As the pandemic presses on, more people than ever before have settled into routines that involve home cooking, and studies suggest these habits will continue after the pandemic. But if it’s your first time in the kitchen, it’s easy to be overwhelmed.
Luckily for us, recipe developer, food stylist, and cookbook author Dana Shultz, is here to make things easier. The mastermind behind the Minimalist Baker, Shultz’s goal is to simplify the act of cooking. Her recipes, shared on her website and Instagram, require 10 ingredients or less, one bowl, or 30 minute or less to prepare.
“The first and most important approach to food is simplicity,” remarked Shultz in an interview with Bakepedia. “That’s important to me because that’s the way I cook, and the way I search for recipes online and in cookbooks to actually make.”
Her recommendation for cooks at all levels: read the whole recipe beforehand. “I always recommend reading the whole recipe start to finish and observing the required prep and cook time before starting,” she explains, “so they have an idea of what they’re getting into and aren’t surprised along the way.”
Another recommendation is to stick to the recipe and not make too many substitutions or alterations, especially if the recipes are vegan and gluten-free, which can be trickier.
If you don’t have fancy ingredients, expensive equipment, or hours to cook, you might just want to follow her footsteps.
