E119 -Ditch the Recipe Rut: Cook Creatively with Chef Blackwell Smith

Turns out, the secret ingredient to a more creative life might already be in your spice cabinet. Bold food, bold ideas, and one Chattanooga chef will change the way you’ll think about cooking. 🌶️ In this episode of Create Today, Beth sits down with the incredibly fun and inspiring Blackwell Smith — founder of Lucky Cajun Seasoning, a Chattanooga-based small-batch spice brand built for real home cooks who want bold, reliable flavors without the fuss. This conversation goes way beyond spicing up dinner tonight! (Although it will do that!) This episode is about creativity, confidence, courage, and how… the way you approach your dinner plate—can literally change your life. Here's what you'll discover in this episode: • Why creativity is a DECISION — Blackwell shares how no one is born a great cook (or a great anything). It's all about showing up, experimenting, and giving yourself permission to mess up— to get the SKILLS. • How a single technique unlocks a thousand possibilities — Learn how mastering something as simple as a vinaigrette can become the creative foundation for endless meals. • The "flywheel" effect of creative cooking — When you cook better, you eat better. When you eat better, you have more energy. More energy fuels more creativity. It all compounds! • The "stay out of the aisles" rule — Blackwell's dad's golden advice for eating healthier with less effort, and why whole foods at home beat packaged meals EVERY single time. • Why your spices might be sabotaging your meals —(how old are the spices in your kitchen??) Fresh ground spices are a game-changer. • The blackened shrimp and polenta experiment — Beth shares her own kitchen adventure trying something totally new — and how it turned out even better than the restaurant version! • The No-BS Holiday Cookbook — Blackwell's approach to recipes as frameworks, not rules — so you can cook boldly with whatever's already in your pantry. • Creativity isn't just for artists — Whether you're an accountant, a busy parent, or someone who thinks they "can't cook," this episode will shift how you see your own creative potential. • Where to find Lucky Cajun Seasoning — Because after this episode, you're going to want to try them! Cooking creatively is about how you're thinking — not making roses out of radishes." Whatever you do, friends... stay creative! 🎨 Create-Today Resources and Retreats: Sylva Synergy Creative Wellness Retreat — Atchison, Kansas - May
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https://www.bdi-create.today/ Find Blackwell Smith & Lucky Cajun Seasoning: 🌐 Website: https://theluckycajun.com/ ▶️ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@LuckyCajunSeasoning 📖 The No-BS Holiday Cookbook — check the website for availability (a No-BS Seafood Cookbook is coming soon!)  Time Stamps:00:00 Meet Blackwell Smith 01:15 Cooking Roots and Cajun Influence 01:47 No BS Cookbook Approach 02:39 Cook With What You Have 03:43 Chefs Think in Techniques 04:42 Breaking the Family Cooking Rut 08:47 Confidence Over Perfection 11:22 Why Home Cooking Matters 14:14 Skip the Boxed Aisles 16:50 Favorite Recipes and Boudin 18:57 Rethinking Stuffed Mushrooms 19:50 Portobello Pizza Hack 20:48 Going Rogue With Recipes 23:46 From Cooking To Business 25:06 Shrimp And Polenta Remix 28:22 Let Yourself Mess Up 32:38 Where To Find Lucky Cajun 34:25 Fresh Spices Matter 36:31 Final Kitchen Challenge 43:22 Your invitation to Sylva Synergy & Sessions