Anthea Cheng a.k.a. Rainbow Nourishments gives us an insight into her world of baking and what it's like to cook – and eat! – for a living.
Hands up if you’d like to cook and taste test food for a living? Us too! We’ll real-life vegan chef, baker of delicious goods, and taster of ALL-things yummy, Anthea Cheng (a.k.a. Rainbow Nourishments) gets to spend her days doing just that!
Aside from cooking, Anthea has penned a cookbook called Incredible Plant Based Desserts and an eBook called Nourishing Treats, and has cultivated a large food-loving community of 223 thousand followers through her Instagram page @rainbownourishments. On her Instagram, she showcases drool-worthy baking how-to videos and talks about her love for perfecting delicious vegan recipes such as her vegan passion fruit and coconut cake and vegan blueberry cinnamon scrolls – yum!
As part of Teen Breathe’s Self-care Month, we chatted to Anthea about her unwavering love for baking and how getting messy in the kitchen benefits her mental health. You’ll discover how baking is a full-sensory experience for Anthea, and find out how you can get started with baking yourself.
Oh, and keep reading to find out how to win your very own copies of Anthea’s cookbook and eBook!
What does your day-to-day life look like?
It may sound cliché, but every day is different! I create vegan recipes for a few companies and my website and social media pages, Rainbow Nourishments, so I spend most of my time recipe testing and cooking, taking photos, creating videos, and editing on my computer. I also do a bit of website work! As we’re in lockdown, I’ve been going on daily walks and trying to chat to friends and family on the phone or via text as much as possible.
Can you tell us about yourself and how you came to love cooking and baking?
I grew up in Sydney with parents who owned restaurants, so I was constantly surrounded by food. However, I have a sweet tooth so I was drawn to desserts and loved being able to decorate cakes! I guess I have fond memories of watching my mum decorating our birthday cakes to plating desserts at the restaurant. As a teen, I really loved experimenting with flavours, ingredients, and loved being challenged by recipes.
How does cooking and baking benefit your mental health?
Cooking and baking allows me to practise mindfulness and be present. I don’t only see the ingredients come together but I notice the smells and textures of the dish and how the flavour changes at each step. At the end of a baking session, sometimes (not always) I even enjoy cleaning up as it allows me to mentally complete the task so I can move on!
For beginners, what are your top tips for starting out with cooking?
I’d recommend cooking or baking something that you actually enjoy eating! Watch YouTube to learn simple cooking techniques such as how to cut vegetables and how to mix cake batter. Take your time and don’t be afraid to ask questions! And don’t worry if you make mistakes – I made many when I was a teenager and still make mistakes to this day!
What are your favourite foods for nourishing your body and soul?
My meals are focused on wholefoods and I try to make sure they have a good balance of carbs, protein, vegetables, and fats. For breakfast, I always baked or stove-top oats with banana or berries, cinnamon, and maybe maple syrup. For lunch and dinner, I really love nourish bowls, wraps, and soups! Lately I’ve had a lot of roast vegetables with cooked kale or raw spinach leaves, avocado or tahini, butter beans, chickpeas, or tofu.
In saying that, it’s SO important to nourish your soul with comforting foods which are a bit fun! I don’t think food should have morals attached to them, so I don’t ever call them ‘bad’ or ‘junk’ food. They’re still nourishment! Some of my favourites are buttery cookies, cinnamon scrolls, and anything chocolate.
When you’re having a tough day, what are your go-to ways to reset your mood and get back on track?
I feel like I’ve had a lot of bad days recently and that’s okay! I try to go on walks with my partner or a very trusted friend. Sometimes I’ll want to talk about my day and sometimes I won’t. It sounds simple but I go to sleep early when I’m having a tough day. My mind always works better when I’m well rested.
How do you take time out for yourself to de-stress and recharge?
Ever since I was a kid/teen, I was always the type of person who would constantly study or work so it was important for me to set boundaries for myself! As a teen, I firmly said that I would never study past a certain time. After that, I’d just watch TV or read a book. These days, I really love catching up with friends to recharge! While in lockdown, I do things at home such as redecorating, reorganising or simply watching TV.
What hobbies do you have? Why do you enjoy them?
I really enjoy walking in nature! As I spend so much time working at home, so it’s really important for me to change my environment and get some fresh air. And when lockdown isn’t happening, I travel interstate A LOT to catch up with friends and family. I really enjoy being able to connect with loved ones who have similar interests, values, or a common history.
What are five fun facts about you that people may not already know?
- My first job outside the family business was at Donut King. I still remember that blue and fluorescent pink uniform!
- As a child/teenager, I practised piano for 8 years, was in a professional choir, and also did ballet.
- Once I made fresh donuts but dipped them in salt instead of sugar. We all make mistakes in the kitchen!
- Ice cream is guaranteed to cheer me up when I’m feeling a little down. I love anything with texture such as cookies and cream!
- I have tiny feet and hands. Sometimes I can get away with wearing kid-sized shoes and gloves!
Would you like to WIN 1 of 2 sets of Anthea’s Incredible Plant Based Desserts cookbook and Nourishing Treats eBook? This competition will be open on October 19, so make sure you go to our Instagram and Facebook pages at @teenbreatheau then to enter!
