Preparing your own food, no matter your diet and lifestyle, is one of the best ways to ensure that your food is prepared exactly how you like it (obviously), but it is also one of the best ways to follow a particular diet and stay healthy.
There are some who are completely at home in a kitchen and others who fear to venture forth into the unknown depths of the mysterious void surrounding the refrigerator. Regardless of where you may fit in with your comfort level, there are a few secrets to making your kitchen experience more fruitful.
Do some studying
Whether you’re a beginner about to make oatmeal for the first time or a captain of cuisine that hosts dinner parties for fun, a little bit of study can go a long way. In today’s world, such resources are a flick of the finger away with thousands of websites or blogs devoted to providing a plethora of recipes, guides, tips, and assorted tricks. You, a very fortunate reader, already know this based on where you are reading this particular article (luck you!). Taking the time to research new methods or recipes will allow you to extend the magic that you can create in your kitchen. Even a great number of professionals express that taking cooking classes and experimenting with new recipes is a fundamental part of becoming a better cook. So, regardless of your skill level, learning something new is always valuable.
Know your surroundings
Every kitchen, no matter how simple or extravagant, will share the commonality of housing a myriad of cooking tools, utensils, and appliances. Looking at the general basics, most kitchens have pots, pans, knives, and an assortment of utensils. These essentials are easy to overlook, but are crucial to good cooking. Cooking with a thin pot or pan versus a quality pot or pan with some substance to it may seem trivial, but investing in a good set of pots and pans will pay off as they are less prone to burning and provide a steadier, or more even, dispersion of heat. Moving on, there are the appliances. Does your kitchen have an electric range, gas burners, or even a wood-burning cook stove? Each operates differently and has its own pros and cons, but it is simply a matter of getting familiar with what you have available. One thing that every kitchen should have is a good set of knives. Now this, like a great any things in the world, is a very subjective topic. However, there are some commonalities in this realm. A good, sharp set of knives can make a great difference in how you work your culinary magic. A sharp knife will aid you in slicing tomatoes to perfection or paring an apple with ease, while a dull knife will turn such things into a real chore. Now, no kitchen is the same and not all people see a need for the same tools, but what is important in your kitchen is that you are familiar with what you have. Each of the elements that have been touched on can lead into much longer individual topics, but the relevance to take away is that you know what you have to work with in your space and how to use it to your advantage.
Become a seasoned veteran
When cooking in a vegan kitchen, just like any other kitchen, flavours are of paramount importance. However, in the vegan kitchen, there is a lot of focus placed on seasoning and spices, and for good reason. These must-haves are what make a simple bit of boiled water and diced veggies really sing and transform them into a savoury soup of dazzling flavour. Whether you’re aiming to spice it up and create dishes with varieties of world flavours (think Italian, Indian, Moroccan, etc.) or you want to plate up some simpler savoury blends with fresh herbs from the garden, you’re going to need to think seasonings to make your creations dance on taste buds. A splash of citrus, lemon zest, or vinegar can alter a mild-mannered dish into a tangy treat, while some cayenne or chilli flakes can heat up any dish, possibly mixing up that sweet or sour dish with some warmth. Regardless of what you choose to use, it is suggested that you store your spices in glass jars in a cool dark place. Then, they’re readily available and fresh when your kitchen creativity kicks in and you want to create a family favourite or try something new.
Boldly go where you haven’t gone before
Every type of dish out there, literally every single dish, started out as an experiment. Think about it. There hasn’t been a vegan pancake recipe since the dawn of time, let alone sweet and sour monk bowls or apple pie recipes. These taste sensations haven’t always existed, someone, somewhere, at some time had to experiment to create what we now call our favourite foods and dishes. So, take a page out of that book and be daring. Try new recipes or new ingredients. Experiment and mix it up with some of you preferred dishes, or something totally different. Savour the experience of something original. Expand your culinary repertoire and you may find some new favourites, or find a few things that you don’t like, either way is it an adventure that you can have within your kitchen.
Finally, as an additional piece that sometimes goes without saying, have fun. Enjoy yourself while you learn of lavishness whip up wonders, flash-boil fantastic, and achieve adventure. Get caught up in the experience and passion of your cooking and let that shine. As some say, cooking food, whether for yourself or for others, is an expression of love.
