Handy gadgets for the kitchen
Filed under: Cooking, Kitchen Appliances, Kitchen Tools, Meal Planning, Simplify Life
When it comes to stocking and furnishing a home kitchen, there are of course some essentials that many kitchens simply cannot go without; Refrigerators certainly fit into this category, as do ovens and stove-top cookers, kitchen sinks, and even convenience appliances such as dishwashers and garbage disposals. While we could probably live without many of these fixtures in a pinch, we’ve become quite attached to many of them over the years.
There are also several peripheral kitchen appliances and gadgets that can help make life in the kitchen much easier, and a more convenient way to spend our time. One such appliance is a crock pot. Crock pots, or slow cookers as they are also known, allow home chefs the ability to prepare great home-cooked meals, without having to spend countless hours prepping and actually cooking the food. Simply place the desired ingredients in the crock pot, set the temperature, and walk away. Hours later, you’ll find a delicious meal waiting for you and your family. When it comes to slow cookers, the Rival crock pot is largely considered to be the industry standard. Slow cookers have been adorning home kitchens for decades.
Another handy kitchen device is a halogen oven. Halogen ovens are relatively new to the kitchen appliance scene. They utilize both convection and conductive heat, which cook foods much more quickly and efficiently than conventional electric or gas ovens. A halogen bulb provides the intense heat, while a fan blows the heat evenly over the food. A glass bowl design allows home cooks the ability to check the progress of their cooking without having to open a door or lid, which would compromise the temperature of the food being cooked. The truly great thing about halogen ovens is that they allow you to cook foods that are frozen solid, without having to incorporate a thawing or defrosting stage. Very handy!
Crock pots and halogen ovens will make the life of any home cook a much easier one, and that’s what many of us are looking for in kitchen appliances, to be sure!
The Coupon Organizer: A Great Way to Organize your Savings
Using Coupons to Save
There are a number of ways you can save money at departments stores, groceries and drugstores as well as online. And all of them have to do with using coupons. Coupons come in a number of forms and can be activated for online use or printed so you can use the “savings ticket” at a brick-and-mortar location.
Coupon or Promo Codes
For example, coupon codes are special savings codes that you input on a retailer’s website. The password you enter allows you to enjoy discounts on merchandise or free shipping. Promotional codes are basically the same thing and offer you the same advantages.
Grocery Coupons
However, grocery coupons are really what started the coupon frenzy as they’ve been around for over 100 years. These coupons, which you can receive by snail mail, print out online or clip from newspapers or magazines, are available from either the grocery store or the manufacturer. It’s especially helpful then to have a good coupon organizer to store your grocery coupons if you want to take full advantage of what these coupons can supply to you in savings.
The Organizer by Hannah Hansen
One nice organizer is the Hannah Hansen coupon organizer, which can be affixed to your cart while shopping. The organizer is approximately 8 ¼” x 4 ½” in size, and is not available in stores. You can only purchase it by visiting Hannah Hansen website. The organizer makes clipping and saving coupons much more manageable as it expands for storage and features 30 labels and 6 index cards to keep everything in order.
Drop by for a Visit
Therefore, if you’re really serious about keeping your coupons intact, then you literally owe it to yourself to visit the Hannah Hansen site and other sites online and check out their coupon organizers. You can find smaller, expandable holders as well as holders made of tear-resistant recycled paper, all of which are tabbed for convenient labeling and easy access.
Go Online
Look on the Internet. If you want to find a better place for your grocery store coupons than, say, the random drawer in a desk or kitchen cabinet, take a moment to go online and investigate the offerings.
Get The Most Out of Your Kitchen
The kitchen is often the focal point of any household. People tend to gather there, eat there and have some good times in there. Are you looking to improve your kitchen and make it more functional? One good way is to make sure you have the cookware essentials on hand. Once you have the items that make cooking more fun and a lot easier, your family will be able to cook together in the kitchen.
So of the things that you should have on hand as far as cookware essentials goes include A good nonstick cookware set, a good kitchen knife set and the food you need to use it all. A good nonstick cookware set will make cooking easier and more fun. It also helps a lot in the cleanup which is the part that deters a lot of people from cooking in the first place. There are many different brands and price ranges out there. Having a good kitchen knife set is also essential to the ease of cooking as well as your own safety. Many people don’t know that it is a lot easier to cut yourself with a dull knife than a sharp one. This is because the sharp knife gives you much more control and there is a less of a chance you will slip when cutting.
Try to have fun foods on hand that you can prepare quickly and easily. A good example is frozen veggies and different meats you can keep frozen until you are ready to use them. It is a good idea to research different recipes that are kid friendly. One fun idea is to have a breakfast for dinner night. Everyone can get involved in making pancakes and trying their luck cracking eggs. This gets the whole family involved. With a cookware essential like a nonstick cookware set those pancakes will slide right off the pan!
Healthy and delicious smoothie recipe
Filed under: Cooking, Easy Recipes, Healthy Eating, Lose Weight, Simplify Life
Smoothies makes great snacks – they are delicious and refreshing. The only problem is finding one that is both healthy and yummy. Most of the health smoothies these days tastes funny and almost fake with all the added healthy ingredients. And the smoothies that do taste great, are most of the times not that good for your figure.
