Indoor Or Outdoor Kitchen?

The first thing you need to decide is whether you want an indoor or outdoor kitchen. If you live in a climate that is warm year-round, then an outdoor kitchen might be a good option for you. You will have more space to work with and can enjoy the fresh air while cooking. You could even make your own outdoor kitchen DIY project if you want full control over the process. However, if you live in an area with cold winters, then an indoor kitchen might be a better choice. 

Either way, make sure to consider your climate when making this decision. You will also need to consider the location of your kitchen. If you have a large backyard, then an outdoor kitchen might be a good option. However, if you live in an apartment or condo, then an indoor kitchen will probably be your only option.

Choose The Right Furniture

Once you have decided on the location of your kitchen, it is time to start choosing the right furniture. If you want an indoor kitchen, then you will need to find a table and chairs that fit the space. You will also need to decide on what kind of countertops you want. There are many different materials to choose from including granite, marble, and even concrete. If you want an outdoor kitchen, then you will need to find furniture that can withstand the elements. You might also consider using a grill or smoker if you enjoy cooking outdoors.

Choose The Right Appliances

The next step is to choose the right appliances for your kitchen. If you are looking for an indoor kitchen, then you will need to find a stove, refrigerator, and dishwasher that fit the space. You will also need to consider what type of oven you want. Gas or electric? Once you have all of your appliances, you will need to decide on the right layout for your kitchen. This can be tricky, but it is important to make sure that everything fits in the space correctly.

Consider The Lighting

Lighting is an important consideration when designing any kitchen. You will need to find lighting that is bright enough to work in, but not so bright that it is overwhelming. You will also need to find lighting that complements the style of your kitchen. If you have an industrial kitchen, then you might want to consider using track lighting or pendant lights. If you have a more traditional kitchen, then you might want to use chandeliers or wall sconces. Accent lighting can also be a great way to add visual interest to your kitchen.

Consider Your Budget

Finally, you will need to consider your budget when designing your kitchen. This is important because you do not want to overspend on the project. There are many ways to save money when designing a kitchen, so make sure to do your research before beginning the project. If you have a limited budget, then you might want to consider using cheaper materials like laminate countertops or linoleum flooring. You can find discounts on appliances and furniture if you know where to look. You can also save money by doing some of the work yourself. 

If you are handy, then you might want to consider installing the counters or painting the walls yourself. This can save you a lot of money if you are willing to put in the work. If you have a larger budget, then you could splurge on items like granite countertops or stainless steel appliances. No matter what your budget is, there are plenty of ways to design a beautiful and functional kitchen. 

These are just a few tips for designing a kitchen that suits your own cooking methods. Be sure to consider your budget and needs when making your decisions. With these factors in mind, you will be well on your way to creating the perfect kitchen for your needs. Do your research and make sure to have fun with the process! After all, this is your kitchen and you should love it. We hope this article was helpful. 

Now some takeaway food is very unhealthy, I grant you, that’s why we usually order Chinese.  The Chinese diet is actually one of the healthiest in the world, although that doesn’t mean that you should start living on Chinese takeaway.  Sometimes it’s been one of those weeks where there just haven’t been enough hours in the day.  There hasn’t been enough time to go shopping and if you start making a meal it’s going to be really late and everyone’s going to be in a bad temper, so that’s the time when we order Chinese and I don’t see anything wrong in that.  It makes Friday night a bit special and it gives the boys a chance to try a foreign food that they haven’t had before.

Tips For Ordering With Children

• Let them choose what they want, but don’t let them choose anything. Anything crispy or deep fried is going to pile on the calories so I steer them towards the healthy options like the vegetable stir fry.
• Encourage them to try new dishes. We order lots of small dishes and all try a bit of one another’s. Each time we order we make a point of ordering new things rather than just sticking to old favourites.  I think it’s a really good way to stop children becoming fussy eaters.
• Encourage them to use chopsticks. My boys always seem to be dreadful for bolting their food so we encourage them to use chopsticks. This means that we all have a good laugh trying to use them and it means that we all eat our food much more slowly, which is a good thing.  I used to think they were a bit of a daft way to eat but now I’m quite a convert.
• I try to encourage the boys to choose a soup. At first I think they thought that soup doesn’t really count as proper food because it’s liquid but now they love it and so do I.  Crab and corn soup is a particular favourite.
• Make veggies part of the main event. Chinese food is a great way to get the boys to eat lots of vegetables and when it’s steamed it’s really healthy.

Each time we order it’s an adventure and it’s very rare that we order something that we don’t like.  The kids love the duck of course, who doesn’t but they’ve also developed a taste for all kinds of seafood which I don’t think they’d have been too keen on if I’d served it up to them.  So don’t be a food snob, enjoy your Friday night takeaway, just make sure you order carefully.

We were a little late to the smoothie and juices thing here.  I guess that is due to us not having a powerful blender and the boys not liking bits in their smoothies, but we have put all that right over the last couple of weeks and are now smoothie pros!  So much so that we have a freezer full of make-ahead smoothie packs for kids.

Why make frozen smoothie packs?

The boys have really taken to making smoothies thanks to the Ninja smoothie maker we received and we have been going through a lot of fruit and veg.  I have found that by having make-ahead packs in the freezer I have no need to add additional ice.  We can just take the frozen smoothie pack out of the freezer, add our choice of liquid whether that be water, coconut water, milk or almond milk and then pop it all in the cup, add it to the Ninja and then blend on auto and one minute later we have a delicious smoothie.

It also means that rather whipping up one batch that suits everyone, we can all choose our individual tastes and I can accommodate all our preferences.  Plus you can use any fruit that is overripe or reduced at the shops or pre-frozen fruit, which really keeps the costs down.

