Autumn is finally here, and for me the crisp fall air brings about a desire for comfort in all things, especially food. I love cooking healthy, delicious, warm meals during this season. But rather than simply googling a recipe, I prefer to seek out the talent and expertise of my friends who are professional cooks (or simply, very talented home chefs). I’m always so interested in what they’ve been cooking and what recipes they’ve newly created or discovered.

My pal and today’s Hello, Freedom guest, Daphne Oz is the Emmy Award winning co-host of the popular ABC show, The Chew for the past five years plus an amazing cook with a new cookbook out called The Happy Cook: 125 Recipes for Eating Every Day Like It’s the Weekend. What I love about this book is how accessible the recipes are, whether you’re a newbie in the kitchen or have been cooking for many years.

Daphne sent me the book last week and I let my niece pick out a recipe to make, and she chose the Chocolate Almond Breakfast Bars which were divine!

I already have many page corners in this book turned down, and I think you’ll find yourself wanting to create many of these simple, delicious recipes as well. Plus you’ll love my conversation with Daphne as we talk about the culture of loving people with healthy food and how to balance simplicity and fun in the kitchen. We also dive deep into her love of family, community and how cooking and eating together strengthens both.

You can Subscribe to the podcast on iTunes, SoundCloud, Stitcher or TuneIn

 

“For [my mom and my grandma], time in the kitchen always felt like freedom.” – Daphne Oz

Show Notes:

• How to create a community of people who support and inspire you
• The importance of eating happily and healthily
• Why a diet shouldn’t be a departure from the norm
• How her mom and grandmother influenced her
• What kind of recipes are in Daphne’s new book

“Eating well for me is about being happy and healthy.” – Daphne Oz

 

• How to balance simplicity with being special
• Why Daphne wants to help her readers look good in the kitchen
• The importance of a good nighttime ritual
• Why you have to stop worrying

“The female friendships that I’m always look for have, at their core, mutual respect and love, a lot of admiration for the advice and sage council that we can give each other, and of course a lot of fun.” – Daphne Oz

Links Mentioned:

• Get yourself a copy of Daphne’s book The Happy Cook
• Watch The Chew
• Connect with Daphne:

 Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | Pinterest

 

“I want to make sure that if I make that investment it’s going to turn out for me, and that’s 100% how I was writing the recipes in The Happy Cook, to be sure that my readers look good in the kitchen.” – Daphne Oz

*Featured image courtesy of Floris van Halm