The good news is that I will share with you one that is not only healthy and yummy, but it also good for your figure. It also contains lots of fat burning foods that may help you to lose some fat. Fat burning foods can also keep you fuller for longer and help you with cravings.
Here’s one of my favorite healthy, figure friendly smoothie recipes that may help you lose some weight. I hope that you enjoy it as much as I do.
Banana smoothie
The frozen bananas make this smoothie extra creamy and satisfying. This smoothie is also a great way to use up extra bananas that may be going off any second. Just peel those bananas and place them in a container in your fridge to use for this smoothie later.
Info:
Serves: 2
Number of fat burning foods: 6 (all the ingredients except the orange juice)
Calories per serving:181
Fat per serving:1g
Ingredients:
- 2 bananas, frozen
- 120ml fat free banana yogurt
- 250ml fat free milk
- 2 teaspoons banana whey powder
- 5 ml vanilla essence
- 6 ice cubes, crushed
Instructions:
Blend everything together in a smoothie machine on high. Pour into a smoothie glass and enjoy!
Hopefully you also enjoyed my smoothie recipe as much as I do. It makes a great snack and you can even have it for breakfast if you like.
Just remember that if you want to lose a few centimeters or just get healthier, you also have to include regular exercise. The best combination for weight loss is cardio and weight training. One of my favorite cardio machine is the eliptical machine and my favorite weight training equipment is the adjustable dumbbell system.
Choosing The Right Pestle And Mortar
A mortar and pestle set is invaluable in the kitchen. There is no doubt that it makes life just that little bit easier. But many people do not pick one that is suitable for their needs and they also fail to pick one made from the right materials.
Without doubt one of the best possible choices is a Molcajete mortar and pestle.
Let’s take a look at just why this is such a good choice. The fact is that apart from anything else aesthetics play a big part in kitchen items. If you get a mortar and pestle set that looks ugly you will never use it. It will be hidden away in a cupboard somewhere and never get taken out. But with the molcajete you will be giving it pride of place on the counter and this means it will be used on a daily basis.
But the real reason why it is such a good choice is because of a few other factors. It is heavy and this is important. It means that you will be able to use it properly. It will stay in one place rather than be moving about as you are trying to grind up items. And with a heavy pestle the job is done much quicker. The pounding and grinding is performed with ease and minimum effort.
It is also the fact that you get a slightly rough interior that makes it a great choice. It means that there is a great surface for grinding. This is important as the larger the surface area the better the friction and the easier it is to use. If it is too smooth it is not as easy to use. All of these points make buying the molcajete about the best possible choice to make if you want a quality set that will last and that will be used often.
Using Espresso Pods
As sales of small home appliances such as espresso machines that use small pods and as people continue to attempt to be more conservative with their spending have increased so has a trend for creating more of a person’s favorite coffee shop beverages at home. There are numerous advantages and some disadvantages to using espresso pods.
One of the main advantages to using an espresso pod is that a person can have a beverage very similar to their favorite coffee shop drinks at a fraction of the price. Additionally, if making a person’s favorite beverage at home they are assisting with sustainability by using reusable travel coffee mugs. The next advantage is that these products allow a person to make a single serving of their favorite tea, coffee, espresso or hot chocolate, which limits the waste involved in heating multiple servings of water or getting rid of wasted coffee and grounds. Some of the disadvantages of these types of products is they are more expensive than traditional tea bags and coffee grounds. Using the pods is very simple just place to pod in the designated area of the brewing machine, close the lid and press start. Also be sure to place a mug underneath the spout of the machine to catch the wonderfully fresh brewed goodness that will be released. Additionally, there seems to be quite a bit of waste involved in the packaging of each pod. Lastly, it is extremely important to follow the directions on the packaging to achieve a person’s desired results with the product.
It can clearly be seen that there are many advantages and some disadvantages to using an espresso pod. From helping to save the environment and reduce wasteful spending a person can truly benefit from these products. Most people will likely truly enjoy the simplicity of using their pod brewing system as well.
Items To Consider Purchasing Fridge Freezers
When choosing a fridge freezer, it is very important to start with the basics. You cannot judge a fridge freezer solely based on its style and image. You need to also consider brand, capacity and energy efficiency.
When shopping for a fridge freezer, there are a number of brands that may fit your need. Many manufacturers have entered the refrigerator market in recent decades. Among these are the up and coming Asian brands, which produce LG fridges and Samsung fridges. These manufactures, well known for producing a variety of electronic products, both have a solid product line.
Another option is Kenmore, a great American brand with a storied history. The Kenmore brand started back in 1927 manufacturing laundry appliances for Sears. Before too long, they had sold over 1 million laundry items. Even today, Sears states that 1 in 3 American households have one or more appliances by Kenmore. Their production of refrigerators, however, didn’t commence for 50 years until 1977. Nevertheless, with well over 30 years producing American fridge freezers for consumers, they have plenty of experience.
