Category: Creative Cookery

Spice Up Your Family’s Meals: Simple Ways to Enhance Culinary Experiences

Post author By Carma Spence
Post date October 17, 2024

The food you eat plays such an important role in your health and well-being. It enhances your experiences in the process, too. This is something that you need to try to make the most of when you are looking to improve your life moving forward. Being able to boost the family’s culinary experiences is so important. This is something that you should consider moving forward.

It is important to come up with some of the techniques that you can use to improve your family’s food experience. This will help them get more enjoyment from what they eat. When you focus on this aspect of meal preparation, there are a lot of factors to consider. These are some of the big ones.

Experiment With Food from Different Cultures

Experimenting with foods from different cultures is a great way to transform your family’s culinary experience. This is something that you can make the most of. There are so many different cultures you could choose from! Try to have themed food nights based on different cultures. Make the most of the dishes and delicacies that these cultures have. Have fun exploring new cultures. This ensures everyone has a variety of experiences.

Stock up on Some Essentials

Stocking up on essentials is one of the best ways of being able to do this, and it is important to think about how well you can find the right ingredients or dishes as a base for experimenting further. For instance, you could stock up on a Broth Master’s combo pack, so that you have some delicious broth to introduce your family too, but you can also look to combine this with other things as well.

Get Your Kids More Excited About Things

Getting your kids excited about trying new foods and dishes is one of the best things that you can do that is going to help you improve your success as much as possible. There are a lot of elements that you need to try to make the most of here, and experimenting with new things could be a good place to start. You also need to think about how you can slowly integrate new dishes into their diets. Encouraging your child to try new foods is one of the best ways of being able to transform their culinary experiences.

These are just a few of the key ways that you can help to improve your family’s culinary experiences, and this is something that you need to try to get right. There are so many factors to think about here, and these are some of the best ways of being able to transform the way you enjoy food as a family. Try to use these ideas to come up with some of the best ideas that are going to help you focus on this moving forward.

Tags culinary experiences, cultural foods, family meals, food exploration, improve family dining

Creative Cookery Healthy Living

Encourage Your Child To Try New Foods

Post author By Carma Spence
Post date June 28, 2022

It’s hard to get kids to try new foods, and even harder to get them to eat healthy most of the time. Parents are always looking for new and innovative ways to get their children to eat a balanced diet. Help encourage your child to try new foods with these fun and easy tips. With a little creativity, you can make mealtime an enjoyable experience for the whole family.

Set a Good Example

Whether you realize it or not, you are probably going to be your child’s hero. They will mimic your speech, facial emotions, and even the food you consume. A Little Foodie is far more likely to develop if they see you enjoying your cuisine every day and don’t forget the odd foodie treat like taking them to their favorite pizza restaurants and having something a little naughty.

Provide Opportunities to Play with Food

It may sound messy, but introducing children to food through play is a great way to increase their familiarity and acceptance of it. There are so many entertaining methods to engage kids with food, such as making edible paint, food stamps, or conducting food taste tests or quizzes.

A rather awful evening meal can be the result of exhaustion at the end of the day and getting tired of cooking. Consider making mealtimes more enjoyable for the two of you by playing games, asking each other about their days, setting the table with elegant china, or hosting a picnic, buffet, or meze night. Why not hold kid-friendly food sampling sessions or have a theme night once a week? There are numerous methods to make the most of mealtimes and include the whole family.

Don’t Force It

Trying to force kids to eat can backfire. (It certainly did for my parents!) Our experiences dealing with parents have shown us that it does happen, and science confirms this. Take the pressure off, let them experiment with different foods, and continue to serve as an example for them. They’ll arrive.

It goes beyond simply getting someone to eat food to cultivate their love of it. Try to involve kids in the cooking process, whether that means letting them watch Jamie Oliver on TV for some TV-inspired ideas, asking them to help you plan the menu for this week, or getting them to help you chop, peel, and mix ingredients. When it comes to food, there is a lot of enjoyment to be experienced.

Let Them Decide to Try New Foods

Allowing your kids to make food decisions helps them gain independence and can also make them appreciate the food they are given more. Instead of just telling kids “no, you can’t have that,” it’s crucial to teach them how to make healthier decisions. Encourage them to consider what their bodies are truly telling them about what and why they want to eat — whether it be hunger, boredom, desires, or enjoyment – by asking them what they feel like eating.

Liven Up the Lunchbox

Put a little care in their lunchboxes. There are so many enjoyable ways to add some excitement to lunchboxes. A regular sandwich can be found in many lunch boxes. Try blending it. Quiche, pasta, toasties, vegetable kebabs, wraps, pita bread and dips, whole grain crackers, and rice salads can all use a little extra heat. You can also include a surprise element, such as a letter, amusing image, little toys, some ribbon, or a joke. This can give the lunch box a little extra flair and is a great way to get your kids excited about eating.

