Day 5: Happy in the Kitchen

One of my happy places is definitely in the kitchen. When purchasing our home, the size of the kitchen was important to us, because we use our kitchen. Yes, we enjoy eating out, but both my husband and I enjoy cooking (I also love to bake). At times I would definitely rather have a home cooked meal versus getting organized to go out, but I do also appreciate when someone else does the work (and cleans up!).

We gravitate to the kitchen when we entertain, so it's helpful that we have lots of counter space and an island. We got used to this sort of set up in our old loft, so it was important for the house too. Many of our friends and family know that we enjoy food and I'm sure they know that I like to experiment.

In my attempts to live a minimalist lifestyle, I also have to be aware of the items I purchase for the kitchen, not just the food. I could probably spend a lot of money on props to help with presentation or the food pictures that I share on instagram, but I'm trying to be aware and stick to a few simple, quality items.

A few of our pieces are well researched by my husband, some were gifts, and others are items we collected on our travels. So there are many reasons to enjoy our kitchen beyond being able to nourish ourselves and hopefully help our daughter have a positive relationship with food and acquire cooking skills. There are so many ways she'll be able to help in the kitchen even at a young age, and it's about more than just the food.

I am grateful for: Time to prepare and enjoy meals with my family

Since I mainly work from home, I have the ability to spend time in the kitchen (somedays). Sometimes I get overwhelmed trying to get a meal organized or feed our daughter and plan our supper too. I often have ingredients for a few meals so that I at least have ideas of what to throw together. Sometimes I need something quick and other times I can enjoy preparing a more complex dish. I definitely have days where I make my husband decide on supper; the days where I've had to make too many decisions already. However, when I am able to enjoy a meal with my family, possibly pack up leftovers, and clean the kitchen, I find that I feel content. Taking a few moments to put a dirty plate in the dishwasher does help me sleep better at night though.

Our kitchen will likely always be a place of experimentation, but it's a place where all type of food can be enjoyed. We have the ability to keep it stocked with healthy and tasty items, and I never want to take that for granted.

Go create something!
Steph Langdon, RD
www.nutrishus.com

Where's the Food?

We recently moved from a downtown loft to a house in suburbia. The kitchen was a very important part of our purchase, but we mostly got the house based on its fabulous location. Many of the houses we looked at had tiny kitchens with limited counter space. We were used to our huge island and having lots of room to move around and entertain in the kitchen. We did also gain a pantry and extra cupboards in the house. We even splurged to get a convection and induction range.

While checking the house out, a friend commented how empty the pantry was. I guess I agreed, although it definitely wasn't 'empty', but that's probably pretty close to how it will always be. I know I have a child under one year old, so I'm sure our food situation will expand as her appetite grows. However, I enjoy and have the flexibility to get fresh items often. I do cook in big batches, but only as much as our fridge/freezer can hold. I know we're in a North American bulk purchasing society, but that doesn't tend to be the way my husband and I shop or consume and it appears that helps our waistlines too. Although, I must admit that I recently stocked up on diapers (so our daughter is already changing things).

I enjoy throwing random ingredients together and trying new recipes. I often seek out google and type in a few items that I want to use together and see what recipes or images inspire me. I also often try to use up the items in my pantry. For example, I'll look and see that we have a lot of rice, or canned beans, or dried fruit and that will lead to a creation. Thus, I tend not to have a full pantry although I do have my staples, as I'm sure you do too. I guess this works really well with my attempt at living a minimalist lifestyle, even though that wasn't my intention, it's just how I approach the kitchen. It also helps me keep the kitchen somewhat clean and inviting.

It's not like my kitchen has no food, but it's also not heavily stocked (compared to some or depending on the day of the week). I started reading Brian Wansink's Slim by Design recently and he mentions that empty kitchens often lead to bigger waistlines - because people are eating out more. We use our kitchen a lot, but I think if it was full I might be overwhelmed. With a few key things on hand, I can figure out my meals for the week and reduce our waste, so it helps me be mindful too. This means we try all kinds of meals and is a handy way to help those with a strict food budget.

How do you approach your kitchen or pantry?

Happy cooking!
Steph Langdon, RD
www.nutrishus.com

Gadgets to Gather or Go?

Last year for Christmas I was treated to a Kitchenaid mixer - a great gift from my man and something I likely wouldn't have purchased for myself. 

I work with food, I love cooking, and I enjoy eating food.  So with Christmas in mind I'm starting to think of little gadgets I could ask for to help me complete or round out my kitchen.  I received lots of different items at my bridal shower in January, so I'm struggling to think of what I might be missing.  I think we even made my sister-in-law guess what the gadgets were for at her bridal shower!

It's the fine line between having items you may only ever use once and discovering that one piece that makes prepping that much easier and you wonder how you ever got by without it. 

From garlic peelers, banana guards, ramekins, food scales, pepper mills, food processors, and coffee presses to ninjabread men, there are so many items that can end up in your cupboards or collecting dust.  For fun gifts, I like items from Fred & friends because they can be practical as well as unique (ie ice cube trays and toothpick holders). 

According to TLC's Top 10 Must-have Cooking Tools, I am set.  They list:

• strainer
• wooden spoons
• thermometer
• peeler
• whisk
• kitchen shears
• measuring cups and spoons
• mixing bowls
• cast iron skillets and pans
• knives

So today, since it's Q's Day, I am asking:

What tool/gadget is a must-have in your kitchen?

Feel free to comment on an item you don't even know the purpose of or an item you know you could live without.

We use knives, cutting boards, and wooden spoons on an almost daily basis, but I probably don't need the citrus peeler that sits in my drawer.

Happy cooking!

Steph Langdon, RD
something nutrishus counselling & coaching
www.nutrishus.com