Introduction, Promises and Fear: Why You Should Go for it in the Kitchen this Year

First things first, welcome to WhipSmart Kitchen!

This is actually my second food-related place of residence on the internet. You may have seen my first blog, “Recipe Repository” on Tumblr. To be honest, that blog was just a placeholder to post some recipes and musings while I built this. It’s taken a little longer than I had hoped, but I’m super excited it’s finally up and running!

Julia Child wrote in My Life in France, “this is my invariable advice to people: learn how to cook—try new recipes, learn from your mistakes, be fearless, and above all have fun!”

I couldn’t possibly agree more. 

Cooking has played an enormous role in my life. Some of my earliest memories include cooking with my family, and as an adult it’s gotten me through some difficult times. Some people see cooking as a burden—something I hope to change—but I see it as a pick-me-up. Whether I’m cooking an old standby, trying out a new recipe or creating my own, something about playing with food is like coloring. Therapeutic and satisfying. Besides, even if you’ve never cracked an egg, I’m betting you love to eat.

Now, let me share my master plan. 

My three main goals for this blog are:

1. For you to learn something each time you read my posts.
2. To share my recipes and love of cooking.
3. To give you the tools you need to make home-cooking your new best friend.

My first promise to you: I will always give you more than just a list of ingredients and steps.

My first career choice was broadcast journalism, and I will always love it. One of the things I loved most was using it to help people. Sometimes that means sharing someone’s story, and other times it means giving your audience “news you can use.” Whether it’s a new technique, historical tidbits or nutritional information, I hope you always have at least one takeaway that will help you be whip-smart in your future food endeavors.

The least I can do is share what I’ve learned and give you a roadmap, right?

My second promise to you: I’ll always do my best to meet you where you are, because this is a part of life I don’t want you to skip.

The benefits of cooking and taking time with your food are countless. Cooking keeps my body healthy and my mind sharp. Even when I’ve been at my least fit (stress and joint injuries are my kryptonite, ugh), I’m always in pretty good condition because of my home-cooking habits. They allow me to be mindful of nutrition and balance. When I falter I forgive myself and move on, but in the meantime I feel so… blerg. 

When you cook for yourself, you can decide exactly what goes into your body, and what doesn’t make the cut. 

Sitting down to meals is also a great way to improve our emotional health. Whether you’re eating at a party with a bunch of friends or sitting down to dinner with your family, eating together is a chance to slow down and catch up.

Sharing food is a universal way to show that you love and care about others. It’s how we pass down our heritage and traditions. It’s how we learn about people different from us. Eating together is one of the best parts of life. Even eating by yourself is a great way to catch your breath and focus on the moment.

To be frank, being able to cook is also a milestone. It says you’re self sufficient. You’re independent. You can take care of yourself. Heck, you may even be capable of keeping a plant alive!

Basically, it’s a pretty good indicator that you’re adulting as the adults do. Adults handle their business, and they definitely say adulting ;).

My third promise to you: If you’re a willing participant, I promise to help you take matters into your own hands and handle your kitchen business. 

In case you couldn’t tell, I REALLY want you to cook more; however, I’m a big proponent of balance and doing the best you can. Eating out is one of my favorite things to do, and you know what? I eat processed foods sometimes. I eat fast food sometimes.

I know. I know.

No one is perfect and that’s not what this is about. This is about doing your best with what you have access to, being fearless with food and enjoying every step of the way.

Your life has its own unique challenges and roadblocks. Adding menu planning, grocery shopping, cooking and dishes to your routine can feel daunting, even if you’re not starting from square one. Let’s figure it out together. 

Want a place to start? Join my VIP list and I’ll tell you my secrets for getting the recipe right every time. It’s not as hard as you think! You can find the signup in the sidebar near the top of the page.