Food Gadgets

5 Small Appliances You Need in Your Kitchen

August 2, 2018

Are you a newlywed trying to figure out what you need in your new home? Or maybe you just want to add an item or two that will help you when it comes to cooking for your family. With a seemingly endless supply of kitchen appliances out there to choose from, it can be a bit overwhelming. Here are five products though, that your kitchen should not be without.

Stand Mixer

If you like your arms feeling as if they are about to fall off, you might not need a stand mixer. But if that does not sound appealing to you, you might consider getting one of these work horses for your kitchen. A stand mixer doesn’t just mix your cake batter, this multi-use tool can do so much more.

The flat beater can mix your dough for cookies and your meat for meatloaf, it can also break up cooked meat for shredded pork and chicken, and make chunky mashed potatoes are a thing of the past. The dough hook is great for yeast-based doughs such as pizza and cinnamon buns, and the whisk can be used to beat eggs for meringue or make homemade whip cream. On top of that, other attachments will allow you to slice apples, make pasta noodles, and even ground you own meat.

Bread Machine

While you do not need a bread maker to make good bread, when you begin to learn more about bread machines, you can see why they might be handy to have in your kitchen. Baking bread with traditional methods can take anywhere from 3 to four hours when you consider the time to knead the dough and allow it to rise.

A bread machine might take just as long start to finish, but it only requires 5 minutes of prep and the machine does the rest for you. Plus, you don’t have to tire your hands kneading the dough or heat up your kitchen with a hot oven while the bread bakes.

Instant Pot

Working late or having a crazy schedule should not hinder you from getting to enjoy a hot meal at home each night. If your job schedule has you running through the drive thru each evening for dinner, you should consider having an Instant Pot in your home. An Instant Pot is a pressure cooker, rice cooker, skillet, and oven all in one. It can cook elaborate meals in less than an hour and make rough cuts of meat tinder and tasty. It can even cook frozen meats safely, for when you forget to take your meat out of the freezer in the morning.

Immersion Blender

If you want to blend your soups to smooth perfection, but don’t want to transfer it to your blender to do so, an immersion blender might just be your new best friend. It’s lighter and easier to clean than a full-size blender and can do almost anything that it’s full-size counterpart can do. Smoothies, sauces, dips, and soups, this small appliance has got you covered.

Indoor Grill

Nothing beats a good grilled steak. But sometimes going outside to grill just isn’t doable. If you live in an apartment, for example, or just not wanting to step outside on a cold winters day. Sometimes you just want to grill without stepping outside, and a countertop grill allows you to do just that.

You can choose an electric grill, that cooks both sides of your meat at the same time, or a stovetop grill pan will do the job as well. These are usually made from cast iron and even come big enough to fit over two burners, so you can grill all your meat at once.

Food

Harvey Jones – The Evolution of UK Dinner Trends

August 2, 2018

How are dinner trends changing in Britain?

It’s undeniable that the time we spend having our dinner has changed over time — with less people sitting around the table with their families and more venturing out to local restaurants. In 2017, just over 20% of British families sit down to dinner together just once or twice a week, and one in five have their ‘family meals’ whilst sitting in front of the television.

With figures like these, and the price of eating out becoming more affordable and more of a social activity, it comes as no surprise that eating out has become a popular social activity. The question remains, which is more popular: eating in or eating out? Designer and manufacturer of bespoke kitchens, Harvey Jones, investigates:

People eating out

According to a study released by Business Insider; millennials are the group of people that eat out the most. Over half of millennials, 53%, are said to eat out at least once a week, with The Independent also revealing that 16-24 year olds spend more on food than any other age group.

Social media is said to be the main cause of these increased statistics; with apps like Instagram revolutionising the food and drinks sector. 87% of 18-29-year-olds actively use social media platforms — with Instagram averaging over 500 million active monthly users. It has now become the norm to snap your food before eating it, and making sure you have an Instagram worthy snap has become hugely popular. For the younger generation, have you even been out for food without taking a photo and Instagramming it?

As a platform that prioritises visuals, Instagram has become a portfolio of epic food pics which has influenced our decisions on where to eat. According to research by Zizzi, 18-35-year-olds spend five whole days a year browsing food images on Instagram, and 30% would avoid a restaurant if their Instagram presence was weak — and if their food photos are poor. Some Millennials will only eat at a restaurant if they know they can snap a great food shot.

People eating in

Although restaurants are becoming more competitive and affordable; eating at home is still a lucrative choice for families. For families with young children, spending time together is vital for their development and building relationships in the family. Eating dinner together around the table is a time that can be taken advantage of for this, and is said to encourage healthier food choices. In fact, a survey found that 9-14 year olds that frequently eat dinner with their families consumed more fruit and vegetables, as well as less soda and fried foods, whilst figures show that homemade meals can contain as much as 60% fewer calories than meals outside the home.

If you’re looking to be slightly healthier, eating at home is probably the best choice. Studies show that when we are presented with more food, we feel the need to eat more. Restaurant portions are continuously expanding, and by eating at home you can control your portion sizes.

