Welcome to Elise Tries to Cook; I’m Elise!
I’m a Los Angeles-based food blogger focusing on clean eating and drinks.
I make simple, clean dishes for the busy person who knows eating good makes you feel even better.
Although I’m a native New Yorker, I’m a converted Cali girl through and through. Many of my recipes take inspiration from the California lifestyle: fresh juices, simple meats, and lots of Mexican food. All Mexican recipes are either handed down from my Mother-in-Law or received her stamp of approval!
About me: I love juices, the beach (one of my favorite things to do is bike along the beach!), Mexican food, and a refreshingly light cocktail. Thanks for joining me, I’m excited to be a part of your cooking journey!
A STORY OF MY COOKING JOURNEY
My first memory of really cooking is from college at New York University. I would eat pre-cooked sausage and fusilli with garlic salt and EVOO for almost every meal! I had no clue how to cook anything except a super dry, tasteless piece of chicken. My younger sister had to teach me how to make a grilled cheese at the ripe age of 20! I watched Food Network and became obsessed with shows that taught me cooking methods.
When I graduated and started my first full-time 9-5, I couldn’t afford to eat a $15 salad everyday, but I wanted to eat clean. I would bring my own meal-prep every day. I would spend my free-time researching quick, healthy meals that I could make. I found myself trying to understand every piece of the recipe; Why do I use this type of oil? How do I know when it’s done and why? How do I chop this? What type of pan do I use and why?
My cooking journey went from a stressful means to survive into a celebration of flavors. Once I understood the foundations, I wanted to build upon it! I wanted to understand how to balance flavors and feel confident in what I made. With a full-time job, all this research was difficult. I researched recipes Friday and Saturday nights that I wanted to try the week ahead. I found recipes where I’d buy an ingredient I’d never use again, for only ONE TEASPOON. I struggled to find the time and energy to make these high-quality meals after a full day of work.
I lost the initial spark for cooking because I couldn’t find recipes to accommodate my lifestyle. I wanted recipes that were clean, creative, and work within the little time I had. I wanted high-protein breakfasts, filling salads, and balanced meals. I searched for recipes and spent hours trying to find the right ones, but there was a definite void.
So, I decided to fill that void myself! That spark returned when I realized I could be the one to create recipes for people like myself. It's low-maintenance steps, clean ingredients, and filling meals.
Thank you for visiting my blog!