Tags children, kids

Creative Cookery

4 Alternatives to Ordinary Pasta

Post author By Carma Spence
Post date March 18, 2022

If you’re like most people, you probably love pasta. It’s a delicious and versatile ingredient that can be used in a variety of dishes. However, if you’re getting a bit bored of the same old ordinary pasta you always use, or you want to try something healthier with fewer carbs, there are plenty of exciting alternatives available. In this post, I will share four of the best substitutes for pasta. So whether you’re looking for something new to add to your menu or you’re just curious about what else is out there, read on for some great suggestions!

Orzo

What do you get if you cross rice and pasta? Orzo! If you’re looking for a low-carb alternative then this isn’t the best option because it’s made with the same dough as ordinary pasta. However, Orzo is excellent if you want to use pasta in innovative ways. It’s the same dough as pasta but it is in the shape of small grains. It’s great for salads and soups, and it can also be used in place of rice in stir-fries if you like. Check out this greek orzo salad recipe, for example. Introducing orzo into your repertoire is a great way to change the way that you use pasta and keep things more interesting.

Rice Noodles

If you’re looking for a truly healthy alternative to pasta then rice noodles are the way to go. They’re made from rice flour and water, so they’re gluten-free, low in calories, and have a very low glycemic index. This means that they won’t cause spikes in your blood sugar levels like some other carbs can. Rice noodles are perfect for stir-fries, soups, and salads. They cook quickly and absorb the flavors of whatever they’re cooked with, making them a versatile and delicious option. They pair perfectly with these delicious Asian Turkey Meatballs.

Spaghetti Squash

Spaghetti squash is a winter squash, much like a pumpkin or acorn squash, but its meat has the consistency of — you guessed it — spaghetti. Thus, its name. You can bake it, roast it, cook it in a slow cooker or instapot, and then serve it with pasta sauce. It is low-calorie and a good source of fiber. It is cholesterol-free, gluten-free, low in saturated fat and sodium, fat-free, and a good source of vitamins C, several B vitamins, manganese, and potassium. Give it try!

Spiralized Vegetables

Want to make some spaghetti but want to avoid the carbs? Spiralized vegetables are the perfect solution. You can use a spiralizer to turn all sorts of vegetables into noodles, from zucchini to sweet potatoes. Spiralized veggies make a great base for all your favorite pasta sauces, and they’re also delicious when stir-fried with some protein. If you’re looking for a healthy and delicious alternative to pasta, give spiralized veggies a try.

There are plenty of exciting alternatives to pasta available, so if you’re looking for something new to try then be sure to check out some of the options listed above. Whether you’re looking for a healthier option or just want to change things up a bit, there’s sure to be an alternative that suits your needs.

Tags alternative ingredients, Pasta

Creative Cookery

How to Fall in Love with Cooking

Post author By Carma Spence
Post date March 8, 2022

Some people view cooking as something that they have to do. But the lucky person views it as something that they get to do. If you need to do something, it’s always better to find ways to make yourself fall in love with the activity. If you can do that, then it won’t feel like a chore at all. It’ll be something that you get excited to do. So wouldn’t it be wonderful if you could fall in love with cooking?

When it comes to cooking, there are plenty of things you can do that’ll help you to become passionate about the activity. But perhaps the best approach is to simply make delicious meals. If you love your creations, then you’ll love being in the kitchen.

In this post, I’ll share some handy tips that anyone can use to ensure their meals are seriously tasty so that it will be easier to fall in love with cooking

Superior Ingredients

There can be a significant difference between two meals that, on the face of it, look exactly the same. If one has been made with basic ingredients, it’ll taste good. If the meal has been made with the best ingredients available, then it’ll taste great. That’s a big upgrade, and all you’ll have done is spent a bit more time sourcing high-end ingredients to use. Note that better ingredients don’t necessarily have to cost much more. But even if they do, on some occasions, it’s better to invest — they’ll help to make a big impression at a dinner party, for instance.

Here are a few tips on how to spot a superior ingredient:

It is fresh: This is especially true with produce and spices.
It has few preservatives: This is true of most foods.
It is authentic to the culture that created it: Why buy Italian seasoning that’s “Made in China.” Buy Chinese spices from China!
The color is vibrant: Fresh vegetables are brighter in color than those that are less fresh.

For more tips, check out this article on how to choose ingredients like a pro.

When your ingredients are better, it is a whole lot easier to enjoy your food and fall in love with cooking. In fact, you might find yourself seeking out new ingredients to experiment and get creative with!

Look Fresh and Inviting

Ingredients are important, but in reality, they don’t paint the full picture. A lot of the flavor of a meal comes from what’s added to the core ingredients, such as the sauces and so forth. When it comes to sauces, people tend to pick whatever’s easiest, which nearly always means whatever they can get in a jar from the store. But most sauces don’t require advanced skills to make at home. Take pesto, for example. You can buy it from the store. Or you read up on homemade pesto from lecremedelacrumb.com and make it yourself. I’ll let you figure out which one will taste better!

