Let me ask you something…

Do you ever want to cook… but also absolutely do not want to cook at the same time?

Because that’s me. A lot.

My brain is ready to go, thinking of all the things I could make…
and my body’s like, “yeah… we’re not doing all that today.”

And by 10am? My energy’s already dipped.

So I had to figure out pretty quickly…
how do I feed myself without making it this big overwhelming thing?

And honestly?

I keep it really simple.

I rotate between three things most of the time:
chili, stew, and some kind of one pot or skillet meal.

That’s it.

Nothing fancy. Nothing complicated. Just real food that works.

And the best part?

I never make them the same way twice.

I’ll switch up the protein, throw in whatever veggies I’ve got, load it up with beans…
whatever feels right that day.

Some days chili feels doable, some days it doesn’t.
Chili takes a bit more energy for me because I like to build the flavors while it cooks.

Stew though?

That’s my easy button.

I sauté everything in my Ninja just to wake up the flavors…
then I switch it to slow cook and walk away.

That’s it. Done.

And skillet meals?

They depend on the day. A bit more standing, yeah… but it’s not all day, and sometimes that’s manageable.

I also make life easier on myself with what I keep on hand.

Frozen veggies, frozen peppers and onions, freeze-dried spinach,
pre-portioned proteins already in the freezer…

and a lot of A Spice Affair spices.

That’s where I get my flavor without having to overthink anything.

Because I don’t do that anymore.

I don’t overthink recipes.
I don’t try to make it look Pinterest-perfect.
I don’t stand there stressing over every step.

I used to…

I’d write everything out, plan it all… and then change it anyway once I got to the kitchen 😅

Now I just trust myself more.

Set a timer. Let it cook. Adjust as I go.

And something else I’ve had to be real about?

Cooking isn’t always easy for me physically.

Standing too long hurts. So I don’t force it.
I sit when I need to, I take my time, and I work around it.

I still show up… just not in a way that drains me.

And I batch cook most of the time too.

So when I do cook, I’m not just making one meal…
I’m setting myself up for days… sometimes even weeks.

That right there has been a game changer.

Because at the end of the day…

I’m not here to impress anyone.

👉 I’m here to feed myself… and help you find ways to do it too.

So if you’ve been feeling like cooking has to be this big thing?

It doesn’t.

Pick something simple.
Use what you have.
And let it be enough.

💛

Share it in the comments and let’s keep this conversation going.

And if this post spoke to you, feel free to share it with someone who might need this reminder too.

Thank you for being here, for reading, and for being part of this space.

We’re figuring this out one day at a time… together.

— Shelly 💛