Eggplants are probably one of the more common veggies I’ve covered thus far. I’m convinced that anyone can like them if Robby can handle them. I’m also convinced that they are one of the more versatile vegetables out there. I think you should buy them whenever you notice they’re in stock and try a different eggplant recipe until there are no more to be bought.
In the words of Forrest Gump, “that’s all I have to say about that.” I think eggplants have been covered all over and you can find so many recipes for them that I don’t have space on this blog to talk about them all. So the rest of this post is going to get personal. Skip the following few paragraphs because I’m going to talk about this blog and how it has been going.
If I am going to be honest with you all, I’m going to be incredibly honest. It took 2/3rds of the year, but I have a hit a wall. I think everyone has that point with any project, and the wall can either be the size of a little garden fence or the Great Wall of China. I’m trying to imagine this one as an average wobbly chain link fence. I can see behind it, and I can climb over it, I just have to actually do it.
I can say that I am proud to have made it to week 35 in general. It is a weird sensation to know that I am still working on something that I started on day 1 of 2018 and here we are 244 days later and so many hours of cooking later. My brother asked the other day if this has become a hassle yet, and I can’t lie. It has been a major part of my life this year so this wall seems a bit easier to conquer knowing I wouldn’t want to have wasted so much of my time just because I was tired one week.
I appreciate everyone who has been reading this, either sporadically or consistently. Y’all are awesome and I am glad to share all of this with you, but, and I mean no offense, I’m not really doing it for y’all. I definitely check on the views, the visits, and the followers but this is above all else a passion project.
I’ve mentioned that I intend of continuing into 2019. I still very much plan on keeping it going, whether or not I’m focusing on fruits and vegetables, or if I’m even going to focus on food. I’m just giving you a heads up now.
This past year has definitely unlocked my love of cooking. I had a slight hint that I enjoyed it when I started meal prepping. I know I’m not exactly throwing out Michelin star worthy dishes, and are probably the most basic of basic, but so what? If anyone makes you believe that they cook magnificent Instagram worthy meals every day is either a professional chef with their own restaurant or that is just their job anyway. I’m all about realism to the Nth degree.
I think I would eventually like to be able to make up my own recipes that are super easy to execute, don’t cost a million dollars, and you don’t have to visit five stores just to get all the ingredients. (Side note, always read the recipe before going all in. So many times I’ve bought all the ingredients to find out the one most expensive is just used as something to shake on top at the end or I just need such a small fraction that it can go without.)
Unfortunately all these aspirations get in the way of my goals of being lazy all day watching Netflix, eating trash food and maybe play a video game or two. I never thought that more than half of my time off from work would be spent researching, writing, shopping and cooking.
No worries though. I’m going to finish out this year. I am definitely going to have 52 new fruits and veggies under my belt on December 31st, and I hope that you all will have a few new ones yourself.
I’ve mentioned this maybe a dozen times, but trying new things is near and dear to me. There are so many things in this world that it seems like a waste to always do the same thing over and over again. I’m talking about everything too, I don’t mean go out and buy new stuff all the time. Tons of new things to try are 100% free. If you absolutely love something, repeat it in moderation. Mostly everyone enjoys pizza, but eating it every day would diminish the tastiness and special aspects of it.
I type all of this up while on my, at least, fiftieth time rewatching Futurama, but it makes me happy so let’s not forget to factor that into the trying new things equation.
So, next time you go to the store and see any kind of ingredient you’ve never used before, start small. Go home, research what all you can do with it, what it is best known for and find a recipe that is basic and uses it. Next time you go to the store, buy it and use it! Don’t like it? Find someone who does, give it to them and be a generous person.
Don’t have money to try something new? Instead of sitting at home, go for a walk. Start a hobby like writing or pick up a book from the library each month. There are plenty of options there as well, been in that boat for sure.
For all of those who skipped the middle paragraphs and just wanted to know my opinion on eggplant, I thought it was great. I want to buy it more and make more bacon, parmesan, and maybe marinate it in something to grill it later. Those would definitely be my picks for how to cook eggplant.
For those who stuck through this long post, and the past 35 weeks, thank you and let’s get week 36 set up!
Try 52 