Lyndsay: Creativity on a Plate
Cooking has become a relaxing activity for me – something to let me unwind from the day, clear my mind and put my creativity on a plate. – Lyndsay
When it comes to cooking, there’s a lot that goes into it – planning out the menu, figuring out the grocery list, shopping, prepping, and then finally, cooking. Seems like by the time you get to the cooking part, you’re already tired! Luckily for Kitchen Hero Lyndsay, she is able to cut down on some of these steps so that she has energy to focus on her favorite part – cooking delicious meals. The result? Time and money saved, a chance to relax and unwind, and time well spent putting her creativity on a plate! Read how Lyndsay does it in her Hero in the Kitchen story below.
Name: Lyndsay L.
Age: 29
City, State: Raleigh, North Carolina
I cook for: myself.
Outside of the kitchen I: sell computers to educational institutions, play and cuddle regularly with my boxer mix (Chesney), spend time with family and friends, and love to shop.
The strangest food I have ever eaten is: Greek yogurt mixed with blueberries and pistachios. YUM!
I cook because: it keeps me eating healthy and helps me to relax. I’ve always enjoyed cooking, but have truly discovered my deep passion for it in the past few years. Cook Smarts has helped me take the menu planning aspect out of my week (something I’m HORRIBLE at) and put me back in the kitchen to focus on the part I really love!
Favorite Cook Smarts meal so far: My ALL-TIME favorite to date is the Baked Butternut Squash Risotto. However, I just cooked the Baked Chicken Cordon Bleu the other night and the risotto may have some competition!
HOW DID YOU LEARN TO COOK?
My parents were always big on family dinners and making sure that we were eating delicious home cooked meals; both my mom and dad would always make sure to teach me their little tricks and tips they’ve picked up after years of cooking.
As I got older, I started borrowing some of our favorite family recipes and started cooking for my friends. The response was always so great, that I just kept going. Before I knew it, I found myself in the kitchen almost every day, whipping up something new.
Since then, the passion has grown and I value and greatly look forward to my time spent cooking. It’s become a relaxing activity for me – something to let me unwind from the day, clear my mind and put my creativity on a plate.
WHAT’S BEEN YOUR BIGGEST COOKING CHALLENGE?
It actually came before Cook Smarts and that was menu planning. I like to plan my week in advance so I have no surprises with food that could throw me off my routine. That used to be impossible for me, especially with only cooking for one. I would buy so many different ingredients at the grocery store and then only need to use a small portion of each. That resulted in throwing away tons of food and basically throwing my money in the garbage with it. Now that I have Cook Smarts, the menu part is done for me – I’m saving money, eating healthy, and feeling awesome about what I cook!
Cook Smarts has helped me take the menu planning aspect out of my week (something I’m HORRIBLE at) and put me back in the kitchen to focus on the part I really love!
How has your cooking routine changed since starting Cook Smarts’ meal plans?
Since Cook Smarts, I’ve become much better at just getting myself in the kitchen and cooking nightly. I used to make excuses for why tonight wasn’t a good night to cook and then just order in delivery or pick something up on the way home.
With the Cook Smarts meals being so easy and so tasty, there’s really no excuse for me to not spend the quick 30 minutes in the kitchen whipping up something delicious. It’s definitely made things easier and caused cooking to once again become a relaxing, enjoyable experience.
TELL US ABOUT YOUR PROUDEST KITCHEN MOMENT.
I regularly Instagram my delicious meals and nothing gives me more pride than when people like my photos and ask me about them. You definitely eat with your eyes first and the fact that I’m able to cook meals that look and taste gourmet in a cinch just makes and keeps me proud every single day!
WHAT ARE YOUR TIPS FOR HEALTH AND SUCCESS IN THE KITCHEN?
Plan ahead. I don’t know where I would be if I didn’t take the time to sit down during the week and plan out what I’m doing. It helps me so much when I take the time to think out what meals I’m cooking and get pumped about cooking said meals.
On top of that, be open to different foods! There are so many great, healthy ingredients out there that a lot of people close their mind to and just assume they won’t enjoy without even trying it. That could be your next favorite ingredient – you just have to give it a chance!
Lyndsay, we’re so happy to hear that our meal plan service has made cooking an enjoyable and relaxing experience for you again, and that you can enjoy a healthy home cooked meal instead of ordering out! Thank you for sharing your cooking story with our community and also for sharing your awesome food photos with us on Instagram. We love being a part of your kitchen journey; more delicious meals to come!
To join Lyndsay and cook meals like her favorite Baked Butternut Squash Risotto and Baked Chicken Cordon Bleu, check out our meal plan service. You can get started for free!
