Cook Without Recipes Academy
The Cook Without Recipes Academy digital course teaches you my proven, step-by-step system to cook weeknight meals quickly and easily with unprocessed ingredients - without relying on recipes.
Does this sound familiar…
(it’s the recipes)
You can make weeknight meals quicker and easier - using whole ingredients - by cooking without recipes.
And I can show you how!
Hi, I’m Lynley!
Mom,
recipe writer,
and Founder/Chief Creator at Adventure Kitchen
Psst - you could become one of *those* people…
You know…
The ones who can just open the fridge and whip up a meal with what they find in there…
who don’t waste time looking up recipes…
who can quickly and easily get dinner on the table with whatever they have on hand.
And that’s when cooking gets easier.
Introducing:
Cook Without Recipes Academy
In this course I’ll teach you how to make unprocessed weeknight meals faster and easier by cooking without recipes.
I’ve distilled everything I’ve learned over decades - as a culinary professional and a mom - into a proven step-by-step system so you can plan and cook weeknight meals with ease - no recipe required.
Sharon, former student
“Lynley gave me the confidence to experiment in the kitchen, using what I have on hand and still achieving great results—no recipe required.
It’s also been a huge help when I’m following a recipe but missing an ingredient or two—I now know how to adapt and still create something delicious.”
This course sets you up for success in three main areas:
Core cooking techniques and principles (aka the formulas).
This is how you’ll know (without a recipe!) what temperature to choose, how much salt to use, how long to cook things, and more. Once you learn the principles and techniques behind recipes, you can cook without relying on them, which makes it much faster and easier to pull together a quick, nutritious meal.
Faster and easier prep.
Professional chefs don’t mess around. They’ve figured out the easiest and most efficient ways to clean, store and prep ingredients, and how to make cleanup faster and easier. So I’ll teach you the shortcuts, hacks and strategies used in professional kitchens to make cooking more efficient and more doable in your own kitchen.
Maximum flavor, minimum stress.
You don’t just want a quick meal. You want a delicious meal! So I’ll teach you the principles behind flavor. Like how to use salt, acids, fats and spices intuitively; how to whip up a sauce to go with just about anything; and more. This is how you’ll know (without a recipe!) when something needs a pinch of this or a squeeze of that, so you can take any meal from okay to amazing.
Imagine having the freedom to look at your pantry and whip up a quick meal from whatever you have on hand - without relying on recipes.
You’re in the right place!
And I’ll be with you every step of the way.
So how does Cook Without Recipes Academy work?
So glad you asked…
Inside this course, I’ll take you step-by-step, module-by-module, through my proven system to make unprocessed weeknight meals without recipes as often as you want.
In each module, you’ll learn a set of core cooking techniques and principles - the formulas - to make weeknight meals without recipes, along with the skills, prep, shortcuts and flavor strategies that make cooking more doable over the long run.
You’ll be able to…
cook unprocessed meals without recipes by the end of your first week.
Let’s go…!
You’ll have lifetime access, so you can go through the course at your own pace.
Krys, former student
“I never cooked for my family until Lynley showed me how. Now I get requests!”
This is the no-fluff, straight-to-the-point roadmap you need to make the unprocessed weeknight meals you want to eat - without recipes - even if you’re a beginner cook.
Each module is designed to guide you through one week of cooking.
Here’s what’s inside:
1) Meal plans and shopping lists
Each module starts with a one-week mix-and-match meal plan and shopping list, so you can plan the week’s cooking based on your schedule.
Busy week? Family likes X more than Y? The meal plans are designed for you to customize based on what works for you.
2) Videos demonstrate the formulas
This is the heart of the course. Filmed from above, you’ll watch my hands - step-by-step - making all the dishes while my voice guides you through the details of each formula.
Almost like being in the kitchen with me! This is where I’ll show you everything you need to know to make each dish without a recipe.
3) Example recipes
The goal is to cook without recipes of course! But I’ll also provide you with links to recipes I’ve written using the formulas you’ll learn in each module.
Example: in Module 6 you’ll learn the formula for braising, and you’ll also get links to recipes using that very same technique.
Like training wheels - you can lean on the recipes as much as you need to. Then when you’re ready, you can ride without them. You’ve got this!
