Although we are gluten free now I used to make bread quite frequently. I always made it the old fashioned way – kneading it myself. It is really easy if you are willing to try it. You can grind wheat berries in your vitamix btw.
For snacks we eat fruit, raw veggies, nuts, cheese, yogurt, kefir smoothies, and the occasional treat like cookies or brownies made with alternative flours and honey.
I also make large batches of granola for breakfast or snacking.
The key for me with whole foods is not to be fancy. I don’t use recipes in general because we eat simply. I bake fish by drizzling it with olive oil and choosing a seasoning to sprinkle over it. I don’t make fancy sauces or elaborate side dishes. I usually put some rice in the rice cooker and choose a vegetable to steam. With chicken I often toss it all in a pan with a little water and lemon pepper, make some coconut flour biscuits, and roast some veggies like Brussels or cauliflower.
Learning a few methods rather than recipes is helpful. Once you know how to roast vegetables it is mostly the same for any – drizzle with oil, salt and pepper, bake at 400 until fork tender, stirring here and there. Usually takes 20 minutes.
My other recommendation is that when you are cooking, cook a lot. 🙂 leftovers are such a lifesaver from hours in the kitchen everyday.
Also, consider using a crockpot for tougher cuts like roast or round steak. Toss in, season, let cook all day. Easy. At dinner time add a veggie or two, and maybe some quinoa. You can roast a whole chicken in the crockpot too. I rub the skin with butter, season, cook all day. After we eat and I pick all the meat out I fill the crockpot with water and leave it on low all night and the next day and voila – chicken stock 🙂 I use some for soup and freeze the rest.
I like wellnessmama.com and second the nourishing home.
Tara
