Say Hello to Hou Bakes!
Welcome to Hou Bakes! If you’re reading this very first blog post, you’re probably one of my best friends or #1 fans … so thank you for visiting this little corner of the internet I bought yesterday night.
Why did I start a blog?
starting out
I originally started my baking Instagram, @hou_bakes, in the fall of Grade 12 as a stress-relief outlet. I loved baking and making treats to give out to my friends and classmates every week. School was a source of stress for many, but I found a sweet treat could make someone’s day. I decided to share my process videos and the recipes I used (mostly sourced from healthy baking blogs) on Instagram. As the school year ended, so did my maintenance of the account.
rekindling passions
Fast forward to today. I’m currently a university student majoring in Applied Human Nutrition. I no longer obsessively track my food and exercise. I still love cooking and baking. And I am on my way to becoming a Registered Dietitian with an emphasis in eating disorders and intuitive eating.
Additionally, I find myself living at home for the next 5 months in social isolation (due to campus shutdown in light of COVID-19) with a bunch of extra time this summer. I recently rekindled my love for baking — and documenting the process — with my battle with this recipe for Hong Kong Style Pineapple Buns. Creating my posts inspired me to take my little Instagram page into a project that’s a bit more concrete.
Furthermore, as a university student living away from home, it’s often difficult to get the kind of Chinese food that I’ve grown up eating on campus. I’m not always able to go home for a home-cooked meal as often as I’d like. I’m doing my best to pick up some of my parents’ recipes and bring them into my own repertoire. This way, I can have my dad’s fried rice or some simple pan-fried tofu even when I’m away at school. So, if you want to recreate my parent’s cooking (or just learn some more about typical Northern Chinese stir fry), stay tuned.
more than just a food blog
Lastly, I’ve had my own struggles with body image, yo-yo dieting, and eating disorders. Perhaps a tad ironic, but also not as uncommon as you’d think for students in my field. I wanted an outlet to be able to share my experiences, so that those currently struggling could find some hope and help, and that their loved ones could get some guidance as to how to best show their love and support.
In short, thank you for reading, and welcome to my little experimental adventure!