4) Cheat sheets, checklists and guides
Each module includes a deep-dive overview guide video explaining the ins and outs of that module’s formulas and techniques. Plus you’ll get PDF cheat sheets and checklists so you can refer back to the key points whenever you need to. I’ve got you!
This system includes everything you need to…
And to make it even better, I’ve got some bonuses for you!
Bonus! Knife Skills Mini Course
Four bite-sized video lessons so you can master the essential skills that will help you move through your prep like a knife through butter ;)
Bonus! Weekly Q&A Mini-Trainings with Replay
Every week for 6 weeks, I’ll review each module and share hacks and strategies that will make weeknight meals even easier. Like -
how to buy, store and prep fresh produce
how to use salt, acids and key spices
hacks to make cleanup and dishwashing faster and easier
and more..!
Join live or submit questions in advance and catch the replay. All good!
Bonus! Private SOS Email
Six weeks of access straight to me for any questions or extra help you need!
This is a special private email only for students, checked multiple times a day. Ask me anything - shopping, prep, cooking, questions about the course, you name it.
I’m here for you!
So all together…
Here’s everything you get inside:
With lifetime access to all course materials.
now whip out that calculator…
That’s a total value of $835
Cook Without Recipes Academy
Get started today:
A one-time payment of $227
3 monthly payments of $83
Doors close at 10pm ET on Sunday, September 21, 2025.
Heads up - the price of this course will go up the next time it’s offered!
So this is your last chance to grab your spot at this price. And with lifetime access to all course materials, you’ll get all future updates as well. Go for it!
Plus you’ll be backed by my 14-day risk-free guarantee:
Your purchase is fully refundable for 14 days, no questions asked! By then, you’ll have received access to the first two course modules. Meaning you’ll have learned my first sets of formulas and had the opportunity to get started cooking with your first two meal plans and recipes. If you don’t feel like this course is right for you, just email us at hello@adventurekitchen.com by 11:59pm ET on Sunday, October 5, 2025 and we’ll process a refund right away.
Let’s get you off that recipe hampster wheel!
It’s time to free yourself from recipes so you can save money, manage your time and cook meals you’ll actually enjoy.
You’ve got more important things to do on a busy weekday evening than searching for recipes and tracking down ingredients.
You don’t need more things on your to-do list.
You need a system that works, so you can feed your family the kind of meals you feel good about, in the time you actually have.
Because when you know how to cook without recipes…
…you can cook with what you have on hand
…you’ll love what you cook (and so will they)
…you won’t get bored with repetitive recipes
…and you can decide what to cook with confidence.
No more DoorDash and processed shortcuts.
No more boring recipes on repeat.
You can make the meals you actually want to eat and serve to your family - without spending extra time chasing down other people’s recipes and ingredients.
By the time you finish Cook Without Recipes Academy you’ll have:
A repeatable system
…to make dinner from whole, unprocessed ingredients often as you want to
A set of reliable formulas
…so you can whip up a meal from whatever you have on hand - without relying on recipes
The knowledge to use salt, seasonings and acids without fear
…to amp up the flavor and make meals you love
Strategies the pros use
…for faster and easier prep and cleanup
An organized plan for storing (and actually using!) leftovers
…so you can be confident your food is not going to waste
Simple skills and techniques from a variety of cuisines
…so you can keep meals interesting with inspo from cultures around the world
“Delish!!! And also super easy to follow. Thank you!!!”
-Isabella, former student
Hey - I get it!
When I first became a mom, I wanted to cook all our meals from unprocessed, whole, organic ingredients.
But it felt completely overwhelming.
So bit by bit, I figured out how to use my experience from restaurants to develop a system that could work for me.
And once I started cooking without recipes, everything got easier.
Listen, in my dream scenario, you’d come over to my house so I could show you exactly how I make it all work.
But you don’t need a one-on-one coaching session. You just need an easy, step-by-step plan that works.
So… I made this course for you!
Doors close at 10pm ET on Sunday, September 21, 2025.
“Founded and operated by Lynley Jones, spice merchant and culinary teacher… Adventure Kitchen is exactly what its name states: a source for curious cooks of all ages to have adventures in food….”
- The Peasant Wife, June 2021
You’ll learn seasoning strategies for roast chicken like this - without a recipe! - in Module 1 of Cook Without Recipes Academy.
Some burning Qs you might have before signing up:
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Modules are released every Friday over a 6-week period, starting when you sign up. The Q&A Mini-Training sessions are timed to coincide with each module drop to set you up for success if you’re working through the modules in real time.
