I love my slow cooker. It's great for lazy days just as it is great for busy work days as well. The convenience of throwing everything into a pot and letting it do all the work is so enticing. It's capable of churning out some pretty beautiful soups, stews, sauces, and side dishes with the help of some supporting veg and the right seasonings. 

Did you know that you could be missing an opportunity to add flavour to your dish? Throwing ingredients like onions, celery, or garlic into the slow cooker doesn't utilize them to their full potential. 

• SAUTE YOUR MIREPOIX FIRST - Sauteing up your onions, garlic, pepper flakes, celery etc prior to adding them to the pot will bring out a lot of their flavour. This flavour will then contribute to the overall flavour of your dish! 
• BLOOM SPICES - Bloom your spices on the stovetop a few minutes before adding them. This gives them the opportunity to become toasty and fragrant before being added. 
• ADD DRIED HERBS FIRST & FRESH HERBS TO FINISH - Adding fresh herbs in the beginning of the cooking process is fine but they lose their freshness and vibrancy long before your food is ready. Add your dried herbs in the beginning and finish with your fresh herbs for a better tasting dish.

Simple steps that will enhance your slow cooker meals and make everything taste that much better!


HAPPY VEG

Having an abundant spice cupboard is definitely a good thing if you consider yourself a home chef. Spices are what take your food from palatable to delicious and without them, food would be so lackluster. Did you know that there are certain things to look for when shopping for spices?  

I've shared an article that contains some spice shopping tips and wanted to touch base on their tips with you all. Let's go!

• Purchase from a store you trust - Why is this important? If you are paying for a quality spice and are purchasing from a suspicious retailer, you might be overpaying for a product that is not of the best quality. Saffron for example is an expensive spice and because of this price, we expect the highest quality so it's important you are not purchasing it from discount retailers for example. There's no guarantee on the quality.
• Uniform Colour - If you are buying a single spice, it should be uniform in colour. This means if you purchase cumin for example, everything in the bag / container should be identical in colour. Variations in colour could mean that sorting of the spice was poorly done or that it was cultivated before maturity. Both indications that the quality has been compromised and is no longer worth the price.
• Colour - Vibrancy indicates quality. If you are purchasing a ground spice like turmeric or chili powder, it should be bright and vibrant. Muted or faded looking spices might have been sitting on the shelf for a touch too long. 
• Quantity - It's important to purchase smaller amounts of these spices and replenish often. This will ensure you are always using the freshest and most flavourful spices. They do not have an eternal shelf life so avoid buying in bulk unless you intend to use that much in a short period of time. 

Long story short, shopping for spices is a lot like shopping for fresh produce. Look for bright, vibrant colours, avoid purchasing in bulk, and shop from a retailer you trust. Good quality spices will make your meal that much more special!


HAPPY VEG

Celebrity Chef Ina Garten was recently asked what her 3 essential kitchen tools were and she had no problem quickly answering the question.

1. GOOD KNIVES
2. HALF SHEET PANS 
3. ZESTER

I decided to ask myself the same question and here's what I decided were my top 3 kitchen tools;

1. GOOD KNIVES - Totally agree with Ina on this. When I first started my blog, I was fidgeting with poor quality knives which affects every aspect of your cooking. Dull or poor quality knives will affect everything from your knife cuts to your speed at prepping a meal. A great Chef's knife will make prep a cinch and will ensure your slices or chops are all clean and easy. It makes a world of difference in the kitchen. I have 1 chef's knife I use for almost everything and a few smaller, sharp, Santoku knives I like to use as well. Make sure to keep your knives sharp by keeping a sharpener in the kitchen. Dull knives are a chef's worst enemy.
2. TONGS - Tongs are an extension of our arms / hands. I use my tongs for so many things in the kitchen, I think I'd be lost without them. They're especially great for keeping your hands clean when breading / battering things for frying.
3. HAND GRATER / ZESTER - I agree once again with Ina on this. I use my zester almost everyday in the kitchen. Whether I'm zesting some fresh lemons or limes or grating some fresh garlic, my zester certainly gets a workout in my kitchen.

Now I pose the same question to all of you. What 3 kitchen tools can you not live without? 
Leave your comments below or send me a tweet / message with your answers!


HAPPY VEG