It’s our pleasure to introduce to you today OAMM blog partner Cynthia! She is the mom behind Whole Food Real Families.
The mission of Whole Food Real Families is to empower parents to create a nourishing home for themselves and their families.
In the spirit of autumn, Cynthia is going to share with us today about baking. Who doesn’t a fresh hot cookie or like, Oprah, a good piece of bread – amiright!? But is it possible to indulge in the food traditionally associated with baking and still eat whole and nourish our bodies? How do we freeze our baked goods?
Cynthia from Whole Food Real Families is here today to help us continue to eat well and live well, and we couldn’t be more excited to have her!
What are your tips for baking from scratch?
Cooking and baking are just like any other skill, you learn it by doing it. Don’t be afraid to just jump in. The worst that happens is you make a mess or order out!
How do you incorporate the freezer into your baking?
I have three kids, so if I am going to bake, I always double or triple recipes and freeze the extra. It makes breakfast and lunch boxes so much more manageable on school mornings to have a stash of healthy food I have already made. And I only have to clean up once!
How do you incorporate baking into your cooking day?
I tend to bake in the morning. It is so simple to pop it in the oven and move on with my day. And by the time dinner rolls around, my focus has moved on!
How do you plan a mini menu for a special baking day?
Honestly, I ask my family first. They know the rules – a healthy and varied diet. My kids are quick to let me know which muffins, scones, and bread they want. But I’ve learned the hard way that even on a baking day, we still have to eat dinner that night. So I usually add in crockpot meals that I can double and freeze. Or meals like quiche, that are flexible and freezable. I make one for dinner that night and freeze the rest.
What are your favorite things to bake?
Muffins and scones. Mostly because my kids like to help and that makes being in the kitchen a lot of fun.
And a final note from Cynthia on freezer cooking and whole food in general…
What does “whole food” mean to you?
We try hard to focus on trends rather than bites. We keep our house pretty clean of refined sugar, white flour, etc. but I don’t police every bite my kids take. If we are all really craving pizza, we go out as a family and have it. We focus on the experience together and enjoy it. But then we go home to healthy ingredients and wholesome meals for the rest of the week. It works for us as a family and I hope instills the importance of eating well in my children, while still giving them a healthy and fun relationship with food.
Favorite quick prep dinner?
Easy, Salmon with Capers. It takes 5 minutes to get it in the oven. Literally 5 minutes. We eat it a lot. LOL!
How do you eat healthy from the freezer?
We love shopping our local farmers market and can often get great deals on fresh vegetables. We have learned how to process pretty much anything for the freezer! And meals that can be doubled, I do it and we have half for dinner and half goes to the freezer for future meals!
What are ways you save money while living a healthy lifestyle?
We buy local veggies when possible. And a lot of farmers seconds. It is a lot cheaper, good for the farmer and perfect for my freezer!
For recipes from Cynthia view her OAMM Whole Food Real Families Mini Menu and follow her on social media!
You can also find a free cookbook from Cynthia HERE!
Thank you kindly, Cynthia, for sharing with us!