Looking for quick and easy solutions to getting enough wholefoods in your child’s diet?
Enter Cassandra Fenaughty, author of Wholesome Food For Busy Parents ($30, New Holland Publishers Australia).
Cassandra has created an entire cookbook around quick and easy recipes that contain wholesome, fresh and inexpensive ingredients.The recipes are budget-friendly and designed to be cooked in batches and used as leftovers.
In this blog we ask Cassandra what her top time saving tips are, whether she has any preparation shortcuts and what foods parents buy that they would be better off preparing themselves. Plus Cassandra tells us about her favourite go-to recipe that the entire family enjoys.
1. What are your top time-saving tips for busy parents who want to make wholesome food?
Every fortnight before you do your grocery shopping write a quick menu plan for evening meals, and also decide what your fortnightly snacks will be.
Organise your menu plan so you can cook larger quantities less often.
Batch cook things like bolognaise sauces and casseroles that can be quickly reheated another night, and also plan to use leftovers. For example, cook more rice with your casserole on the Tuesday, and plan to have a quick and healthy friend rice the next evening.
Plan to cook a fortnight worth of snacks in one cook up. Divide them into portions and pop them in a container in the freezer.
2. What’s your best preparation shortcut or timesaver?
Have a clean workspace. Empty the sink and dishwasher before you start a multi-batch cook up. If you are intending on cooking a roast, a quiche and a few slices and muffins as fortnightly snacks, you need space and to be organised.
3. In your opinion what’s the top food people buy that they could easily make themselves?
Muesli and nut bars. Both products are expensive and most brands have high sugar and fat content. Homemade versions are less than half the price, much healthier, really easy to make and can be frozen.
4. What is your favourite wholesome recipe that pleases both kids and adults?
My Beef Ragout with Fettuccini would have to be an easy favourite. It’s a great dish to cook in bulk and is packed with vegetables that even the fussiest eaters will enjoy. This can be made at home on a weekend, or popped in a slow cooker in the morning to cook while you are at work.
If preparing a slow cooker meal does not work with your morning schedule, prepare everything the night before and place it in the refrigerator overnight.
In the morning simply transfer the ingredients to the slow cooker and turn it on. The ragout can also be served with mashed potato for those who are avoiding gluten.
Click here to get the recipe for Cassandra’s Easy Cheesy Quiche, Healthy Nacho Cups and Pancakes