Baking Through The Storm: Getting Creative in the Kitchen During Covid-19
By Laura Goodreau
Growing up my family liked to bake. My grandma’s made everything from scratch, mom would bake for special occasions or during quite times at home, and on the rare occasion dad would bake cakes or make pies. Baking was always full of found memories, holidays, birthdays, just-because moments, family time. I remember times when we were baking Christmas cookies, when there were far too many people in the kitchen, spilled flour and sugar surrounded by bowls and spoons. My dad would wander into the kitchen and say “you’re baking up a storm.” Today it feels like we are baking through the storm, doing whatever we can at home to get us through Covid-19. I think these family memories are the reasons why I like to bake, from licking the spoon as a kid, to using my grandma’s old mixer in my little kitchen now. It’s not just comfort food, it’s a comforting process. A lot of people are finding themselves baking these days, some because they’re spending more time at home and others because they need a way to relax when they actually get to be home. Since this pandemic a lot of uncertainty remains and there have been plenty of shortages at the grocery store. But where there are problems, there are creative solutions! So we have a few ideas to get people started as home bakers!
Photo by Amber Maxwell Boydell on Unsplash
To get you started we gathered some easy baking recipes for beginners, just check out THIS article by eatthis.com for easy recipe ideas.
For those with dietary restrictions I found some Sugar Free Recipes for those who don’t eat sugar and some Gluten Free Desert Recipes for anyone gluten free who wants to whip up something sweet. If you are Vegan or want to try baking without animal products HERE is a list of Vegan friendly recipes. And anyone who keeps a low sodium diet will enjoy THESE recipes.
Out of something?
If you’re out of eggs but are craving banana bread click HERE to try this banana bread snack cake recipe
A personal favorite of mine is beer bread, it’s an easy way to bake bread without yeast. Click HERE to try out this easy recipe! Another go to recipe for baking without yeast is Blueberry Oatmeal Flaxseed Muffins, click HERE to make these!
Since there is a flour shortage, Bustle has created a list of flourless recipes for you to try at home! Click HERE to learn more about what you can bake without flour.
And just in case you have any difficulty finding ingredients click HERE for a list of baking substitutes
Photo by Taylor Grote on Unsplash
I encourage you to explore and experiment, there are so many great recipes available online and practice makes perfect. I’ve been baking for years but still have many “Pinterest fails,” where my creation looks nothing like I expected. Though my finished products rarely looks like the photos in the recipe, they usually taste pretty great . Baking in my little kitchen always makes a bit of a mess, but it’s a rewarding mess. It’s a great experience for those who practice mindfulness; the process of combining, creating, waiting, and enjoying the baked goods at the end. It usually makes all the dishes and mess worthwhile. Whatever you’re doing during this time know that we’re all in this together, so please share your favorite recipes, tips, or baking inspiration with your community!
Happy baking!