Cooking enough to feed a family comes with its own challenges but something a lot of people overlook is the challenges that come with cooking for just 1-2 people, especially after spending years feeding hungry kids and now having them out of the house.

Today's guest, Chef Christine Van Bloem, is here today to share her best cooking tips for empty nesters or those with fewer mouths to feed who still want to enjoy their meals.

Hi! I’m Christine, and I’m so excited to be cooking, writing, and helping everyone sink into to a better life. If you’re looking for healthier recipes for one and two, you’re in the right place.

My philosophy is simple:

It’s a meal, not a mortgage.

Real food is the most important factor in good cooking.

After surviving a heart attack in 2020 and the loss of my brick & mortar cooking school business, I’ve found new purpose cooking for my empty nest.

Post heart attack, I’m reforming my butter-loving, heavy cream worshiping ways by making changes to how I cook, taking things in a healthier direction, without doing a complete 180 and still keeping things flavorful and delightful. The key here is healthier. I’m not afraid of butter, but I’m using a touch instead of stick. A tablespoon or two of cream or half-and-half, not a cup, and so on and so forth. And now that the kids are grown and living lives on their own, I’m re-learning how to cook for two.

I’m currently training in culinary nutrition with The American College of Culinary Medicine and have researched The Mediterranean Diet & Menopause for my capstone project.

https://emptynestkitchen.com/

FB: @emptynestkitchen

IG: @theemptynestkitchen

Subscribe, rate, and review this podcast and get a copy of our Weekend Survival Guide as a thank you! Just email a screenshot of your review to [email protected] and we’ll send it over ASAP! Thanks for your support!

Connect with Esther on Instagram (shoot me a DM and let me know you listen to the podcast!): www.instagram.com/esther.avant