New sketchbook project - Stuffed Delicata Squash / by Esther Loopstra

I’ve started my goals for the new year a bit early this year. One of them is writing more in my blog (check!) Along with that I’ve been working on sketching daily in my sketchbook as sort of a journal (more about this in a later post). I got an idea for a “project” to commit myself and to stay on track. I’m going to visually journal what I eat, hopefully every day. I’m going to draw what I cook - and maybe include the recipes, but also the meals that I have out at restaurants.

I am kinda a foodie and some may say I’m a bit neurotic about food, maybe even a bit snobby. But when I cook I like to be super low maintenance. Like a one pot meal, just throw everything you have in the fridge into it sort of thing, and then be surprised when it comes out delicious! I’m not a huge fan of recipes because I like to switch up spices and ingredients and be creative.

I didn’t really begin to seriously cook until a few years ago when I went on some crazy diets to get some health issues under control - and it worked! Since my husband and I don’t eat meat, it can be difficult to keep to a diet without sort of making a recipe your own. And I found that I really do enjoy the creative process of cooking. There is something very freeing about expressing yourself with food!

Much of the illustration work that I do is for food, so why not combine the two? And there you have it. 

My first illustration is for Black Bean and Quinoa Stuffed Delicata Squash. My CSA delivers fresh veggies and fruits to us every week and I received a Delicata Squash. It sat around the house for awhile and so I decided to try something new. I’ve made vegetarian stuffed peppers with this same recipe so I tried it with the squash and it turned out great!

I’m debating on whether to add the recipes into the blog posts, I’m not sure that I want it to be a recipe blog but people might be interested in seeing how the recipes are made - what do you guys think?

Please leave a comment if you have an opinion on that or comment about the artwork.

Thanks!