Hi everyone,
I've been losing a bit of my cooking mojo recently which is not like me. I know it will pass and I think it's just our current living situation. We're still camping out in our little rental flat while renovations continue at the house. The kitchen here is really hard work if I'm honest. It has no windows, very little worktop, a fridge that prefers warming than cooling and a stovetop has a life of it's own, turning it's heat up and down in the most unexpected ways. It's making cooking kind of gloomy AND hard at the same time. I know it's nothing compared to so much more serious hardship out there - we're lucky to have a roof over our heads, and not have to live in the madness of home renovation, but it has made me really aware of some of the real barriers to cooking for many people.
I think, where we can, we should not feel guilty about maximising the fun bits of cooking in any way possible. We eat every day, so, like sleeping, it is worth spending some time making any improvements, no matter how small.
If you're like me and like the bleeps and blops of a little Instant Pot, then make the Instant Pot your friend. Mine is sitting on top of a hacked Ikea Kallax Shelf on castors in the living room right now. If you like the ease of the Crockpot life, bring it on. Get experimental and see what you can get that thing to do! If your kitchen has the glooms, maybe there's some fun or silly ways to make it a happier place. Some pre-cooking dancing perhaps? I might try that!
And in whatever way these life struggles might be appearing for you right now, know that you are not alone and we humans are pretty good at problem solving- so if a little idea of how you can make cooking a little easier is crossing your mind right now, write it down. You might just have something... and there's only one way to find out
And now, on to this week's recipes ☺️ ⤵️
3 Quick Recipes
🥚 The Easiest Egg Bites - egg bite s in the Instant Pot are SO easy and super flexible. Whatever fillings you love in a quiche will work brilliantly in these little protein packed bites. This recipe has lots of suggestions to inspire you and you can make them in a batch and put in the fridge so you can have some time off from cooking breakfast later in the week.
🧀 Honey Pistachio Cream Cheese - from Pantry Mama.When cooking is just too much and it's hot outside, a beautiful bowl of veggies, protein and this amazing dip might just give you a lift.
🥣 Carrot Cake Oatmeal - from Minimalist Baker. We make our steel cut oats with water but next time I'm looking for a treat, I'm going to try these out! The Instant Pot is brilliant at cooking steel cut oats without the fuss and this recipe also gives stovetop instructions.
2 Cooking Tips
🌾 I'm currently enjoying the grain Farro which cooks so well in the Instant Pot. I love it with salmon but Mr Cooking and Calm doesn't eat fish, so my solution? I cook up a batch with chicken thighs (sitting on top of the farro, one pot style), and then use the same batch to serve with my salmon which cooks up in the air fryer in 10 minutes while the Instant Pot does the rest. One dish, two plates, and enough for a 2nd portion in the week too. Nice ☺️
🌿Curry leaves can make a big difference to spiced dishes, especially Southern Indian food, but they aren't always easy to find here in the UK. The good news is that they are freezable so if you do find some, get a big bag and pop them in that freezer. You can pop them into the hot oil straight from the freezer. Easy!
1 Moment of Calm
It’s important to stand still sometimes. Think of it as a little rest in the long journey of your life. This is your harbor. And your boat is just dropping anchor here for a little while. And after you’re well rested, you can set sail again
~ Satoshi Yagisawa
Have a good weekend all, be kind to you and keep cooking 👋
Susan ☺️
