You don’t have to be a chef to make incredible meals at home. However, it does take some basic cooking skills and kitchen knowledge to pull off some of the more elaborate recipes you find online and in cookbooks. Here are five home cooking tips for everyone, especially if you want to impress your friends and family with your culinary skills!
1) Sharpen your knives
A sharp knife is safer than a dull one, and your knives won’t be sharp forever. You can learn how to sharpen your own knives in just a few minutes or you can send them out for professional sharpening if you don’t have much time. Either way, it’s an easy skill that will save you money in the long run. It also saves space since you won’t need to buy new knives as often. Once you get comfortable with sharpening your own knives, you can even experiment with different types of steel and find a favorite.
2) Use herbs and spices
If you’re not using herbs and spices in your cooking, you are missing out on adding so much flavor to your dishes. While they can be an additional cost upfront, they will save you money in the long run as compared to purchasing salt or meaty marinades and sauces. Add a dash of oregano and basil to your tomato sauce for a burst of flavor. add some cumin and coriander to chicken thighs before roasting them for a flavorful meal; use garlic powder instead of fresh garlic when sautéing vegetables, the possibilities are endless.
3) Healthy fats are important
Some fat is an essential part of a healthy diet. The reason is that some fats are essential, meaning they cannot be made by our bodies and must be ingested through food. There are two types of essential fatty acids, omega-3s and omega-6s. Make sure you have foods like avocados, nuts, salmon, flaxseed oil, sunflower oil, and hemp seed oil in your diet for both types of essential fatty acids.
4) Take notes as you go
Learning how to cook a new recipe is always exciting, but it’s helpful to take notes as you go. After all, cooking can be overwhelming for beginners, and writing down what you do each step of the way can help prevent some common mistakes. It’s also a great way to remember how things should look and taste when you make them again. If you’re not sure where to start, try taking photos along with your notes.
5) Prep beforehand.
If you’re trying to save money, cook more often. When you do decide to cook, prepare ingredients ahead of time. Chop up veggies, prep your meat, and arrange everything you need so cooking takes just minutes instead of hours. If meal prep is a drag, try online food delivery services like Plated or Blue Apron; they deliver fresh produce and all of your recipe ingredients ready-to-cook. Plus it’s hard to turn down recipes created by professional chefs.
Conclusion
In order to cook at home more often, it’s important to keep it simple. You don’t need a meal plan or overly complicated recipes for healthy food. The simplest meals can be some of your favorite meals if you have fresh ingredients and easy instructions. These five tips will help anyone eat more home-cooked meals and get better results with their dieting efforts.
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