I'm already starting behind but Chinese New Year just started so maybe I'm right on time...yup, let's go with that! I love reading, I love getting lost in another world and being inspired to think differently. While I could go through fiction books rapidly, non-fiction take me much longer. Still working through a non-fiction I started in November (granted it's a long one but still--way behind).
So in the spirit of self-improvement, resolutions and inspiration, I'm going for this crazy thing of 52 books in a year. Except I think my year will be until Chinese New Year because goals should be achievable ha.
I've had this list on my phone for a really long time but now it's numbered and official and ever-growing:
I don't even remember some of these books or why they're on my list but thanks past-self! Okay, more than half-way there...any suggestions? This list is a living thing so eventually will reach 52. Oh and if anyone has any of these books they would like to lend me...I do not need to add 52 books to my physical belongings.
Valentine's Day: a day solely devoted to forced romance or extreme single pride. People either love it and think it's mushy or adorable or sweet or they hate it and think it's a holiday invented by card companies, drawing harsh awareness to being single. Grab your girl squad, order some questionable pizza toppings and bring on the Ryan Gosling movies. Grey area acquired.
Speaking of divisive things, here is a list of foods that I've found people either vehemently despise or unequivocally love:
1) Cilantro/Coriander- Apparently there is actually some kind of genetic trait that makes cilantro (coriander in the UK) taste like soap to half the population (also, 60% of statistics are made up on the spot...). The other half of us love to add this to guacamole and just about any other dish that needs a flavor kick in the pants.
2) Pineapple on Pizza- This has been a raging debate in my flat, often fuelled by gin and the fact that we live across the street from a Papa John's. Pineapple gets all hot and mushy when you cook it. I already burn my mouth on the hot pizza sauce as I eagerly chow down but add boiling hot pineapple juice? No thank you. Also gross. Pineapple is delicious but not on pizza.
3) Marmite- What in the heck is this spread? Whyyyyyy not have Nutella? Or peanut butter? Or anything else but gravy flavoured goo. Okay, let's back up. Similar to cilantro, Marmite seems to be a genetic taste bud situation and is famously divisive. Their commercials even play up to this with families having genetic tests to determine if they are born lovers or haters. So I tried a tiny bit once and it basically tastes like super salty gravy. Not with my cup of tea, thank you.
4) Raisins- I didn't realize raisins were such an issue until I started making fruit cakes. Even though grapes are okay and wine is definitely okay, dried out grapes are a no-go for many people. This causes a great decrease in the consumption of fruit cake, carrot cake, granola and oatmeal raisin cookies at the office. I get it, they're mushy and kinda weird but what is an oatmeal raisin cookie without the raisins?? Just oatmeal...
5) Brussels Sprouts- I think the only people who love Brussels sprouts with a fiery passion are other people in my family. Everyone else I've met has been like 'oh yeah, Brussels sprouts are good' but not like 'omg I can't go another minute without sprouts!'. I have disliked Brussels sprouts my entire life. If I had a dollar for every person who responds with 'oh but that's because you haven't had them cooked my way', I could quit my job and blog full time. "I do not like them in a house, I do not like them with a mouse. I do not like them here or there, I do not like them anywhere". I do not like them with butter or sugar or even bacon! Save the bacon!!!!
What other foods do you love that others hate? What about you hate but others love? Is there a grey area?
I am not a fan of bananas. I ate one once when I was a kid (like pre-k age) and it turned my teeth grey. Yes, the trauma of being teased on the playground will stay with you forever! But also banana bread is delicious so let's get past this, okay? Okay.
So as someone who doesn't like bananas, they still manage to find their way into my kitchen on a weekly basis. Yup, weekly. Because they're good at hiding in things like smoothies or coated in peanut butter on toast or in banana bread! That's all the ways I hide bananas in my food, three is a solid number.
The hardest part about banana bread? Planning. Because you have to let the bananas ripen before you can eat them but grocery stores are all like 'oh we don't want these bananas to go bad before you can eat them so here are some green, not even remotely ripe yet bananas you can eat in 2-5 days from now'. Then add another 2-5 days to get banana bread-ready bananas.
But alas, ain't no one got time for that. So here's a hack. You can stick the bananas in the oven and 'ripen' (I'm pretty sure we're cooking them) bananas that way! I did this on the preheat, just heat the oven to 300F (something like 125-150C is what I did here in the UK) and bake the bananas until they're black. You may need to turn the bananas over.
Allow them to cool before you add them to the batter or use mits because they are hot hot hot. But also mushy! So you can just blend them right in. And then you can have delicious banana bread whenever you want! Go-to recipe from my fav (and wannabe maj), Joy the Baker.
Banana bread/life hacked.
Recipe
1 cup sugar
115g (1/2 cup) unsalted butter, room temperature and cut into chunks
2 eggs
2 softened bananas
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 cups flour
3 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 generous cup of chocolate chips
Chopped walnuts (optional)
Preheat the oven to 300F/150C (ish). Place two bananas in a pan and roast until blackened. Set aside to cool.
In a large bowl, mix together the sugar and softened butter until creamy.
Add the eggs (officially one at a time, unofficially still don't have time for that).
Mix in the bananas. If they're squishy enough, you can just mix them in with a hand mixer, otherwise give them a preemptive mash with a fork before incorporating.
In a small bowl, mix together the flour, baking powder and salt. Or don't and just add it to the large bowl.
Mix the wet and dry ingredients together until there is no flour visible.
Fold in the chocolate chips and nuts if adding.
Bake for 45 minutes until golden brown and no longer wobbly (or a knife/skewer poked in the middle comes out clean).
