I love FOOD! Anything tasty! I like to eat healthy most of the time, fruits, veggies, homemade foods etc. etc. but I also try to spend as little amount of time in the kitchen as possible. Contradictory I know! The following few tricks have helped keep me out of the kitchen but still able to eat at home and keeping on eating the things I love. I thought I would share some things that I do that make my kitchen work for me. These helped me to get through the first two months of new parenthood, I froze so many curries, lasagnas, and other easy to make dishes in the freezer the month before I delivered that I did not have to go out even once in the first two months of having a new baby.
Firstly, we try to keep the kitchen clean and clutter-free!! I learned this the hard way from my husband! After hundreds of arguments with my husband about his ocd with kitchen and counter cleaning I have realized that having a clean kitchen does make a difference. And this means that we have very few appliances on the counters, a fruit basket, and a few canisters for sugar and tea but thats it! According to my husband and I agree, Cooking is an art and an artist needs his blank canvas to create his masterpiece. Second, the dishwasher should be ready to fill at all times! Clean up is a cinch if you can fill the dishwasher as you cook!
Keep leftovers on the top shelf of the fridge! this way you never have containers full of that stuff you made last week in the back of the fridge.
Do an audit of the fridge once a week
-Repurpose leftovers as lunches or new entrees
-Take vegetables and fruits that have passed their prime and use them up the next day (this i do every second day)
- Take those leftover slices of bread and toast them up in the oven until they are dried out! Instant bread crumbs for chicken parmesan, chicken fingers, fish nuggets etc!!
Have an ongoing grocery list, if you see that something needs replenishing, WRITE IT DOWN! Its as simple as putting a paper pad on the fridge to save money and time at the grocery store!
Prepare Make –ahead dishes such as layered enchilada bake, shepherd’s pie, lasagne, curries and pizza dough ahead of time and keep in the freezer up to six months. Trust me these will come in handy on busy nights and days when you just don’t want to cook!!!
Ground Beef- I make a double dose of ground beef to make future spaghetti sauces, shepherd’s pies, keema and other recipes that much faster. I make them in a neutral flavour, a few spices, garlic, onions, salt and pepper! You can always season later!
I boil up some chicken breasts (approx. 2-3) at the beginning of each week to make lunches and soups easily in the middle of the week.
Finally, these are my pantry Staples (not necessarily in the pantry)
Frozen fruit (strawberries, blueberries, anything...)
Vinegar (regular, apple cider and balsamic)
Spices
Individual sized cubes of chicken stock (take chicken broth, put it in ice cube trays, freeze overnight, then pop out and save in freezer bag- use as needed)
Keep two-three types of nuts on hand for salads and snacks
Red Kidney Beans, Chickpeas, Black Kidney beans- great for soups, chilis, salads, casseroles, or dips
Store-bought pie shells- i buy the two pack and keep them frozen! They are so great for those last minute meals and to use up leftovers. Once, I had some leftover chicken stew, I thinned it out with a little bit of water, defrosted a pie shell till it was malleable, and laid the crust on top! Voila! A ten minute chicken pot pie! HOMEMADE!
Extra Virgin Olive Oil
One Package of cream cheese
EGGO or pancake mix – for easy breakfasts
Frozen vegetable medley
A couple of soup cans- cream of chicken, mushroom or broccoli
One or two pasta types
Chicken breasts- Frozen and packed in individual servings with two-three in each serving
Vanilla Yogourt with probiotics- for smoothies, yogourt parfaits, healthy pina coladas (next blog)
Tortilla Shells (I buy these at Costco and keep them frozen, and only take a few out at a time)
Now I ask you, do you have any tips or tricks in the kitchen that make your kitchen work for you?
