Time-Saving Kitchen Hacks

As I started blogging about recipes, I realized there are a lot of hacks in the kitchen I use that are huge time savers. Now I can’t even imagine doing it any other way… Steaming rice on the stove top? Not a chance. Mincing garlic or ginger? Not happening. As a mom of a toddler and now mobile 10 month old (help I forgot how hard this stage is!) I barely manage to get dinner cooked without someone getting hurt. So, if you are anything like me and want to save time in the kitchen, keep reading for all my tricks and tips.

Garlic, Ginger and Onions

I never chop my own garlic, ginger or onions; garlic and ginger take way too much time to peel and mince, and onion burns my eyes and makes me cry (and is also annoying to peel now that I think about it). Instead, I keep a giant jar of Organic Minced Garlic in my fridge that I buy at QFC or Costco but you can find smaller jars at every grocery store, I buy Gourmet Garden Ginger Paste and use for any recipe that calls for fresh ginger, and I buy bags of frozen Chopped Onions from QFC to keep in my freezer. I truly can’t remember the last time I minced my own garlic. These three hacks save me so much time in the kitchen. I really forgot that not everyone does this – it just seems normal to me now!

Lemons

This is a relatively new hack (Thanks Aunt Mary!) but is a game changer given how many lemons I go through in a week. When I started drinking my ACV lemon immune booster every morning, I was getting tired of having to get out a cutting board and juicer at 6 am, make a mess, and then make sure I run the dishwasher before the next day or else my juicer would be dirty. No thanks (although I really love this juicer – its a time saver in itself). So, my Aunt Mary told me to juice all my lemons at one time at the beginning of the week. Brilliant! Now, I juice all my lemons at one time, store in a mason jar, and use for my ACV drink, salad dressing, and all of the above.

Rice

I don’t think I realized that this was even a hack until my sister was talking about making rice the old fashioned way, how it took so long, and how she never had the right amount of water. Why put yourself through that?! I buy Seeds of Change Quinoa and Brown Rice microwaveable bags from QFC or Costco (QFC has their own brand now too), the Trader Joes Frozen Organic Brown Rice packets and Organic Frozen Cauliflower Rice. I almost laugh a little when I read a recipe and it suggests ricing the cauliflower by hand – who has time for that?! And even better, I can’t tell the difference between rice that took 90 seconds to make in the microwave and however long it takes to make it the old fashioned way (I don’t even know).

Parchment Paper Pop Ups

My mother discovered these wonderful things that I use pretty much anytime I put anything on a cookie sheet in the oven. Rather than having to get out scissors or wrangle with tearing parchment paper on the box, these sheets just pop right out one at a time!. I find them at QFC and Amazon carries this brand. I promise you won’t regret this purchase.

HappyTot Pouches

I rarely worry about getting enough greens or veggies into Joey because I give him Super Food and Veggie Happy Tot Pouches. If I’m running low on veggies to serve with his lunch – he has a pouch. If we are going out for pizza and I know he’s not going to eat anything but pizza at dinner – he has a pouch before he goes. If Chris takes him out for donuts for breakfast or burgers for lunch – he has a pouch on the way. If he starving before dinner is ready and asking for snacks – he has a pouch. It is the easiest way I found to ensure he is getting the most fruits and veggies possible and doesn’t require me to cut up veggies as we are in the process of running out the door because obviously that isn’t going to happen. I try to buy the pouches that contain the most greens (spinach and kale) because other than in smoothies I think greens are the hardest things to get in him on a regular basis.

Oil Sprays

Need to grease a pan? I use Trader Joes Coconut Oil Spray or Olive Oil Spray because I am not going to pull out a stick of butter to do it and they are healthy alternatives to Pam.

San Juan Island Sea Salt and Pepper Grinder

This was my “favorite thing” at our Annual Favorite Things Tea a few years ago. Just about anytime I put salt in something, I am also putting pepper and this does it at the same time for me! On top of that, I love supporting a local company like San Juan Sea Salt. I also love their Popcorn Blend and San Juan Blend and I think they make fun stocking stuffers or gifts. I wish I had a picture to show you but I just ran out!

My last few quick tips:

• I love this for microwaving eggs for quick breakfast sandwiches
• I highly recommend Tomato Paste in a tube so you don’t have to deal with the annoying cans and can just throw the tube back in the fridge when you are done (because no one ever needs ALL the tomato paste for one recipe)
• Believe it or not, I do not know how to use a regular wine opener and I don’t need to because I have this wonderful electric corkscrew that does it for me
• Unless you are getting extra fancy, use stemless wine glasses so they can go in the dishwasher!