I guess I need to learn to cook

Cooking is something some people are really good at and some people don't have a clue about. Some people learn it from their parents or grandparents or watching the food network. Before this year, I fell into the category of not having a clue about cooking. I had baked in the past and cooked a few times here and there but never consistently. I never needed to cook in college since the café always had food and if I wasn't eating in the café I was going to a local restaurant or eating someone else's food. 

So why am I giving you a summary of my cooking and eating history? Because I feel like this is very common when you move out and have to start providing dinner for yourself. Going out is fun (I mean what can be better than looking at a piece of paper pointing to something and 15 min later it is right in front of you) but it becomes less exciting if you do it all the time and also turns into a waste of money. So being the millennial I am, I turned to the internet. I started researching easy recipes and ingredients. There are so many really easy recipes that you can use to start on the journey of cooking. Here are some things to keep in mind when starting:

1. Trader Joe's is the best. They have almost everything you could ever want to use when cooking besides lemon juice (still bitter). If you have a Tj's near you go there. Most things are relatively cheaper than other organic grocery stores and they have some exotic ingredients that are fun to try. But be aware it is always packed between 5-7 pm so if you have the opportunity to go at a different time do it or just suck it up and wait in line. It's not that bad and it's worth it with all the food you can get. I went and got pretty much everything for a week for under $50. That's like eating 2-3 meals out!

2. Something as simple as a salad can become a full meal. Some people assume a salad is an appetizer or something to eat before your full meal. This is becoming less the case with restaurants like Sweetgreen or chop'd. Salads are so simple, healthy and filling if you add the right ingredients. (Full salad article to follow)

3. If cooking really scares you start off simple. Think of what goes on a plate at a restaurant. Usually some sort of grain (rice, quinoa), protein (chicken, steak, fish) and veggies (broccoli, carrots, potato). This will help the juices start flowing. After you start making some simple dishes like this you will see all the potential.

Happy cooking and get ready for some other great tips and tricks!