BUT remember, you can go at your own pace with lifetime access to the course. So you do you - all good!
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Yes! You’ll have lifetime access to all the course content and materials, so you can look forward to using this course as a resource in the future. Go at your own pace - this course will be here for you whenever you’re ready to dive in.
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This depends on how many people you’re cooking for, and how many meals you want to make each week.
Examples:
Family of 4 making 5 meals/week -
~ 3 hours of prep/batch cooking once a week
~ 30-45 minutes per day to make each meal
Family of 3 making 3 meals/week -
~ 2 hours of prep/batch cooking once a week
~ 30-40 minutes per day
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We’ll release the modules one-by-one over the course of 6 weeks, not all at once. Once all modules have been dropped, you’ll have lifetime access to the course, so you can skip around and go through it at your own pace.
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We’ll mostly use minimally-processed ingredients but other than that, the course doesn’t follow any particular diet.
Most students find the cooking in this course to be generally healthier than the meals they’re eating now, and also more delicious!
If you have special dietary needs or restrictions (or just questions!), feel free to email me at hello@adventurekitchen.com and I’ll get right back to you with more details.
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It’s actually for cooks at lots of levels! If you already cook without recipes, and you’re happy with what you’re cooking, this course is not for you. But otherwise, you’ll get a ton of value here!
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No! In fact, my own home kitchen is very (shall we say) 1980s-esque. You do not need a fancy kitchen or expensive equipment to cook well.
In the Welcome Module I’ll walk you through the few tools and pieces of equipment that will be helpful to have, and why. But you can get started with what you have right now, and add more later as you’re ready.
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Hey, I understand! But here’s the thing - most people learn by cooking alongside someone else. So I designed this class to work the same way, as you cook alongside me in the course videos.
Listen, I didn’t have anyone to learn from when I was growing up, so I totally get it! (You can read my story here.)
But I’m 100% sure you can do this! Because I have! Cooking isn’t magic, it’s just a series of formulas (with some good taste mixed in). And, I’ll be right be your side for 6 weeks, so you’ll be in great shape no matter what. You’ve got this!
Doors close at 10pm ET on Sunday, September 21, 2025.
“Thanks for your love of cooking and for sharing it with us!”
-Irmgard, former student
If you’re thinking “this sounds amazing but I’m still not 100% sure” keep reading…
You should give this course a risk-free shot if this sounds like you:
You keep trying to cook more often but it never quite happens.
Listen, it’s a challenge - especially when you’re following other people’s recipes! You need a system that frees you to cook for yourself in a way that works for you in the real world. You can do this!
You’re ready to stop wasting money on takeout and start eating better.
You don’t want to keep handing your hard-earned money over to DoorDash and UberEats. And you’re not satisfied with frozen pizzas and boxed mac and cheese. You deserve to eat good food, made from scratch by your own two hands. (And your bank account will thank you!)
You’re tired of trying to piece things together on your own.
It’s exhausting! You have to find the recipes, hunt for ingredients, and it always takes longer than they promise. Internet recipes are written for algorithms, not for you. Once you learn the simple formulas recipes are based on, you can free yourself from recipes to actually conquer cooking.
You can do this! And you don't have to figure it out on your own.
I’ve been where you are. We want to feed our families unprocessed meals, but between the work and the kids and just life, it’s easier said than done. I get it.
So I created this course to give you everything you need for success. I’ve drawn from my decades of experience working in restaurants, owning my own food business, publishing recipes and cooking for my family both as a stay-at-home mom and a working mom to give you a step-by-step system that puts you in charge.
Because once you understand the simple formulas behind great dishes, you’ll have the flexibility of cooking without recipes whenever you want to.
Cooking without recipes is faster and easier. No more searching for recipes, or scrolling for instructions while you’re trying to cook. No more hunting for random ingredients that were included for the algorithms, not for you.
In this course, I’ll teach you the same system I created to cook for my own family. And I’m here to tell you, you can do it too!
You deserve to eat delicious, unprocessed meals that you have time to make, with ingredients you and your family love.
So take the plunge! I can’t wait to meet you, teach you, and get to know you inside this course. And I’ll be here cheering you on all the way!
All my best,
Lynley
Doors close at 10pm ET on Sunday, September 21, 2025.