It may seem weird that for someone who cannot even foresee one year into the future, I sometimes wonder what life will be like when Iām much, much older.
You know, like 60 years old older.
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Iām at the point in my life where Iām just slightly more than a year away from turning thirty.
Itās a special point in life I suppose, the sort of moment when Iāve grown past the stage of childhood innocence and teenage rebellion; past the stage of first job interviews and learning to live apart from my family, the nest which I grew up in.
Iām more a woman now than just a girl, in terms of thinking and emotions.
And as life gently transitions me by, edging me closer to the big 3-0, it dawns on me that so much has happened and passed; and yet so much remains to unfold and be seen.
What will I be like when Iām sixty? How will I feel when I see the first strand of grey hair on my head? Will I freak out? Will I feel depressed that it is proof of life flying by, evidence of the inevitable aging that is so human? Will I eventually become a writer, in some way or another? Will I be happily married, with kids whom I am so proud of, that I canāt stop talking about them? Which continent will I have built my home on? What will be my life vision, my goals, which define my entire existence here on an earth?
I donāt know.
I mean, I canāt even tell you which country Iāll be in next year, but what I know, is that Iām going to keep learning new things all the way.
A long time ago, a conversation with my best friend Jinhua resulted in a mottoĀ ā āSomething new, every weekā.
We were only 22 I think, so incredibly young and fresh-faced, and had just finished an afternoon of cycling in East Coast Park. As we sat by our bikes and stared into the ocean, one of us thought up of this phrase. That seems to have taken place eons ago, but that scene, that memory that I have of the both of us, is what motivates me in life ā the need to constantly learn something new.
I think this keeps me feeling invigorated and energized.
When Iām learning something different, be it food photography or acrylic painting or Spanish, I feel so alive. My eyes become bright with enthusiasm; my heart starts to leap a little; and I want to dance on my feet.
Iāve finally come to understand that thatās what keeps me so interested in cooking ā apart from the fact that I have to feed myself (literally). Cooking somehow always includes learning something new.
The things that Iāve learned in the kitchen have astounded me ā did you know that you could make pancakes with just eggs and bananas? I mean, thatās groundbreaking right? Or how about this ā did you know that for mushrooms to brown you cannot overcrowd them in the skillet, and you should only flip them over to the other side when they are brown, instead of pushing them around the pan every few seconds? Orā¦how about the fact that by keeping fresh herbs in a glass of water in the fridge can keep them fresh for almost three weeks?
Because cooking is so wide in scope, and there are new ingredients to be used every time, there is just an incredible amount of things to learn. I honestly feel that my eyes are opened anew each time I test out a new recipe or incorporate an uncommon ingredient.
Take these apple cider coconut doughnuts for example.
I never knew you could use apple cider vinegar in doughnuts. Better yet, I didnāt know apple cider had so many health benefits (so my mum was right in feeding me apple cider vinegar in my childhood!). Apple cider vinegarās list of health benefits runs pretty long, including reducing bad breath; easing stomach irritations; preventing heartburn; fighting yeast infections; lowering blood sugar levels; controlling cholesterol and blood pressure, among others.
And what better way to incorporate all these great health benefits than doughnuts? And what a great excuse to use my doughnut pan again! Yes, remember the one that Iād bought last year? Itād been collecting dust and I was keen on some doughnuts again, only grain-free this time.
I thought they turned out a little bit sour (which was of course due to the apple cider vinegar), but I rectified that by eating them smeared with jam.
The verdict? Not the best doughnuts Iāve tried, but still pretty darn good anyhow, especially topped with jam.
