Eileen: Kitchen Inspiration
I enjoy the process of creating delicious meals. It’s healthier than eating out. And it shows love for my family. – Eileen
One look at Kitchen Hero Eileen’s food photos of her homemade dishes, and you’ll figure that she is inspiring people everywhere to get up and start cooking. (Either that or you’ll think she’s always eating out at the best restaurants!) Not only are her dishes plated beautifully and with care, you get the idea that hey, you too can make this lovely dish at home in your own kitchen! She was even able to convince her husband, who never steps foot in the kitchen, to cook a delicious meal that he could be proud of. For more kitchen inspiration, read more about Eileen’s Hero in the Kitchen story below.
Name: Eileen Tien
Age: 40
City, State: Aliso Viejo, CA
I cook for: my husband, myself, and our two pups Teddy and Twinkle.
Outside of the kitchen I: am a real estate agent.
The one kitchen tool / equipment that I cannot live without is: my Le Creuset Dutch oven.
I cook because: I enjoy the process of creating delicious meals. It’s healthier than eating out. And it shows love for my family.
Favorite Cook Smarts meal so far: Mussels and Chorizo from 8/17/15 meal plan. My husband who never steps into the kitchen tried cooking a Cook Smarts meal for me the first time, and it was a big success!
HOW DID YOU LEARN TO COOK?
I learn to cook from recipes. I have a collection of cookbooks, and I enjoy reading them just for fun. I also learned how to cook home-style Chinese food from my mom.
WHAT’S BEEN YOUR BIGGEST COOKING CHALLENGE?
Baking. I tried baking quite a few times, and nothing ever came out right. I think for baking, the measurement has to be precise. But for cooking, you can adjust everything to your own taste so it is much easier for me.
HOW HAS YOUR COOKING ROUTINE CHANGED SINCE STARTING COOK SMARTS’ MEAL PLANS?
Ever since I started cooking with Cook Smarts, I cook a lot more at home. Grocery shopping is easy and fast from the shopping list. Also by sticking to the menu, it has saved us a lot of money and we don’t waste food anymore. Now we can cook delicious and healthier meals at home so we eat out a lot less.
“Ever since I started cooking with Cook Smarts, I cook a lot more at home.”
Tell us about your proudest kitchen moment.
My husband never cooks. The most he would do in the kitchen is heat up leftovers in the microwave or boil eggs. He enjoys all the Cook Smarts meals I’ve made. I kept on telling him how easy it is to cook just following Cook Smarts’ easy-to-understand recipes. One day, I finally convinced him to give it a try in the kitchen. He cooked us the most delicious mussels and chorizo ever! I was so proud of him! Now he realizes it is actually not that hard to cook. He promised to cook me at least one meal a month from now on.
What are your tips for health and success in the kitchen?
Buy the freshest meat / seafood / produce. Go organic if budget allows. When you have good quality ingredients, food will taste great! Being patient and being willing to try new things are very important.
Eileen, we hope your husband stayed true to his promise! Even people who love to cook need a day off every now and then, right?! Thank you for always sharing your wonderful Cook Smarts food photos with us. It truly is inspiring to see that healthy, delicious, and beautiful dishes can be made at home. We look forward to seeing all the upcoming meals you (and your husband) cook up!
To join Eileen and cook meals like her favorite Mussels and Chorizo, check out our meal plan service. You can get started for free!