In addition to sauces, play around with garnishes, as well as how you create your meal combinations. For example, do you like your steak better with broccoli or asparagus? Or perhaps something else altogether! Falling in love with cooking is part science — getting the techniques right — and part artistry — creating your own personal flare.

Fall in Love with Cooking the Same Meals

Remember the first time you tried to do anything? You probably weren’t too good. Most people are not “naturals” at anything. You get good by doing the same things over and over. Oddly, this is an approach that most people don’t take when it comes to cooking. If you’ve found a meal that you like, then it’s worthwhile making it on a regular basis. You’ll find that, over time, you iron out all the kinks and eventually get to create the perfect incarnation of the dish. Practice makes perfect!

Part of your love affair with cooking can come from becoming masterful at preparing a single dish, single technique, single style, or even single cuisine. And mastery only comes after repetition.

Get Inspiration from Others

If you are looking for inspiration on which meals or recipes you want to try next then it might be worthwhile grabbing some cookbooks and having a look through those. You can find my cookbooks on Amazon, and cookbooks I’ve reviewed here on this blog.

Not all cookbooks (or even the recipes found within) will appeal to you but you might find something that looks tasty. Give it a try!

You could also follow blogs (like this one) or other social media online (including my Facebook page). These are great for surprising you with yummy new recipes that you might not have tried yet. Following someone like Manal Jishi, who hopes to bring out her own cookbook, will give you all the inspiration you need in the kitchen.

Get Feedback

Finally, you can step up the quality of your meals by getting feedback from friends, family, and anyone else to whom you serve your food. They might just tell you something that will really make a massive difference. As always, it’s best not to take constructive criticism personally — it’s there to help you to improve your meals, after all. And always keep in mind that you don’t have to take their advice. If the feedback is “add celery” and you don’t like celery, ignore it.

Align Your Cooking with Your Values

Cooking doesn’t have to be just about creating delicious meals. It can also be an expression of who you are and what you believe in. For example, I don’t cook with veal unless I can find a no-cruelty source. By choosing to cook with ingredients that reflect our ethical and environmental values, we contribute to a larger movement of mindful living.

For instance, using products from suppliers like Superior Farms, known for their dedication to sustainable practices, aligns with a commitment to animal welfare and ecological responsibility. When you cook with love and intention, using ethically sourced ingredients, not only does your food taste better, but it also carries the essence of your values.

Every dish becomes a witness to your respect for nature and the well-being of its creatures, enhancing the cooking experience by imbuing it with deeper meaning and connection.

This is your kitchen and your love affair with cooking. You get to express your Kitchen Creativity your way!

Tags cooking tips

Creative Cookery Healthy Living

How to Persuade Children to Try New Food

Post author By Carma Spence
Post date September 15, 2021

Kids are notoriously picky eaters. They’ll try to avoid any food that’s unfamiliar, whether it be a vegetable or an animal protein. How can you convince them to give something new a chance? Here are some excellent ways to persuade children to try new food.

Be Calm When You Attempt to Persuade Children to Try New Things

If you get upset or angry about the fact that your children aren’t eating what you have given them, this will be quickly picked up by the children themselves, and then they will associate new foods with your disapproval. This can give them a mental block when it comes to trying new things, and they might not even realize it is happening. If you stay calm and ensure it is no big deal, it’s just something different on their plate, they’ll be less concerned with your feelings and more interested in the food itself. If they still don’t try it, don’t say anything. Just try again another time.

Fewer Snacks Can Help Persuade Children to Eat Better at Mealtimes

If you cut down on the number of snacks a child has, they will be hungry enough to try whatever is on their plate when it comes to mealtime. If they have had a snack long before, or they know they’ll get one later on when they ask, there is no incentive to eat what’s there – they’ll know they’ll never go hungry. Once they realize that there won’t be a snack later, they will try the new food (ideally), and hopefully, they will like it.

Don’t Make Them Eat It All

The point here is to encourage children to try new things rather than eat a lot of food, so you shouldn’t ask or expect them to eat everything you give them. Trying it is enough. Of course, if they do find that they like it, they may well eat it all, and if you have any in reserve, they might even have a second helping. Make a rule about food such as they have to try at least a bite of everything on their plate or they won’t get dessert. They know the rule, it’s not a big fuss, and they try new things easily.

Serve It In A Fun Way

Just putting some items on a plate and placing it in front of your child may not inspire their imagination too much – and the food, even if it tastes great, could come across as rather dull. To make them more likely to want to eat what you want them to eat, give them something to think about and to remember. This might be their favorite food with a special sauce, so finding the best mild sauce for chicken is a good idea. You could look at a home taco bar and put all the ingredients out on the table for the kids to build their own tacos with, for example. Or what about making your own pizzas from scratch? There are many ways to make food more interesting, which will help kids want to try new things.

