Cooking is not always as fun. Especially not when everyday pressures and there is a shortage of time and energy. Here we suggest 5 shortcuts to help you save time in the kitchen and make it a little easier.
1. Use the kettle to boil water
You can save lots of time cooking potatoes, rice or pasta by boiling the water in the kettle first. An electric kettle is generally more efficient than your hob and while saving electricity it also goes much faster. Jamie Oliver also uses this trick when cooking in just 15 minutes.
If water is over, you can always make yourself a cup of tea while you wait.
2. Don’t be afraid to use frozen vegetables
The biggest advantage of using frozen vegetables is that they are already sliced and you can use them directly in a wok dish, pasta sauce or a gratin. There are a lot of rumors circulating about frozen vegetables and many are convinced that they do not contain as much nutrition as fresh vegetables. But that’s totally wrong.
The imported fresh vegetables have traveled a long way to end up in our grocery stores and are stored for a long time, both in the stores and in our refrigerators. The frozen vegetables, on the other hand, often come from local areas and are heat treated before they are frozen. They are treated gently and quickly and with the new technology they retain much more of their nutrients. In addition, they are harvested at their best.
But check the bag before you buy,
However, you should avoid bags of frozen vegetables where the contents feel as if they are lumped together. This probably means that ice crystals have formed around the vegetables and it is a sign that the vitamin content and shelf life have deteriorated.
The bag and its contents may have been subject to uneven and fluctuating temperatures, which has caused the contents to be partially thawed and then frozen again.
and cook them properly,
In order to keep as many nutrients as possible, it is important that you do not overcook the vegetables when you cook them. Instead, boil them quickly in already boiling water, steam or fry them. If you want to cook peas, you can for example. Pour them into the sauce at last or put them together with the rice just before cooking.
3. Let the kitchen save you time
No matter how much you prepare, there are times when time is not enough. Then it is extra smart that your kitchen equipment can help you. Today, there are dishwashers where you can shorten a dishwashing program or choose to adapt the dishwashing to only half a machine. It gives you much more flexibility in cooking.
4. Make double portions and freeze
The simpler the better and a good pasta sauce is a great example. In its pure form the sauce consists of chopped tomatoes, olive oil, garlic and spices. If you make double portions, you can freeze the sauce in suitable portions that can be used on both homemade pizza, for the pasta or as the base in a pot, lasagna or chili con carne.
In other words, there is plenty of time to save a Saturday night, as the sauce should only be taken out of the freezer.
You can use the same trick for the cookie dough,
Make a double portion of your favorite cakes and set one half aside. Remove the plastic film and place the dough on the plastic. Roll the dough into a sausage and stretch the film around so it is properly wrapped. Put the dough in a freezer bag and then in the freezer.
The next time you come to visit and want to offer a cup of coffee, just bring out the dough – let it rest a little – cut into slices with a sharp knife – place on plate and into the oven. Voila! Freshly baked cookies for guests.
5. Make homemade cake mixes ready to use
Find your favorite recipe on pancakes or a simple crumb pie. Buy some plastic bags that fit the amount of dry ingredients. Mix together the dry ingredients and pour them into the bag and write on the bag how much milk, eggs or butter to add. And if you have a nice glass jar or similar, a cake mix is a really nice gift when you are invited to a party.
Put the ingredients in fine layers and send with a card with the recipe on. It can be both pancakes and cookies or something completely different you come up with.