Getting to Know Nan Thompson

Posted by Correen in Articles, Interviews | 4 comments

It is with great pleasure to be back in the swing here on FoodLoversWebsite and to bring you this insightful interview with Nan Thompson. For those of us that know and love her already, this ever charming lady goes by NanLT most anywhere on the Internet.

In my extended absence Nan has kept the flow going on here with her weekly meal planning guides. And in this hectic life of ours what parent doesn’t need a little bit of help in the kitchen. Grab a spot of tea and a buttery crumpet…it’s time for all of us to get to know Nan a little bit more!

What things do the little ones in your life get to do in the kitchen?

My boys have recently become interested in helping in the kitchen and I try to find a variety of tasks for them. They stir foods as they are cooking, push buttons on the food processor, and under close supervision are allowed to use knives to cut vegetables. At the same time, I talk to them about different flavours, how they can mix together and allow them to taste foods as they are cooking.

Your three top tips to creating a weekly meal plan?

1) Make a list of your families top 5 – 10 favourite food dishes. These will be the meals you cook most often.
2) Create a menu plan template. On this template decide what type meal you will fix each day of the week. For example: fish | Mexican food night | Italian food night | chicken | vegetarian | cook’s choice
3) Be flexible. Plan more complicated meals on days when you will have the time to fix them. Simpler meals on days when you know you will be busier, home late, or more tired than usual.

♥ See these tips in more detail at Cooking with NanLT: How to Write a Menu Plan

How do you approach a new recipe?

The first time I cook a brand new recipe, I will follow it exactly. As I am cooking and tasting though I will be thinking of ways that I can alter it. Different herbs and spices that will add slightly different flavours, different types of meat. I seldom follow a recipe the same way a second time. Those foods I cook frequently I don’t follow a recipe at all.

A good rule for the use of herbs and spices: try not to use more than 3 different herbs and spices until you are very familiar with the flavours each will give the food, both individually and together. Otherwise you have less control over the interactions between the herbs and spices and consequently the flavour.

Share your secrets of balancing home, family and your online endeavors.

[Cue massive bouts of laughter] Sometimes, I can’t get it to balance at all. It’s usually the housework that falls off.

Find an organisation system that works for you and stick to it. Check out FlyLady and SHE (Sidetracked Home Executives) for two really good systems. I’ve used both over the years and now combine the both – a good calendar or diary to write appointments and events is vital! I always give myself 1 day off each week to do something for myself as well – my sanity break.

Talk about your spiritual beliefs and how those beliefs influence what you do in the kitchen.

I have called myself a witch for nearly 20 years now. Nan Not in a Nutshell was a Lens of the Day (LOTD) winner at Squidoo and gives more indepth information on my Pagan beliefs.

I think more than anything, my spiritual beliefs give me a greater awareness of where my food comes from. I try to source meats that have been humanely reared and killed – free range, organic. Organic fruits and vegetables which are better for the environment and healthier for my family. While cooking, I automatically infuse the food with Reiki energy to further enhance its goodness.

Nan Thompson (NanLT) has been sharing her food recipes and cooking tips through Squidoo and at Cooking with NanLT since 2009. She is a traditional home cook with over 2 decades experience cooking for herself and her family.

I love cooking. Over the years I have accumulated a wide range of recipes for family eating. Nothing fancy. No difficult to source or expensive ingredients. Just good, wholesome food.

♥ Kitchenwitch Cookery is my Squidoo ‘cookbook’ with links to the cooking lenses I have written.