What style fridge freezer suits your needs? If you have a small household then a 10-12 cubic foot compact fridge might suffice. If your family is large, you may need a large side-by-side American Style fridge freezer. These are available in sizes of well over 20 cubic feet of interior space.
You should take care to purchase a highly energy efficient fridge. At the store fridges are clearly labeled with energy star ratings estimating the average operating cost per year. It is worthwhile to spend a little more up front to purchase more efficient refrigerator; the investment will pay dividends in reduced energy costs for the life of the product.
If you carefully consider all these items before purchasing a new fridge, you are to end up with a model that you enjoy for years to come.
Why Buy a KitchenAid 600 for a Green Kitchen?
It is a principle of saving the environment to buy only those products, which are truly necessary for your home, and buying an expensive mixer like a KitchenAid 600 may seem like an unnecessary purchase in your quest for a simpler life. Yet, this mixer can help you achieve a green lifestyle in a number of ways, especially if you find that time pressures prevent you being as green as you would like to be in the kitchen.
The thing with a KitchenAid mixer is that it is not just a mixer but, with the addition of attachments it can help you process and produce all kinds of foods, which otherwise you would need separate machines for.
For example, the basic machine can be used as a dough mixer so that you can easily make your own bread and pizzas. This allows you to create these foods without the additives which are so prevalent in shop bought bread and pizzas. With the KitchenAid meat grinder attachment, you can also press tomatoes for your own homemade tomato sauces, puree your own baby food for a healthier diet for your baby and grind your own meat for healthier burgers and meat balls. By making breadcrumbs from dry bread, shredding cheese without any danger of shredding your fingers and creating shredded vegetables for salads and soups, you will increase your home cooking repertoire and reduce the amount of factory produced food your family eats.
The all in one machine approach means that you save raw materials both when the machine is made and save waste when it finally stops working. Of course, the fact that the KitchenAid 600 is a quality machine means that you will not have to worry about it falling to bits and having to be thrown out any time soon. The machine should last you for years and that in itself is refreshing in these days, when so many things break down so soon after the short guarantee runs out.
What Sizes of Pots and Pans Do You Need?
When purchasing kitchen gear for the first time, it can be difficult to decide which sizes you should start out with, especially if you are on a tight budget. Stainless steel pots and pans are known for their durability, even cooking, and long lifespan. It is important that you get the most quality for your money, and purchasing a set can be a great way to start. You can always add to your set by purchasing matching items separately.
To start, you should consider the type of cooking you do. Most sets come with either a 7″ or 8″ pan, a 10″ or 12″ pan, and a couple of quart sized pots, with lids that are either glass or solid. Glass tops make it easier to see your food when cooking. The brand you choose will determine what size pans come with the set, but these are the most common sizes. They are also the sizes you will generally need to start cooking. You can purchase a larger 16″ or pan, and even some smaller pots for things like steaming veggies or just warming a can of soup. Most sets come with a pot that is 2-4 quarts, but you might consider purchasing a couple of larger 6-12 quart pots, especially if you like to cook. Finding a set with everything you need is not as easy as it may seem.
These are only a few recommendations about the sizes of pots and pans to purchase. There are things like the size of your family, the type of cooking you do, and your budget, that need to be considered before you decide what sizes you will need. Take your time, and really think about it. Stainless steel sets are not cheap, and you will want to be happy with the brand and sizes that you choose.
Once you have selected your brand and style of cookware, consider purchasing some matching accessories. A stainless steel trash container would look nice in the kitchen with the other stainless steel.
Why families love their Mini Oven
Small, also called mini, ovens are especially appealing to families. Why do you ask? Lets look at some scenarios:
Mommy alone at home
Dad takes the kids out for a day of “kids and daddy only quality time”, spending the day fishing, hunting, cycling or whatever the dad and the kids in your family love to do together. Leaves mom alone at home. So, throw yourself into the home spa and indulge yourself with one of your favorite meals, cooked quickly in a small oven. Gratin of asparagus with new, boiled potatoes and sauce hollandaise anybody? You will be fresh and relaxed when they come home, not having have to clean the big oven after you cooked a small, one person meal!
Learning to cook
Using a small oven gives your kids the opportunity to cook their very own meal from scratch and completely on their own. Whilst you have still to supervise the smaller ones, imagine the pleasure of hearing your teenager say to their friends “These brownies I have baked in my own kitchen!” You truly will teach them life skills with this and they will be able to feed themselves in a healthy way when being at university.
Teaching your kids the importance of being responsible with the environment
Kids, like dads, think often that “bigger is better”. By teaching them to use smaller tools for smaller tasks you have taken an important step teaching them the value of energy saving and energy conversation.
Re-heating food the healthy way
I don’t know about you, but I was and am suspicious about how micowaves change the structure of our food. I prefer to re-heat leftovers the natural way, bigger portions in a conventional oven and smaller ones in a smaller oven.
Summary
If you think your family is too big to have a mini oven, think twice. There are a lot of good reasons and situations that justify adding a small oven to your “normal” kitchen. Dualit anyone?