Welcome to my happy place.
We all deserve space to reconnect with ourselves and feed our souls.
I’m Monique, and for me, the kitchen has always been a source of comfort and joy. As a child, I was enchanted by desserts and baked goods and have fond memories associated with those foods–from eating perfectly flaky pain au chocolat when visiting family in France to making lemon icebox pie with my grandmother.
As someone with an anxious mind and who often feels weighed down by the injustices of the world, baking immediately captivates my senses and brings me into the present moment, serving as a form of meditation and stress relief. When I’m baking, all other troubles melt away and I am transfixed by the smells, textures, and tastes. My sense of childlike wonder returns and in that moment, all is well.
I created these recipes to inspire you to take a break from work and other responsibilities, make time for yourself, and play with different flavors and techniques. This space is for you–to celebrate with food in moments of joy and find warmth and comfort in baking on tough days. I hope you find it as therapeutic and joyful as I do!
What to expect
At The Kneading Space, you’ll find a range of recipes for desserts, breads, and other baked goods designed to transport you through nostalgic or unique flavors and hands on techniques (think kneading, shaping, grinding up fresh spices) that I find deeply satisfying and therapeutic. Unfortunately, we don’t all have endless quantities of time for day-long baking projects in the kitchen. I have developed a range of recipes across three categories to help meet your needs at any given moment:
- Quick bake: These are recipes you can throw together when you have very little time but desperately need a moment to stress bake and let off some steam. Or if you’re just having a last minute craving for something sweet.
- Baking session: These recipes are not quite as time-intensive as a weekend baking project but they don’t come together quite as quickly as a rapid bake. These recipes usually require you to set aside an hour or two. Think of these like booking a yoga class–you’ll need to set some time aside but can usually fit it into your schedule.
- Weekend baking project: These recipes are all about the process. If you have a day at home, dive into one of these deeply satisfying projects that require a little extra love and attention but are well worth the effort.