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

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Esther Avant Health & Weight Loss Coach

Esther Avant is a health industry veteran with over 17 years of experience in fitness, nutrition, and wellness related roles. She is a certified sports nutritionist, personal trainer, wellness coach, and owner of EA Coaching, which has provided holistic health & lifestyle coaching since 2015.

Her mission is to help women live their happiest, healthiest, and most confident lives and to change the fact that the majority of women are so preoccupied with their weight and bodies that they never fully pursue their passions. She knows that if more women prioritized their health, they’d be able to unleash the confidence and focus they all need to leave their mark on the world

Esther is also a boy mom and Navy wife who has lived and traveled all over the world while running her EA Coaching.