the training mats, twirling swords or curled up with a good book or fanfiction. She’s not picky when it comes to reading material!