Hi, I'm Valerie!
In 2004, I moved from my native California to Texas to be with my new boyfriend (now husband). At the time, we were really broke, to put it mildly.
So, as a way to save money, I watched lots of Food Network and surfed the internet to teach myself to cook.
Fast forward 20 years and I’m still learning! But I’ve picked up a lot of tips and tricks over the years to make cooking as simple, fast, and even fun as it can be.
Because let’s be honest – modern life is hectic and it’s tough to cook from scratch every single night, even when you enjoy cooking.
That’s why I started Clever Kitchen.Tips – to share the tips I’ve picked up, realistic techniques, tools, and habits that help you get food on the table (that your family will actually eat!) on the regular.
Sometimes that means cooking from scratch, sometimes it’s more “semi-homemade,” and some days it’s using emergency packaged goods from the freezer! I hope you’ll join me on the journey.
Welcome! I can’t wait to get to know you!
In addition to cooking, I’m a cat lover and a big ol’ geek! In my free time I enjoy fantasy novels, science fiction, fantasy, and superhero movies/tv shows, Dungeons & Dragons, and occasionally participate in medieval re-creation in the SCA.
By day, I run my own business as a certified Simplero expert and tech VA helping online experts like coaches, consultants, and course creators streamline and manage their business processes and digital marketing workflows. To learn more about that, visit my website here: ACleverCat.com.
I also create and sell digital products such as downloadable planners, checklists, templates, workbooks and more. To learn more visit my shop here: Etsy.com/shop/ACleverCatStudio.
Copyright © 2025 Valerie Tate and Clever Kitchen.Tips. All rights reserved.
