Published: 27 February 2023
I think we can all agree that there is something unsettling yet exceedingly compelling about the current rise of AI.
Artificial intelligence is shaping our future like never before, all while raising concerns about its evolution and ethical implications. That being said, it is my belief that, as technology continues to ascend, humanity’s role in guiding and framing it becomes more important than ever.
AI has the potential to bring many benefits to the food sector, from manufacturing and packaging to controlled cultivation and even nutrition monitoring. But what if I told you that AI could also serve a purpose of bringing new ideas to the kitchen table all the while reducing food waste?
For a week now, I have been exploring the free playground of OpenAI, specifically its section exclusively designed for recipe creation.
This was my first time collaborating with an AI to create 5 recipes using miscellaneous ingredients in my kitchen that either a) were going bad soon or b) were going to be wasted due to a lack of inspiration on my end.
Here’s how it went:
AI-Generated Recipe #1 -The “Veggie-Stuffed Breadcrumb Bites”
(Main Ingredient: Stale Bread)
Step 1: Target the ingredients requiring the most attention
For my first AI-generated recipe, I chose to go for one of the most wasted foods of all time: BREAD.
Wasting any kind of bread is a shame but it truly becomes criminal when you waste artisanal French bread. Luckily for me, the baguette I was eyeing wasn’t mouldy. It was, however, solid as a rock! To make things more manageable, I decided to use my mortar and pestle to make homemade breadcrumbs.
I started by breaking the rock-hard bread into smaller pieces using a ziploc bag and a pestle.
Then, I transferred the pieces, a little at a time, to a mortar for a finer grind. Surely, this should make the AI’s task a little less daunting…
Step 2: Write effective prompts based on the ingredients you have on hand
For my prompts, I kept it simple with the breadcrumbs and a few vegetables I had in the fridge that needed to be used up:
Step 3: Generate a recipe and try it out!
And voilà, cheers to our first AI-generated recipe: veggie-stuffed breadcrumb bites! What an odd but fun idea! These were quite flavourful but also insanely crumbly.
Shaping these was not an easy task! I eventually let the mixture sit for a couple of minutes to allow the breadcrumbs to completely soak up the olive oil.
Next time? I would definitely add some cheese to manage the crumbliness and try different veggie combinations.
Overall, a very interesting recipe! These bites were actually not bad as a salad topping. They would also pair well with mashed potatoes and gravy, as they are a little bit reminiscent of stuffing.
AI-Generated Recipe #2: The “Mussel And Onion Stew”
(Main Ingredient: Mussels)
Seafood can be very tricky to prepare so I was curious to see how AI would perform with a request for a mussel recipe without wine.
This was one of the easiest and yummiest dinners we had that week.
Adjustments: I took the liberty of adding a whole bunch of oyster mushrooms and some hot water to create a flavourful broth. And it did not disappoint!
A simple and delicious recipe! The broth turned out great and the oyster mushrooms were a really nice touch! I highly recommend serving the mussels with, of course, a side of fries! As for extra broth, it can easily be used to upgrade a risotto, a paella or a pasta sauce!
AI-Generated Recipe #3: The Slow-Cooked “Chocolate Pudding”
(Main Ingredient: Milk)
Got milk? Homemade chocolate pudding it is!
This is one of the most elegant and decadent chocolate puddings I have ever had. However, it did take over an hour to make!
Contrary to the instructions below, the preparation takes a VERY LONG time to thicken over the stove. “2-3 minutes”, the AI wrote. More like 40 to 50 minutes!
Despite it being a very lengthy process of stirring and watching water evaporate, I do not regret trying this at least once. But I don’t think it’s worth the trouble to do again. The chocolate pudding was luxurious and rich but I found it to be a little too rich to eat on its own. So, instead of eating it with a spoon, I opted to use it as a chocolate spread for my pancakes. And it was fabulous!!
Next time? Use some sort of thickening agent to speed up the process.
Come to think of it, this chocolate pudding/cream would be delicious as a puff pastry filling or cupcake frosting (so long as the cocoa powder used is top-notch).
AI-Generated Recipe #4 – The “Healthy Egg Muffins”
(Main Ingredient: Eggs)
You can’t go wrong with eggs in the morning but omelets can get a little boring, you know? So, what’s a girl to do?
What a pop of color! These healthy egg muffins are a great addition to any breakfast table. This recipe kind of reminds me of the egg white bites from Starbucks except you get all the healthy fats, vitamins and deliciousness from the egg yolks!
This recipe was very straight-forward and required no tweaks at all! Presentation was gorgeous and the taste was au rendez-vous. Loved it!
Note: In this prompt, I tried to ask for an IBS-friendly recipe. For the most part, the recipe is pretty easy on the stomach except for the onions. If you want something easy to digest, I recommend sticking to the green part of green onions or simply adding chives instead of regular onions.
AI-Generated Recipe #5 – The “Banana-Coconut Pancakes”
(Main Ingredient: Ripe Bananas)
The dilemma of what to do with overripe bananas has haunted us all at some point in time. Sure, there is always banana bread and smoothies…but what else could there be?
Banana-coconut pancakes sounds delicious. But first, we need to tweak this recipe!
The first pancake came out flat and burnt. That’s when I realised it needed more flour. After adding 2/3 cups of all-purpose flour, the final product finally revealed its golden-brown hues!
The combination of coconut, bananas and honey is pretty amazing! But I think I still prefer having my fruit on top of my pancakes rather than inside the batter.
These pancakes were a little denser and chewier than what I usually go for (I’m more of a fluffy pancake gal). But that is to be expected when you add mashed bananas to the batter. Texture aside, these were super delicious!
Closing Thoughts
This was genuinely so much fun! As long as you dont mind troubleshooting along the way, experimenting with AI-generated recipes is a very interactive and stimulating experience. I highly recommend trying it for yourself!
AI-generated recipes are not perfect but that’s part of the fun, to be honest. It’s such a great learning experience that breaks the mundane. I love being able to tweak my prompts based on my food preferences and continually generate recipes until I find something that speaks to me. It’s a world of possibilities without feeling overwhelmed.
As for waste, this experiment proved to be extremely successful. I was able to effortlessly save a stale piece of baguette, a pack of mussels, 2 ripe bananas, 2 eggs, a bottle of milk and a couple of veggies.
Surely, experiencing food is a very human thing involving complex interactions between our senses. You can never take away that human element from it. But I think technology shows its true beauty when it is in a state of collaboration with the living.
Whether it acts as a cooking companion for those living alone or simply sparks some inspiration in those who are feeling uninspired in the kitchen, this type of technology can certainly do much good.
So next time you open your fridge and see something that is in dire need of being used up, why not team up with AI to make a delicious treat? Savoury or sweet, you choose!
Your Blog is very nice.
Thank you!