From Culinary Class to Comfort Bowl: The Exhausting Yet Rewarding Life of a Food Blogger

As a food blogger and culinary instructor, life often feels like a non-stop culinary marathon. Just last night, I returned home from an intense cooking class in Red Deer, completely exhausted but utterly fulfilled. The class, inspired directly by the recipes shared on this very blog, was a whirlwind of flavors, techniques, and enthusiastic students. While the day certainly pushed my limits, there’s an undeniable joy in sharing the passion for food and seeing others discover new culinary skills. It’s a journey from sophisticated gourmet preparations to the simple, nourishing comfort of a bowl of grains, reflecting the diverse world of home cooking.

The Culinary Marathon: An Evening of Gourmet Creations

Teaching a cooking class is an exhilarating experience. It’s not just about demonstrating recipes; it’s about engaging with people, answering their questions, and fostering a love for cooking. For this particular session, I embarked on an ambitious menu designed to showcase a range of culinary techniques and international flavors. We prepared an impressive spread for 26 eager participants, a testament to the versatility and appeal of diverse home-cooked meals.

The menu was a collection of favorites from the past year of blogging, each dish carefully selected to offer both deliciousness and valuable learning opportunities:

• Spaghetti Carbonara with Caramelized Onions: A classic Italian pasta dish, elevated with the sweet depth of caramelized onions. Teaching the technique for a perfectly emulsified sauce without scrambling the eggs is always a rewarding challenge.
• Blueberry Bison Meatballs: An innovative twist on traditional meatballs, using lean bison meat and the unexpected sweetness of blueberries for a uniquely flavorful and healthy option.
• Roasted Veg with Couscous and Feta: A vibrant, wholesome side dish or light meal, highlighting the simple beauty of seasonal roasted vegetables paired with fluffy couscous and salty feta cheese.
• Lemon-Parmesan Risotto with Spinach and Shrimp: A creamy, luxurious risotto demanding patience and technique, brightened with fresh lemon and savory Parmesan, and made complete with tender shrimp and vibrant spinach.
• Pulled Pork in the Slow Cooker: A testament to the power of low-and-slow cooking, demonstrating how to achieve incredibly tender, flavorful pulled pork with minimal effort, perfect for feeding a crowd.
• Sunken Chocolate Black Forest Cupcakes: A delightful dessert that combined the richness of chocolate with the tartness of cherries, offering a sweet ending to our ambitious meal.

Preparing such a diverse and extensive menu, all from scratch, was a monumental task. The kitchen buzzed with activity, aromas mingled in the air, and the satisfaction of seeing beautifully plated dishes emerge was immense. However, by the time the last plate was cleared and the final question answered, I was, quite literally, “bagged.” The feeling of being completely spent, yet knowing the class was a success, is a unique blend of exhaustion and triumph that only a culinary professional truly understands. And with less than six hours before needing to rise again to bake four banana breads, camouflage the dark circles under my eyes, and attend an all-day event, sleep felt like a distant luxury.

Beyond the Class: Baking, Blogging, and Balancing Life

The life of a food blogger extends far beyond the public eye of a cooking class. It involves continuous recipe development, testing, writing, and, of course, the ever-present demands of daily life. This morning, before diving into the next set of tasks, I focused on a personal baking project: four glorious pumpkin loaves. I utilized this reliable recipe, opting to make two separate batches from a large 28 oz can of pumpkin to ensure perfect consistency and yield.

These loaves turned out beautifully, filling the kitchen with the comforting scent of autumn spices. While technically delicious, their generous sugar-to-flour ratio (a whopping three cups of each!) means they could arguably be classified more as cakes than traditional bread. Nevertheless, the use of canola oil adds a slightly healthier touch, making them a permissible indulgence. It’s a constant consideration in my kitchen: how to balance deliciousness with mindful ingredient choices, even when a recipe leans towards the sweeter side.