According to 71% of teenagers that eat their dinner at home, the best part about it is catching up with other family members. Social meal times are a great opportunity to get the family together for some quality bonding time. It’s important to make time to spend with your family to ensure healthier relationships between family members.

Not only has social media played a big part in our eating habits, but the rise of cooking TV shows too. We have become a nation obsessed with cooking programmes, which in turn, has contributed to a change in our cooking and kitchen habits. From The Great British Bake Off and Celebrity Master Chef, to Saturday Kitchen and Come Dine With Me, baking and cooking have become ‘cool’ hobbies to have and these cookery programmes help boost our skills.

What do the costs look like?

You probably won’t be surprised to hear that 2017 was the highest year of spending for eating out.  However, on the contrary, the rise of informal dining, chain restaurants and pop up restaurants are making eating out more affordable. But how does the price of eating out compare with eating in?

Research from Horizons has suggested that the average three-course meal costs £28.59; excluding drinks and any tips! However, the average price can vary significantly when broken down by region. For instance, central London prices are likely to be significantly higher than prices in the North East. If you were to eat out five times a week, you would expect to pay on average £142.95 per person.

However, eating at home will cost families £85.50 a week; based on a home with 2.4 people.  However, figures for supermarket produce are getting lower, too. Supermarkets now offer an array of money-saving recipes, often partnered with celebrity chefs. Families can no longer claim home cooking is too expensive for a family of four.

With this, supermarkets find themselves being more competitive to acquire most customers. Some supermarkets offer ‘feed four for under £10’ offers which restaurants simply can’t compete with. These money-saving recipes encourage families to utilise their kitchens to their full potential and cook homemade meals instead of eating out or choosing ready meals and takeaways.

Sources

http://uk.businessinsider.com/millennials-dining-habits-are-different-2015-3?r=US&IR=T

http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/home-news/16-to-24-year-olds-spend-more-on-food-than-any-other-age-group-says-research-a6678596.html

http://www.independent.co.uk/life-style/food-and-drink/millenials-restaurant-how-choose-instagram-social-media-where-eat-a7677786.html

https://www.dineindulge.co.uk/news/the-cost-of-eating-out/

https://www.valuepenguin.co.uk/average-uk-household-cost-food

Food

Healthy Snack Foods for Eating at the Computer

July 24, 2018

When you are busy it can be hard to know what to eat. This is especially true if you are busy working at the computer and need to eat. Some foods are great for snacking on when you’re on the go, but these can often be unhealthy and if you get bored of sandwiches, you might want to consider other options. Check out these other ideas for handy foods that are easy to eat on the move and can also benefit your health.

There are many times when you need to grab something to eat and don’t have the convenience of a table. For example, when you’re at work and need to eat something while sitting at your computer or when out shopping with no table to hand. It can also be handy to eat a quick snack when busy at home, such as using the computer to play your favourite video games, or searching OnlineBingo.co.uk for the latest casino and bingo offers.

Finger Foods

Foods for snacking on the move include finger foods, such as crisps, biscuits and of course the usual sandwiches. But there are many other options for snack foods which can be healthier, including wraps, crackers, cheese, olives, fruit, plain popcorn, slices of apple, carrot sticks, and bread and hummus. All of these can be eaten with just a fork or even your fingers using one hand.

Muesli and Berries

For something more interesting, try a bowl of muesli with some berries, dried fruit and a handful of nuts added for extra taste and health benefits, such as important vitamins and minerals. You can use this opportunity to try to make your recommended 5 portions of fruit a day. If you have the time to pre-prepare your meal for a long gaming session or other desk-based activity, you have more options.

Pitta Bread Snacks

Some great ideas for preparing useful foods include cutting pitta bread into small squares and baking them in the oven for ten minutes to crisp them up. This makes them easier to eat with one hand and also dries out the grease, so they will be cleaner for eating at the computer. You can then add a topping of your choice, such as cheese, guacamole, spread or hummus.

Frozen Fruit

Another great choice is a bowl of mixed nuts and dried fruit, along with a few chunks of dark chocolate for added taste. Another fantastic option for snack food while at the computer includes a frozen fruit bowl. Choose grapes, strawberries and blueberries, which can all be frozen for extra interest and coolness in every bite. Simply freeze the fruit pieces an hour before your computer session and serve them in a bowl for a clean and hassle-free snack that is super healthy.

All of these options give you something tasty and healthy to eat while you are busy at the computer, whether you are working, online shopping, writing emails or playing games. By having a healthy snack food close at hand you can keep hunger pangs at bay, which will help your concentration levels and performance.

Technology

For Those On The Go

July 23, 2018

Don’t sacrifice the simple joys

For someone who treats food not only as a means of sustenance but as a gastronomic delight, there is no greater joy to be found in anything but the process of cooking.

From world-class chefs to renowned food critics, and from passionate farmers to zealous home cooks, the phenomenon remains unmistakable to discover and distinguishes those who love to eat from those who eat enough to live.

