For those of us trying to stay healthy amidst busy lives, cooking and meal prep should be easy and fun. That’s where Stephanie Tornatore and Adam Bannon come in. With their YouTube channel Fit Couple Cooks and new book Healthy Meal Prep (Alpha, 2017), the couple give home cooks the tools they need to ensure healthy and fast meals for the week for the whole family.
How did you start Fit Couple Cooks?
ST: When I was in college, I recognized it was healthier and cheaper to cook for myself. I would buy a piece of meat, like chicken, and call my mom or grandma for ideas on how to prepare it. After college, I started a YouTube channel of healthy cooking videos, as I felt the art of cooking was dwindling. I called it Chef Stef.
I met Adam, who is a classically trained professional chef and personal trainer from Australia, and brought him on as a guest chef. He’s a natural in front of the camera. Adam had been meal prepping for the last 10 years; I was meal prepping without really calling it that. I would make food and then use it for the rest of the week. A year and a half ago, we changed the channel to Fit Couple Cooks with weekly meal prep videos, and now have close to 400,000 viewers. Adam and I also got married last December!
What’s your process planning your weekly videos?
AB: We cater to a lot of requests from fans and make comfort/fast foods into healthy meal prep recipes. We develop recipes together. It works out great because I use my chef techniques and skills, while Steph has a more practical approach. Together, it turns into a really easy, yet delicious meal.
Tell us about your new cookbook Healthy Meal Prep.
ST: So many viewers were asking: “Where are your written recipes? Do you have a blog?” Now they have a collection of our recipes in their hands. The book includes 12 weeks of meal plans, with four recipes in each that you rotate. We include a shopping list for each week. We also list nutrients with each recipe for anyone counting calories. Many of our meals can be made on the stovetop and have no more than 10 ingredients. People worry it’s going to be complicated, but it’s not.
What are people’s biggest obstacles to meal prep?
ST: They’re afraid of getting bored with making meals using similar ingredients repeatedly. They’re afraid it will be too difficult to make so many recipes at once. And they’re worried it will take them 10 hours a day to prep for the week.
AB: People don’t realize how simple meal prep really is. They give up before they even start, deeming it “too difficult.” In reality, it’s just preparing food in advance so you can stay on course with your healthy eating.
What do you like most about working together?
AB: Getting to work with your best friend is awesome! There’s nothing better than sharing the same passion with your wife, changing the world together. I am so grateful.
Stephanie and Adam upload a new video every other Sunday on their YouTube Channel.
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