The same old recipes can get boring after a while, and if you’ve exhausted all the ones you use on a regular basis, then it’s time to find more. There are millions of recipes out there, but where can you find the best, most diverse ones? If you’re not sure where to look, here are a few ways to discover new recipes:
Family Recipes
Recipes are often passed down from generation to generation, so ask your parents or relatives for some old family recipes. There’s a reason these recipes have stood the test of time—They’re delicious! If you’re looking for some comfort food, then family recipes are what you need. When it comes to family recipes, you can preserve them and stick closely to the original recipe or you can put your own twist on them to create something new.
Family recipes are often closely guarded secrets, so if your family isn’t willing to pass them on to you, ask them for some of their own recipes or some newer recipes they enjoy.
Ask Others for Recipe Recommendations
You can also get plenty of recipe recommendations from your friends and others. Your friends will be more than likely to share their recipes with you and to give you advice about where you can find more like those.
Many people don’t think to ask their local fishmonger, butcher, or greengrocer about recipes, but they can probably give you some of the best advice. They know a lot about the produce and products they sell and can recommend seasonings, sides, and other ingredients that will compliment what you buy.
Forums are good places to source recipes. You can talk to people from around the world and try cuisines from different countries. On these forums, you’ll find people discussing recipes, different cooking methods, cooking utensils, meal prepping, and specific ingredients.
Recipes on Internet
The internet is your gateway to unlimited recipes. You can find everything from the best white rice and chicken recipes to more complicated recipes. There are dedicate cooking websites, so take your time to browse the wide selection of recipes online.
Cookbooks
Cookbooks are popular because they are so diverse. There are cookbooks for every kind of cuisine out there, for every diet, and with recipes for every budget. One of the best ways to discover new recipes is to look through your old cookbooks or buy a new one. You’ll probably find something you’ve never tried or an old favourite you haven’t cooked in a while.
If you don’t know what kind of cookbook to buy, think about what kind of food you like to eat and what ingredients you like. If you’re a lasagne and pizza fan, get yourself a cookbook filled with traditional Italian recipes. If you’re a student on a budget, look for cookbooks filled with 4 or 5 ingredient recipes. If there’s a particular cooking channel or TV chef you like, why not do some research to see if they have written a cookbook?
While it might seem easier to look up recipes on the internet, cookbooks will always have a certain charm and you can lend them to others or pass them along to someone else.
Experimenting with Food
Forget about following traditional recipes and create your own. Experiment with new ingredients, herbs, spices, and cooking methods. Look through your cupboards and fridge, and create a new dish by using up what you have left. I may not turn out like you expected, but it’s better than letting food go to waste. Put a few things together that you wouldn’t normally try, for example, strawberries don’t sound like they would pair well with basil and balsamic vinegar, but it makes a surprisingly nice dessert. Give it a try and see what recipes you can invent.
If you’re lacking inspiration, try recreating a meal you had in a restaurant, a dish you saw on TV, or one of your favourite ready meals using fresh ingredients. You could also make a list of your favourite ingredients and the different ways they can be cooked, for example, slow cooking, sautéing, grilling, baking, boiling, steaming, or try eating the ingredient raw.
Seasonal Recipes
If you find that you’re eating the same thing year-round or buying frozen vegetables because they’re not in season, try to focus on what is in season. When you buy your ingredients seasonally, you’ll find that you’re able to cook a wider variety of meals throughout the year. You might find it easier to find seasonal recipes, and the food will definitely taste better. Ask the sellers at your local market what they would recommend and which fruits and vegetables are the freshest. Some varieties of fruits and veg grow at different times of the year and can have a completely different taste. You can follow the same recipe and use a different kind of squash, tomato, or onion and end up with a dish that tastes completely different.
Growing Your Own Food
If you want to cook something different, then try growing your own food. Tomatoes, lettuce, and herbs are easy to maintain, and when they are ready for harvesting, you can incorporate them into a recipe.
If you have a yard with larger space, you can grow larger fruits and vegetables, but if you have limited space, you could try growing dwarf varieties in pots indoors. Growing your own food can be incredibly satisfying, and you can buy seeds for unusual varieties of vegetables and fruits online that you wouldn’t usually be able to get at the store.
As you can see, there are many places you can find new recipes. Make sure you try a wide variety of these recipes, even if they’re for the same dish, to determine which ones you like best. If there’s a recipe you don’t like, you don’t have to try it again. And if you create a new recipe yourself, write it down so you don’t forget it!
Image Credits: Homegrounds.co
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