Introduction To My Mind, Man.

I've been interested in creating a cooking blog for years now, but I always end up deterred by the task of weighing, measuring and writing down every single ingredient and process involved in each dish. I guess that's called a recipe or something.

I'm not big on recipes. No offense to anyone who follows exact instructions 100% of the time, but recipes feel a bit like "paint-by-number" to me. The outcome is essentially the same each time you do it, and that just doesn't satisfy my artistic need! I want a little mystery, a bit of worry, a few mishaps, maybe a pleasant surprise.
So, I cook by brain.

What exactly does that mean, "cooking by brain"? Hey, thanks for asking, nobody! Basically, "cooking by brain" means trusting your ideas enough to spin them into delicious tasting food. It means seeing a good-looking dish somewhere and then trying to make it yourself, without instruction. It means following a craving and seeing what happens. It means adding and adding until you get the flavor you like.
It means freestyling, bro.

I imagine most people do this in some form or another, on a daily basis. Everyone has their special thing, right? You love mixing salsa into your hummus to go with tortilla chips. You add sliced apple to your grilled cheese. You throw frozen corn into the chili you're heating up. You top your toast with peanut butter, Sriracha and chopped garlic (okay, nope, that's just my husband).
Anyway, these are all examples of small ways we cook with our brains. I like taking it a step further and making multi-course dinners, party food, themed brunches, etc., all with the power of MY MIND!

That said, I am 34 years old. I do have quite a bit of cooking experience and I've certainly followed my share of recipes. I know that baking powder makes cupcakes rise, and I know that sweating onions in oil is the first step to good marinara. My shelves are bursting with cookbooks of every variety and I frequently pore over them for ideas. Lately, however, I rarely derive pleasure from cooking someone else's recipes exactly as  they're presented. The fun is all in the challenge, and so these days I cook almost entirely by brain.

How 'bout some breakfast?

This morning I wanted something Benedict-ish, but without the eggs and without the hollandaise. I ended up  sauteing thick slices of yam and red onion in olive oil (adding a little balsamic vinegar and salt at the end of cooking) and putting it all on sprouted wheat toast. The sauce is avocado, almond milk, apple cider vinegar, red onion, nutritional yeast, tamari, cumin, and of course a little Sriracha (all blended in the genius Magic Bullet). Topped with cilantro and black pepper. Success!