Tags kid-friendly

Creative Cookery

How To Make Cooking More Enjoyable

Post author By Carma Spence
Post date July 9, 2021

As much as I love to cook, I must also admit that cooking is not always as enjoyable as it could be. The fact is that cooking can be a lot of fun, but only when you approach it with the right attitude and take the right steps to make it enjoyable. Otherwise, it can end up being just another daily household task, which then becomes something that isn’t fun or satisfying.

That’s why it’s so important to actively take steps to make sure that cooking is as enjoyable as possible. By making it something that you enjoy, you can ensure that it remains a passion of yours and an activity that you actively look forward to engaging in.

Wondering what steps you need to take to make cooking more enjoyable? The good news is that there are lots of ways you can ensure that your passion for food preparation stays with you – to learn more, read the following tips and suggestions!

Experiment and Get Creative in the Kitchen

Hey, that’s what this blog is all about and I’ve provided plenty of tips on how to do that with each recipe I post. So don’t stick to making the same old dishes. Instead, be open to experimenting in the kitchen. If you simply repeat the same recipes, again and again, you’re going to find it hard to feel passionate and excited about cooking. That’s why it’s so important that you take the time to get creative in the kitchen and experiment with the dishes that you’re making. Take the time to look for new dishes to try online, such as looking at a salmon cake recipe on Feasting at Home, for instance.

Take Cooking Classes

You might think you already know all of the basics of baking, grilling, roasting and more, but that doesn’t mean that you can’t continue to learn. The fact is that if you want to keep your passion for kitchen creativity alive, it’s important to consider taking the time to actually learn new recipes and cooking skills, and cooking classes are the perfect way to do that. There are lots of classes to choose from, from themed classes that center on a specific cuisine, to classes that focus on a certain style of cuisine. Plus, there are both in-person and virtual classes to choose from.

Make Cooking an Event

Don’t just visualize your time in the kitchen as a must-do daily task, instead turn it into an exciting and enjoyable event. If you make cooking something you look forward to each day, then you will end up enjoying it more. Carve out plenty of time each day for cooking to be actively able to engage with what you’re cooking and enjoy the cooking that you’re doing. Perhaps you could invite your family into the kitchen to help you cook? Or maybe you could treat yourself to a nice glass of your favorite wine while you cook? Do what you can to ensure that cooking is an event that you enjoy.

There you have it, a simple guide to some of the simple ways that you can make cooking more enjoyable, interesting, and engaging.

Tags cooking at home

Creative Cookery

Why Family Mealtimes Are So Important

Post author By Carma Spence
Post date June 3, 2021

Eating is an important part of your routine, but it is even more so when you have a family and want to share the experience with them. Having home-cooked, sit-down family mealtimes can have positive benefits for both you and your kids, so it is good to actively encourage it.

Family Mealtimes Are an Opportunity to Talk to Each Other

When you are all sitting around the dinner table, it is the ideal opportunity to have discussions about how your day went and talk about anything you like. Even a friendly debate can be fun. It is a great way of strengthening family bonds and remaining close compared to sitting on the couch staring at the TV screen. This can be particularly beneficial as your kids get older and start spending more time on their cellphones or wanting to meet friends. You still want to have the opportunity to bond together as a family, so family mealtimes are the ideal chance to do so.

Experiment with New Cuisines

You will most likely have certain meals that are a family favorite that everyone enjoys, like a beef stew, an easy chicken dish, or vegetarian curry. But it also allows you all to try out various different cuisines at home with the kids by experimenting with different flavors and ingredients. This can also be a more cost-effective way of trying new foods compared to going to a restaurant and ordering lots of different dishes that you might not even enjoy.

Encourage Kids To Eat More Healthily

The good thing about cooking meals from scratch is that you can get your kids to try out various different foods and flavors from a young age. It is not easy to get kids to enjoy vegetables, but if you try out various different ways of cooking them this can help encourage them to get a taste for them from a young age and become less picky eaters.

Family Mealtimes Teach Your Kids Life Skills

If you actively encourage your kids to have sit-down meals with you from a young age this can help their developmental skills. They will learn how to communicate and listen effectively and will also become accustomed to learning how to eat properly with a knife and fork, which is certainly useful for good table manners.

Meals Out

Now that restaurants have opened up again it makes a nice change to be able to go out and enjoy family mealtimes together too. It enables you to try different cuisines and eat food that you do not necessarily cook at home yourself like Famous Dave’s BBQ Ribs. It is a great opportunity to all sit down together and enjoy various different foods. Another benefit is not having to cook which makes a nice change if you are usually the one that cooks at home.

Tags family