It’s Food Waste Friday!
(Click here to learn all about my Friday routine, or you can watch the movie here)
We are back on track at Chez Wright. Meal planning was successful this week, and the fridge is looking fine and dandy. Just 2 part-baked rolls to declare on the food waste front. Usually I freeze the ones we do not use rather than leave them in plastic to deteriorate. This week two slipped through the net. No photograph – mould doesn’t do anything for me, and I’m sure it doesn’t for you either.
Let’s focus instead on the positive.
May I introduce you to my two favourite pieces of kitchen equipment? I won’t call them ‘gadgets’ because gadgets are things you can potentially live without. I’m not exaggerating when I say I could not live without my slow cooker (make that plural) or smoothie maker (maybe I could, but who wants to take that risk?).
I’ve had gadgets in the past, a bread-maker and a kitchen-aid-style-mixer-but-cheaper-version (to name just two) but it hasn’t worked out. Excessive cleaning, and the need to find adequate storage, outweighed any benefit they brought to our home life. My opinions are my own – other opinions may differ 😉
Slow cookers and (simple) smoothie makers are uncomplicated creatures. Minimum component parts and a plug. It works for me. I don’t do ‘high maintenance’ in any aspect of my life. ‘Do more with less’ is my motto.
When it comes to food waste these two are my saviours.
Hot and cold. That’s what my decision is based on regarding where to go to make the food save.
You can’t really go wrong with either.
Meat, vegetables, legumes, pasta – slow cooker
Fruit, raw vegetables, juices, yoghurt, milk – smoothie maker.
(eggs I never slow cook or smooth – one pan and you are sorted with eggs – but that’s a post for another day)
Take today, for example, Food Waste Friday. Breakfast consisted of:
Mango and soya milk (which both needed using up) plus some frozen raspberries and honey (which has a super duper shelf life)…
Dinner will consist of:
Chickpeas and baked beans (which need using up) plus butternut squash and frozen sweetcorn slow cooked in coconut milk and mild curry paste – served on basmati rice with naan bread on the side.
What kitchen equipment could you not live without and do they help you to reduce food waste?
My Vitamix blender, my food processor and my toaster. I do love my slow cooker, too;but I need to find more vegan recipes for it. Love your little humor 🙂
Out of all I think the food processor saves me the most money.
Some things are just worth their weight in gold, aren’t they? 🙂
You have a Ninja!! My mother-in-law got me one for Christmas but I will sadly have to return it (has six separate attachment containers and drink containers with it – no room!! – so will go with something simpler).
Love my slow cooker, particularly as I’m working more now and can get dinner on before the start of the work day. Really makes the witching hours much more enjoyable for everyone if I’m able to engage with the kids instead of hustling in the kitchen.
Also, could not get by without my good knives. They are the most used cooking equipment in our home.
I went for the ninja slim and it’s very basic and small – they do various ones I think. Mine is just the base plus two cups thats it!
I went for a smoothie today too. I have a NutriBullet, but my mum has a Ninja like you. Mine was mango, almond milk, ice cubes and honey. I froze the other half of the mango 🙂
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Sounds fab Hayley!