Cooking tricks for days when you are not in the mood

The thought of planning meals, preparing ingredients and cleaning up is enough to put most people off the idea of cooking their own meals.

Although it is easier to order takeaways, you should not have to miss out on the joy and satisfaction of providing your family with a healthy, home-cooked meal that is filled with love.

Here are five ways to keep things simple in the kitchen.

Wash your fruit and vegetables before putting them away

To save some time on cooking day, it is a good idea to prepare the fruit and vegetables as soon as they enter your kitchen.

It is easy enough to scrub the skins of root veggies with a brush so you will not have to peel them later or quickly rinse leafy greens, pat them dry and store them in a colander.

Imagine how easy it will be if you have all your salad ingredients already neatly prepped and cut to your liking.

Organise your kitchen

There is something about a neatly arranged kitchen that excites you when cooking. It helps knowing where everything is and the next steps you are taking in preparing that meal, so make sure that your spice cabinet, knives, prep boards and ingredients are always neatly organised.

Add a little flair to leftovers

You will inevitably have your fair share of leftovers kicking around. Rather than having to eat the same thing for more than two days, why not give your leftovers a second life?

Make fried rice with leftover rice, a fried egg and some frozen vegetables or whip up a pan of nachos with leftover cooked ground meat and whatever else you have on hand.

Stock up on frozen vegetables

Keep a bunch of vegetables cut and frozen. It keeps all the vitamins and minerals intact and is a convenient, ready-to-eat option. You can make a quick salad with these vegetables or use them in stews or soups too.

Master a few one-pot meals

No one feels like cleaning up piles of pots after a long day, so one-pot meals can be a game changer.

Pasta, noodles or porridge are easy to prepare in a single pot, and you can change up the dish depending on the ingredients in your fridge or pantry. Have some ready-to-use cubes of stock, jarred sauces or canned soup on hand to add flavour.

Once you have a few one-pot recipes under your belt, you will be knocking out those dishes in your sleep.

Provided by SyndiGate Media Inc. (Syndigate.info).