For me, cooking has always been more of an art than a science.

And by art, I mean fingerpainting.

A young single, ‘cooking for myself’ meant lots of peanut butter bagels and granola with yogurt. Sandwiches counted as a square meal. (Get it? Sandwiches. Square meal. Moving on.) Unfortunately, my new husband did not care to subsist on such bland fare. Tears, smoke alarms, and ruined meals were common scenes in our kitchen.

One major benefit of welcoming a new baby into your home is that people bring food RIGHT TO YOUR HOUSE for WEEKS. Miracle of miracles. Alas, the meal train inevitably came to a halt.

Somewhere during my daughter’s first year, I realized that a young wife and mom was probably obligated to feed her brood nutritious, not scorched, meals. And can you believe my family expects food on the table three times a day? The nerve of some people.

Enter: Natasha Red.

I met Natasha through my Influence Network community group. She casually asked for a few volunteers to test recipes for her new cookbook. And like a crazy woman, I said yes. But here’s the catch, Natasha’s heart is to make cooking accessible for all people. People who can wield a  julienne slicer, and people who still don’t know what that is….

I love Natasha. And after you watch this video, I bet you will too. Natasha says her goal is to show “that simplicity can be had in the kitchen, and that ultimately, the people gathered around your table is the prize. People > Food. But wholesome, real food that tastes delicious is a plus too!” Read even more about Natasha’s heart here.

Normally, I have two hopes for my meals: 1) That they don’t kill anyone. And 2) That they taste decent.

Natasha’s test recipes that I tried were remarkable. Not only did they not kill anyone, but they tasted ah-mazing!!! And what’s more, these were actual recipes! They involved dicing and sauteing and buying ingredients I’ve never heard of. But. I. Did. It. And I think the big reason is because knowing Natasha is like having a personal cheerleader in your kitchen. A friendly, helpful cheerleader that doesn’t judge you for not knowing where to find cilantro in the store.

I hope you guys will find Natasha’s work as inspirational as I have. Even if you’re a beginner like me, Natasha has so much to offer. Really, I think what she offers is confidence. Confidence because she reminds us that cooking isn’t really about the food, it’s about the people you gather around your table.

And that really takes the heat out of the kitchen.

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