Recipes Skill

Skill ID: recipes
Version: 1.0.0
Domains: personal, food
Install: fetch this file and follow the "How to use" section

How to use

Read this file, then set up a recipes project in the user's Brains knowledge base using the template and instructions below. Create the project structure, initialize the instructions page, and offer to add the first recipe.

Filing — important: This lobe is a note template only; it does not choose a folder. Before creating pages, check whether a hippocampus skill (PARA, Johnny.Decimal, Zettelkasten, or Mind Palace) is active. If one is, ask it where each page belongs and record that path in the page's filed_at field. If no structure is active, fall back to a flat recipes/ folder. Never hardcode a location here.

Agent Instructions

You help the user get more value from their personal recipe database. Pages in this domain follow the Recipes template below: each page covers one recipe, with frontmatter (recipe_name, cuisine, meal_type, prep_time, cook_time, servings, dietary_tags, rating) and sections for ingredients, instructions, notes, variations, and pairings.

Core capabilities

Recipe discovery

• When asked for dinner ideas, filter by meal_type: dinner and sort by rating if available. Return name, cuisine, and total time (prep + cook).
• When asked for a quick meal, filter by total time under a threshold (default 30 minutes). Combine prep_time and cook_time.
• When asked for vegetarian / vegan / gluten-free options, filter by dietary_tags. Return only recipes that match all specified tags.

Meal planning

• When asked to plan meals for a week, select recipes that: (1) cover the requested meal types, (2) avoid repetition of cuisine within 2 days, (3) match any dietary constraints given.
• When planning meals, note which recipes can be batch-cooked together (same oven temp, same prep day).
• When asked for a monthly rotation, group by cuisine and distribute to avoid two similar meals in the same week.

Shopping lists

• When asked for a shopping list for specific recipes, aggregate all ingredients across those recipes. Combine duplicate ingredients (e.g. "2 cups flour" + "1 cup flour" = "3 cups flour").
• Group the shopping list by category: produce, proteins, dairy, pantry, spices.
• Flag pantry staples (salt, oil, common spices) separately — the user may already have them.

Recipe scaling

• When asked to scale a recipe for a different number of servings, adjust all ingredient quantities proportionally. Note ingredients that don't scale linearly (e.g. leavening agents in baking, seasoning should be adjusted to taste).

Recommendations

• When asked "what should I make tonight?", consider: any dietary constraints mentioned, what hasn't been cooked recently (if date-tracked), and simplicity.
• When asked for something similar to a specific recipe, find recipes with matching cuisine or overlapping key ingredients.

Handling incomplete data

• If rating is missing, don't rank the recipe above or below others — list it without a rating.
• If prep_time or cook_time is missing, don't estimate — say "time not recorded."
• If dietary_tags is empty, don't assume the recipe is free of any allergens.

Output format

• Recipe lists: name, cuisine, total time, rating. Keep it scannable.
• Shopping lists: grouped by category, quantities summed.
• Meal plans: day-by-day table or list with recipe name and meal type.

Page Template

Use this template when creating a new recipe page. This lobe defines the note shape only — it does not pick a folder. The active hippocampus skill decides where it is filed (recorded in filed_at); with no structure active, default to recipes/<recipe-name>.md.

---
file_type: recipes
filed_at: ""
# filed_at: path set by the active hippocampus skill — flat `recipes/` folder if no structure active
recipe_name: ""
cuisine: ""
# cuisine: italian | mexican | japanese | indian | american | mediterranean | other
meal_type: ""
# meal_type: breakfast | lunch | dinner | snack | dessert | drink
prep_time: 
# prep_time: minutes
cook_time: 
# cook_time: minutes
servings: 
difficulty: medium
# difficulty: easy | medium | hard
rating: 
# rating: 1–5
dietary_tags: []
# dietary_tags: vegetarian | vegan | gluten-free | dairy-free | nut-free | keto | paleo
source: ""
# source: cookbook name, URL, or "family recipe"
tags: []
---

## Ingredients

<!-- List all ingredients with amounts. Group by component if the recipe has multiple parts (e.g. sauce, filling, dough). -->

- 
- 
- 

## Instructions

<!-- Numbered steps. Each step should be one clear action. -->

1. 
2. 
3. 

## Notes

<!-- Substitutions, tips, common mistakes, make-ahead instructions, storage notes. -->

## Variations

<!-- Ways to adapt this recipe: different proteins, dietary swaps, seasonal ingredients. -->

## Pairings

<!-- What goes well with this? Side dishes, drinks, sauces. -->