My Cooking Philosophy

Published: 31 January 2026 Updated: 15 February 2026, 19:03 UTC

About Me

These are meals that got me through college. Since i cooked for myself during this time, these recipes are mostly for one. Feel free to multiply these recipes as needed.

I would not consider myself an enjoyer of cooking, however, i, unfortunately, do need to feed myself. I don’t really like eating out, wasting food or eating leftovers. So, i have put together the recipes that i make for myself regularly. These recipes are lazy, fast and flavourful. lmk if you have any suggestions or additions

My Philosophy

a proper meal is just 3 parts: veggies, carbs and protein. it is A LOT easier to figure out what to eat when you break it down into these smaller parts. what carb do i want and have? what protein do i have and sounds good? what veggies would go good with that?

I found meal planning doesnt work for me. It’s a lot easier for me to buy ingredients that can go with many meals and then just use what works. whatever i have available, coupled with a wide variety of spices i keep in my pantry makes cooking WAY easier.

Protein

picking a protein i think is the easiest part. I generally buy in bulk and then freeze what i don’t eat and recently i’ve been cooking it all at once and then defrosting the cooked meat. the main types that I eat are chicken (thighs, breasts, tenderloins and wings), beef (ground, shredded, etc.), fish (salmon), tofu (extra-firm and silken), and eggs. But there are plenty of others that i dont prefer like beans (also count as a veggie), other fish, seafood, etc.

Carbs

once you have a protein picked out, you can then pick a carb. sometimes this can be easier to pick first, but just depends. the main categories are rice, bread, tortilla, pasta. Each has a different vibe, just depends on your interest in the moment. I count potato as a carb too, but definitely counts for veggie too.

Veg

i always pick this last since it has the most variety. the carb and protein decide the vibe of the meal and the veg are just along for the ride. whatever veggies i have that sound good with the meal (and whatever i feel like chopping) go in

i am wholeheartedly against steaming veggies. maybe things like broccoli and what not, but so genuinely it ruins the flavor. i just take some butter/oil, salt and pepper and heat up the veggies in a pan. they get a nice crisp, it evaporates a lot of the water out and gives them some flavour. it might still be bland, but it’s like 100000x better. OH and frozen edamame is SUCH a cheat sheet. lots of protein, heat up really fast, and taste amazing.

the sauce

the sauce usually goes with whatever i end up making. it helps to have a few pre-made sauces ready. sometimes even just some soy-sauce is all im looking for in a meal. i often like to make pasta salad dressings or greek yogurt dips.

conclusion

cooking is a challenge, especially when it’s just for one person. i find that i always have food waste, no matter how hard i try. but it’s just a product of not being able to buy smaller versions of things. i do my best, but sometimes it just happens. what’s more important to me is making foods that i enjoy eating and that are healthy.

← Back to Home