How I learned to not hate cooking - Episode 99
Picture this: you shut your laptop at the end of a long work day and then wander into the kitchen feeling tired and unsure of what you even have in the fridge and what to make for dinner. I’ve been there myself many times and today I’m going to share the story of how I learned to not hate cooking.
We’ve talked about 2026 being the year of analog hobbies and I never anticipated that cooking might be mine.
I’m going to share how I went from can’t cook a thing to making homemade pasta, the cookbooks that have helped me, and some of my favorite quick weeknight meals, especially while I’m busy running my business during the day.
Whether you’re looking to cut back on your monthly Uber Eats spending or just trying to romanticize cooking your weeknight meals, I think this will help you enjoy making meals.
Create & consume
What Austen is creating: 5 years full-time mini series on short-form
What Austen is consuming: Park Avenue, we follow Jia an ambitious lawyer in NYC as she gets assigned to a crazy case: a billionaire family is arguing over their Korean skincare empire and the money associated with it
In this episode:
Where it all started
My relationship with food used to be very, very simple. Growing up, I was a creature of habit.
Give me plain pasta, shrimp shumai, a turkey sandwich, or a bagel, and I was happy. I didn't need variety.
College didn't change much. I survived on campus meal plans and some reliable to-go options.
If I wasn't eating there, I was at the sushi spot or the halal cart near my apartment. I did learn how to boil pasta at home, but that was about the extent of my culinary skills.
When I moved to Brooklyn after graduation, I shared a kitchen with two other girls.
Despite having more space, takeout and pasta remained the heavy hitters in my rotation.
Eventually, once I moved in with Andrew, I graduated to trying my hand at chicken and the classic sausage and peppers.
The turning point
In 2020, the world shut down, and while takeout was still an option, going out to restaurants was off the table.
After a few weeks of heavy comfort food, I realized I needed to find healthy options that I actually enjoyed eating.
Over the last five years, I’ve finally found a rhythm. This shift coincided with me developing a consistent workout routine and looking for little ways to adjust my meals like more protein/less sugar.
I didn't become a chef overnight. I started with simple experimentation, mostly through pasta recipes.
HelloFresh was a huge help in the beginning because it took the guesswork out of portions and ingredients.
I eventually settled on a simple framework: the rule of three. Every meal needs a meat (or protein), a starch, and a veggie.
If you're looking for resources, these three cookbooks were my holy grail:
Why I actually enjoy it now
The switch flipped when I stopped viewing cooking as a chore and started seeing it as a deeper appreciation for my health.
It also became a true chance to detach. As someone who runs a business, I am on screens all day.
Cooking is one of the few times I can put the phone away and remove standard screen time.
I also started following lifestyle creators who shared occasional recipes.
Seeing people I admire make cooking look like a natural part of a well-lived life helped me romanticize the process.
The reality of the grocery run
Let’s be honest: groceries can be expensive, and the mental load of shopping is real.
I’ve learned to prioritize things that elevate a dish without breaking the bank, like shallots or fresh squeezed lemon juice.
I also realized that prepared foods—like sliced mango or pre-cut chicken—always cost more than the raw versions.
Shopping in the city adds another layer of difficulty because you can only buy what you can carry while walking.
My best strategy is to think of ingredients that overlap.
For example, if I’m making carne asada bowls and shrimp tacos in the same week, I can use the same pico de gallo and shredded cheese for both.
Setting the vibe and the toolkit
Cooking should be a sensory experience. I love playing a comfort show in the background, putting on a specific cooking playlist, or pouring a glass of wine and chatting with Andrew while I prep. Even having plates and pans that look cute makes the process feel more exciting.
I’ve also narrowed down the tools I actually use:
Air fryer (a literal lifesaver)
Avocado slicer
And I keep these staples in the pantry at all times:
Quality olive oil and Maldon sea salt flakes
Chicken broth and various seasonings
Orzo, couscous, chickpeas, and beans
My favorite easy meals
If you need some inspiration for your next meal, here are some things I’ve made recently that I’m actually proud of:
Chicken enchiladas from The Dude Diet
Beef lo mein from the Trader Joe’s cookbook
Chicken meatballs over orzo from the Cocina Republic blog
Shrimp couscous from Samantha Harrington’s Substack
Pasta amatriciana from Alison Roman’s Substack
Cilantro lime steak bowls from the Homesmad blog
Homemade pasta using Alessandra’s TikTok recipe
Summary
If you’re just starting out, find stuff that is easy and repeatable. Make a list of go-to weeknight meals so you don't have to think when you're tired.
Take notes as you go—if a dish felt dry, write down to add an extra cup of chicken broth next time.
Collect your favorite recipes from Substack, Pinterest, and social media in one central place so you can reference them easily.
And finally, just ask your friends what they’re cooking lately. Sometimes the best inspiration comes from a simple text thread!
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