GRAIN-FREE APPLE CIDER VINEGAR DOUGHNUTSĀ (Makes 6)
Adapted from: Paleo Spirit
Ingredients:
1) 1 cup of unsweetened shredded coconut
2) Ā½ teaspoon of ground cinnamon
3) 1 teaspoon of baking powder
4) 1/8 teaspoon of salt
5) 2 eggs, room temperature
6) 2 tablespoons of honey
7) 2 tablespoons of coconut oil, melted
8) Ā¼ cup of warm apple cider vinegar
Steps:
1) Pre-heat oven to 350 deg Fahrenheit (180 deg Cel)
2) Grease a doughnut pan
3) In a small bowl, mix together the shredded coconut, ground cinnamon, baking powder and salt
4) In a large bowl, beat eggs, honey, coconut oil together until well mixed
5) Gently mix in the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients and stir until well-combined
6) Add the warm apple cider to the batter and mix until fully incorporated
7) Pour batter evenly into the individual doughnut molds in the doughnut pan
8) Bake for 20 minutes until a toothpick inserted in the middle of the doughnuts comes out clean
Bella says
Felicia, I love that each of your recipes is accompanied by a beautiful narration of your life! I read this top to bottom and it resonated with me. I too wonder what my life will be like when I’m older. When my children were small, I used to worry that as a single mom, something would happen to me and there wouldn’t be anyone to take care of them. Now that they are both adults, I worry I won’t live to see my grandchildren some day. It’s the circle of life. We wonder but there’s no knowing what will happen until the moment arrives. It appears that you have a grasp on what’s important in our day to day. Knowledge not only nurtures our mind, but also our spirit and hearts. It fills me with joy to visit your blog! And those doughnuts look pretty darn tasty! Hugs! š
felicia | Dish by Dish says
Bella, your comment completely made me smile! š So so happy that reading my blog fills you with joy! I’m filled with joy hearing that! And you know what, sometimes fearing the future is completely futile; I’ve realized that, and the most important is to make the most of whatever we have now (your children, Roxy etc) and when the time comes for grandchildren, you’ll also get to enjoy that! I’m trying to focus on the present and making the most of it too š Sending much love my dear chica!
Jin says
I remember this convo!!!
And dear flea, I’ve been meaning to tell you this, I have watched how yr blog has evolved from rose without thorns (with a point and shoot camera and standard wordpress layout) to dish by dish – honest, heartfelt entries with such stunning photos and a newfound focus on grain-free and Paleo recipes. The angle is refreshing and not to mention, beneficial. If you are writing a cookbook comprising of grain-free recipes, I’ll be running to the stores to get a copy! And that’s not because I’m biased š
Sending much love from over here xoxo
felicia | Dish by Dish says
JIN!!! Your comment made my day! Jumping up and down in joy!! I love how you noticed the evolution, and thank you so much sweetie for being there through it all, and most of all, for reading and commenting whenever you can!! š
Tina | Mademoiselle Gourmande says
I always love your personal story in your posts. To this little story I can relate the most. I think you only live when you learn something new. Whatever that is, it can be eating, seeing or learning something new. Always keep your eyes and ears open to find new interesting things to try or learn.
I love you three cooking tips. I never knew that you can make pancakes with just eggs and bananas and will definitely try that! It sounds amazing, Felicia. š
Have a great week.
felicia | Dish by Dish says
Tina, your comment seriously made me smile when I checked my email the first thing this morning! Am so happy to hear that my personal stories resonate with you. Seriously, I think that’s pretty much the best thing about blogging – connecting with others and knowing that what I write makes some sort of impact on readers like you! Thanks so much for writing and your feedback!
p.s. regarding the banana pancakes, it’s a ratio of 2 bananas: 3 eggs! mash the bananas and then mix in beaten eggs, and fry them over low heat in a non-stick pan with very little butter/coconut oil or whatever you use!
Grace says
Wow,
This is wonderful for a change – an out of ordinary new recipe incorporating the unusally healthy ingredients such as coconut oil (instead of the usual butter) and apple cider vinegar (instead of lemon jest). I surely want to experience this recipe with a twist – instead of baking the dough in doughnut tray, I will bake it thinly flat in a cake pan. When done, I will cut it into two – putting one on top of the other and applying the jam in between.
Hahaha – this twist is necessary for me as I do not have any doughnut tray available in my kitchen. Other than the tray, I have all the required ingredients available. So I will definitely try this out soon to experience this unique combination flavour. Will keep you posted of outcome. š
With much love,
Mum
felicia | Dish by Dish says
Mummy š Hope this turns out well and u like it! The doughnut pan is also very versatile, especially for making doughnuts at parties (or cell meetings!!). If you like, the doughnut pan link is in the recipe š