Good, Fast, Cheap - Pick 2

If it’s good and fast, it won’t be cheap.
If it’s good and cheap, it won’t be fast.
If it’s fast and cheap, it won’t be good.

If you have ever been a project manager, you know the age old adage.
I promise it relates to this whipped cinnamon honey, but if you’re not interested in hearing about my journey just scroll down to the end and make yourself a jar ASAP because I promise you need it this peach season!

Many of you know that a few years ago I had a small meal prepping gig where I made individually priced meals for several clients. This was a good experiment for me, but ultimately it was doomed to fail because I was hardly even able to pay myself this way. This was good + cheap + fast for the client…but I was giving my work away for free and ultimately, I would have been bankrupt.

Fast forward to now, after having worked for Chefs for Seniors, a private chef service that goes into clients homes and cooks up several different meals (4 to be exact), packages them up individually, and leaves the client with several meal options to chose from in the weeks to come. This is a perfect example of fast + cheap.
Don’t get me wrong, this service is filling a huge need in our communities. Seniors are an overlooked group in our society, usually just because they don’t have the money to mean much to anyone. This is a service that treats them like the meaningful humans that they are, and meets them at their financial abilities. I truly love this concept. Proverbs 14:31

I was only with CFS for a short amount of time though, as my wages as an employee there were minimal, and it was just not doable for someone without another full time income. They work like a franchise, so I was the lowest that I could be - an employee. Above me was the franchise owner who took about half of the fee charged to the client and had to pay a franchise fee each month to the company who was above her, on top of insurance and other overhead costs. Another non-sustainable service.

Since then I have been a W-2 employee for a family who employs me to cook, clean, stock, and a slew of other random responsibilities which make up my work week. I have loved this job probably more than any other job I have ever had. I have freedom to make my own schedule, I have had the opportunity to hone in my skills, I make some beautiful and incredible foods,

I have been able to build PTO, contribute to my IRA, and most of all, I have been serving in a capacity that God has called me to.

However, over the past few months, I have been considering my stewardship of the talents I was given and the skills I have built. I am not reaching my fullest potential in my current position. I have the ability to go so much further and make a bigger impact than I am right now.

Which is why I have been considering the fact that I can’t do all 3, good, fast, and cheap. While I have often sold myself short and not valued my own knowledge and abilities, that ultimately has to end if I am to live out God’s will for my life. Which means boldly asking for payment based on my value, and not settling for less. 😳
This scares me, if you couldn’t tell.

On our honeymoon in Southern Colorado, I found a jar of whipped cinnamon honey. It was about 8oz priced at nearly $20. I was on my honeymoon for gosh sakes, so of course I didn’t bat an eye and snatched it up instantly. It was decadent and I scraped that jar for every last drop.

This last weekend, I decided to make my own.

Honey is not something that is cheap to begin with, but it also takes a long time to whip (the bees might have something to say about how long it takes to make honey too). Not to mention, you need to start with a “seed” of already crystallized honey to assist in the whipping - which means more waiting if you’re buying it fresh.

I understand now why that cup of whipped honey was priced the way it was, and if I was trying to make a profit, I would probably price it even higher because I don’t have the backing of a decades old business behind me!

I know I’ve probably lost most of you by now, but if you have stuck with me this far, thank you so much. And I hope you’ll follow along to see where this road takes me, because I know this is just the beginning.

Whipped Cinnamon Honey

This whipped cinnamon honey is one of those simple recipes that feels far fancier than it has any right to. Whipping the honey transforms it into a light, creamy spread with a rich cinnamon flavor that’s perfect for fresh fruit, toast, biscuits, oatmeal, or yogurt.

Ingredients

• 16 oz raw honey (partially crystallized works best, but liquid honey will work too)

• 1 heaping tablespoon ground cinnamon

Instructions

1. Add the honey and cinnamon to the bowl of a stand mixer.

2. Begin mixing on low speed, then gradually increase to medium-high.

3. Continue whipping until the cinnamon is fully incorporated, the honey becomes noticeably lighter in color, and the texture transforms into a fluffy, creamy consistency.

4. Depending on how crystallized your honey is, this will take anywhere from 15–30 minutes.

Transfer to a clean jar and store at room temperature.

My Favorite Way to Serve It

Drizzle generously over fresh peaches and creamy yogurt, add a dollop of unsweetened whipped cream, and finish with a pinch of flaky sea salt. It’s simple, elegant, and tastes like summer in a bowl.