But thanks to today’s day and age, one thing in which both the casual eater and the avid foodie find common ground is their appreciation of time and the need to manage it effectively on a day to day basis.

This includes the hectic scheduling of mundane tasks that take away from one’s already jam-packed schedule that is more often than not filled with long hours at work, time for exercise and a daily period devoted to family and friends.

That is why, one a particularly daunting day, one of the worst scenarios you can experience is coming home with an empty stomach only to find that you missed that important trip to pick up your groceries.

Not only would that mean that you have to go back out and spend a good hour or two to find ingredients to cook with on an already tiring day, but that unwanted shopping trip could also result in you not being able to make decisions in a good headspace, where you could end up missing a few items on your list or even buying a few items at a higher price than usual.

Here’s an Idea: Why Don’t Your Order Groceries Online?

Thanks to the advancements in technology, the very same and fast-paced world that makes your time management so difficult also makes it easier for you to execute overwhelming chores by providing solutions that make one thank the technological Gods endlessly.

One such solution that makes grocery shopping easier is mercato.com, an online grocery shopping platform that allows you to not just order ingredients to cook with, but also allows you to order in pre-cooked gourmet dishes from famous artisan locations in your area.

Serving Washington, D.C. as well select cities in the states of California, Illinois, and New York, the portal makes grocery shopping a breeze by showing its customers options and offerings from various locations at once, so that they could compare the offered products, prices, and even vendor reviews at one website without having to jump from tab to tab – making sure that patrons always get to have a good deal on their virtual basket.

Since the product delivery is carried out by each vendor right to your doorstep, this also cuts on the time that you would spend going to and from any location of your choice.

The ability to order your favorite items at competitive prices without even having to set foot outside your house sounds like something which you could only afford with a concierge, but mercato makes it possible without charging sky-high prices to its customers.

And that makes the choice of trying out its services to be a no-brainer. With all that it brings to the table, the service deserves at least one chance to prove its worth, which is why anyone with a love of food should give it a try and decide whether it deems to be a good solution for them.

Food

A Few Low-Calorie Recipes That You’re Sure to Love

July 22, 2018

It can be tough sticking to a low-calorie diet, especially when many “diet foods” don’t taste very good. Pre-packaged diet meals especially are known to be lacking in the flavor department, as well as lacking in nutrition. If you want to lose weight and improve your overall health without sacrificing delicious food, you’re in luck. There are many flavorful and highly enjoyable meals that you can make at home that are both low in calories and high in taste. Below are some of my favorite low-cal, easy-to-prepare and fun-to-eat dishes that make it easy to stick to any diet.

Spinach Lasagna

What you need:

  • 16 ounces low-fat cottage cheese
  • 10 ounces spinach
  • 1.5 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
  • ½ cup shredded Parmesan cheese
  • 1 teaspoon ground black pepper
  • 1 teaspoon dried oregano
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • 9 uncooked lasagna noodles
  • 2 cups marinara sauce
  • 1 cup water

Directions:

  • Preheat oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit
  • Combine cottage cheese, spinach, Parmasean cheese, mozzarella cheese, pepper, oregano and salt into a mixing dish. Stir until well-combined.
  • Spray a 9x13in pan with cooking spray.
  • Place 3 lasagna noodles onto the bottom of the pan. Using a rubber spatula, spread the cheese mixture on top of the layer of noodles.
  • Spread marinara sauce over the cheese mixture.
  • Continue layering noodles, cheese mixture and sauce until all 9 noodles are in the pan and covered with cheese and marinara sauce.
  • Pour 1 cup of water into the dish, slowly so that the water fills all of the gaps. Cover tightly with aluminum foil.
  • Bake in the oven for one hour.
  • Let stand ten minutes before serving.

Low-Cal Brownies

What you need:

  • ½ cup nonfat Greek yogurt
  • ½ cup skim milk
  • ½ cup cocoa powder
  • ½ cup oats
  • 1 egg
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1 pinch of salt

Directions:

  • Preheat oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit
  • Grease 8x8in baking tin
  • Combine all ingredients into a blender. Blend until smooth
  • Pour and bake for approximately 15 minutes
  • Let stand five minutes before enjoying

Crispy Oven Fries

 

What you need:

  • 1 ¼ pounds potatoes, cut into 1/2-inch fries
  • ½ teaspoon sugar
  • 4 teaspoons oil
  • 1 teaspoon paprika
  • ¾ teaspoon salt

Directions:

  • Preheat oven to 450 degrees Fahrenheit
  • Spray baking sheet with non-stick spray
  • Combine potatoes, salt and sugar into a bowl of cold water. Let soak for 15 minutes. Drain and then blot dry.
  • Toss the potatoes with oil and paprika in a separate bowl.
  • Bake for up to 40 minutes, flipping fries periodically so that they brown evenly.

If you do not regularly have access to some of the ingredients here, or your preferred brand of ingredients, online grocery shopping will bridge the gap between you and your flavor preferences. Through the ease of online ordering and home delivery, you can order your groceries online to be delivered right to your front door.