The Unsung Heroes: Wholesome Grains for a Busy Life

After a day filled with elaborate cooking and teaching, my own dinner choices often lean towards the simple and nourishing. While my family, M and W, enjoyed a spinach pizza – a quick and easy option for busy evenings – I opted for something more substantial and comforting. My meal consisted of a large bowl of steel-cut oats and barley, a hearty combination I had prepared earlier in the week for a CBC segment that, surprisingly, went uneaten. Their loss, certainly my gain!

Discovering the Power of Steel-Cut Oats and Barley

Steel-cut oats and barley are unsung heroes in the world of whole grains. Both offer incredible nutritional benefits, making them perfect staples for anyone seeking sustained energy and improved digestion. Steel-cut oats, also known as Irish oats, are less processed than rolled oats, retaining more of their original texture and nutritional value. They are packed with soluble fiber, which helps lower cholesterol, stabilize blood sugar levels, and keep you feeling full for longer. Barley, a wonderfully chewy grain, complements oats perfectly, adding another layer of fiber, essential minerals like selenium and manganese, and a distinct nutty flavor.

What’s particularly appealing about this combination is their similar cooking times, making them ideal partners in a single pot. For convenience, I soaked them overnight in a pot of water. This simple step not only reduces cooking time significantly but also helps to break down phytic acid, improving nutrient absorption. In the morning, a mere 15 minutes on the stove was all it took to transform the soaked grains into a wonderfully tender and chewy breakfast or dinner base. To add an extra layer of flavor and nutrition, and to achieve a slightly thicker consistency, I stirred in a shake of SunnyBoy. This wholesome blend of wheat, rye, and flax is a fantastic addition, boosting the fiber content and introducing more complex grain flavors.

A Versatile and Satisfying Meal

The result was a delightfully chewy, grainy cereal that transcended the typical breakfast bowl. It’s incredibly versatile and can be customized to suit any palate or mealtime. On this particular evening, it made for a perfect, comforting dinner. I drizzled it generously with pure maple syrup, adding a touch of natural sweetness, and sprinkled it with a medley of toasted almonds and sesame seeds for crunch and an extra boost of healthy fats. This simple yet satisfying meal provided the much-needed fuel and comfort after a demanding day.

Whole grains like steel-cut oats and barley are incredibly beneficial for meal prep. Cooking a large batch once can provide healthy bases for multiple meals throughout the week. They can be served sweet with fruits and nuts for breakfast, or savory with roasted vegetables and a protein for lunch or dinner. Their sustained energy release makes them an excellent choice for keeping you energized through long days, whether you’re teaching, blogging, or simply navigating a busy schedule. Embracing these simple, wholesome ingredients allows for both convenience and robust nutrition, proving that delicious, healthy eating doesn’t always have to be complicated.

A Sweet Confession and Culinary Reflections

Despite the wholesome oats and barley, a day of cooking for others inevitably means a few strategic nibbles throughout. After the class wrapped up, before making the long drive home, I confess to enjoying a few forkfuls of the succulent pulled pork, a couple of “broken” Black Forest cupcakes (the perfect excuse for a taste test!), and, perhaps most tellingly, the last of the cherry pie filling topped with a dollop of whipped cream. My secret love affair with cherry pie filling dates back to the Hostess Fruit Pie ads in the backs of Archie Comics. These elusive treats, seemingly only available in the States, ignited a childhood craving that persists to this day – a delightful, almost nostalgic, weakness.

The journey from a bustling cooking class, filled with complex recipes and the energy of eager students, to the quiet comfort of a simple bowl of grains at home, truly encapsulates the life of a food blogger and culinary enthusiast. It’s a continuous exploration of flavors, techniques, and the profound joy that food brings – whether it’s an elaborate gourmet creation or a humble, nourishing meal. Each day offers new lessons, new challenges, and a renewed appreciation for the diverse world of culinary arts, reminding me that even when “overdone,” the passion for food never truly fades.