So I want to share our favorite make-ahead smoothie packs that we are love and that are totally family friendly and have our thumbs up.

5 Make-ahead Frozen smoothie packs – Kid-approved

Each of these packs needs one cup of liquid adding.  You can use yoghurt, milk, water, coconut water or even cold green tea (you get the idea)!

Mixed Berry Madness

• 1 cup of strawberries
• 1 cup of blueberries
• 1 cup of raspberries or blackberries
• Handful of baby spinach

Summer Fruit

• 1 cup of strawberries
• 1 kiwi fruit
• 1 cup of peaches
• half cup of cucumber

Minion Madness

• 1 banana
• 1 cup of melon
• half cup of pineapple core included

Watermelon Whoop

• 1 kiwi
• 1 cup of watermelon
• 1 cup of grapes

Pina colada (Use coconut milk as your liquid)

• 1 banana
• 1 cup of pineapple chunks core included
• 1 handful of baby spinach

We often add a little extra to our smoothies as we blend them such as peanut butter, chia seeds or even oats.  You can add additional flavour by adding ginger, cinnamon or chocolate.  Once you find the basic flavours that you and the kids like you can experiment.

Each of the frozen smoothie packs will keep for up to three months in the freezer, but they are best used within 30 days.

Nutri Ninja® with Auto-iQ

We have been wowed by the Nutri Ninja® with Auto-iQ (UK Link/US Link).  The boys love it and can use it on their own.  They simply pop the ingredients into the cup (there are two sized) add the top and then attach then with the press of one button the Auto-iQ® does the work.  It creates unique pulse and pause patterns to extract all of the nutrients you put in, leave no item unblended and even cuts through ice.  Just look at how great it is and how smooth Mini is:

Before receiving this machine smoothies were not on our radar, we had tried making them with our previous blender and the boys didn’t like them, they were not smooth.  The Nutri Ninja has made such a difference.  I guess we have been missing a high power blender from our kitchen for a while and we are delighted with the Nuri Ninja.

Joseph Joseph LockBlock and knife set

I also want to share with you our knife set from Joseph Joseph, which is the lockblock. The LockBlock and knife set is perfect for parents with little ones running around the kitchen. As each knife is placed inside a knife slot, its blade is held securely by the unique childproof mechanism. Pulling on a knife only increases the force of the grip so knives cannot be simply forced out of the block.  It is really clever.  Now my boys are older they can operate the release button, situated on either side of the block.

The knives are colour coordinated making it easy to pop them back in the right place.  They are also really well balanced and have grip handles.  These are the only knives we all use now and they are perfect for both me and the boys to use.  Over the years I have realised that having sharp knives is safer as you apply less pressure when using them.  A good knife set is a real investment and I can see that these will be used by us for years to come.

If you tale a look around our kitchen you will see quite a bit of Joseph Joseph that we have bought over the years including out kitchen utensils (The Elevate wood carousel) and our chopping boards (which we have had over 15 years).  They make great products which last a long time.

Quinoa pronounced kinwa is a plant grown for its edible seeds, although it is not a true grain ie it is not a grass.  It is closely related to species such as beetroots and spinach.  It has a high protein content for a cereal (14%) and is used often as a replacement for rice.

Quinoa, apple and cinnamon cake

As you are using cooked quinoa, it is much easier to use a cup method for measuring out the ingredients for this cake, plus cup methods are ace for younger children.

Ingredients

• 1 cup cooked quinoa
• 8 tablespoons melted butter or oil, we used coconut oil. 
• 3/4 cup brown sugar
• 3/4 cup raisins
• 2 apples, peeled and cut into small cubes
• 1 cup self raising flour
• 1 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• 2 teaspoons mixed spice
• 1 egg

Method

Pre Cook your quinoa, we do 1 cup of quinoa to 2 of liquid and simmer for 20 minutes until the quinoa is translucent and tender.  Drain and set aside to cool.

Preheat your oven to 180 degree centigrade of 350 fahrenheit.

Grease and line a loaf tin.

Core and peel your apples before cutting them into small chunks.

Combine your butter/oil in a large bowl, and mix with a beaten egg,  brown sugar and raisins until evenly distributed.  Add apples and cooked quinoa, and stir to combine.

In a small bowl, mix  the rest of your dry ingredients together.

Add dry ingredients to wet ingredients and stir to evenly combine.

Scrape mixture into prepared pan and bake for 50 to 60 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean and top of cake is golden brown.

Let cool for 10 minutes in the pan, then turn out onto a cooling rack. Let cool completely before cutting to help cake maintain its shape.

It is a beautifully moist cake, reminiscent of carrot cake.  It would be perfect with any kind of fruit and would be delicious with peaches and vanilla.

See the other cooking with kids teams Q is for Quinoa recipes here:

Simple Lunchbox Quinoa Salad by Rainy Day Mum

Quinoa Fruit Salad by Still Playing School

Quinoa Lettuce Wraps by Sugar Aunts

[amd-yrecipe-recipe:11]

See our other A-Z of cooking with kids series here

• A is for Apple muffins
• B is for Banana and chocolate chip muffins
• C is for Carrot cake
• D is for Dough – Pizza recipe
• E is for Eggy bread or french toast
• F is for Flour and M&M cookies
• G is for Grape and yogurt bites
• H is for grilled haloumi and honey mustard salad
• I is for Italian – spaghetti bolognese 
• J is for Jam tarts
• K is for Kiwi smoothie
• L is for Lemon Madeira cake
• M is for Mushroom Mini Pizza Bites
• N is for Nuts, Pistachio ice cream
• O is for Olive damper bread on a stick
• P is for Peppers – Chicken fajitas