2015 Kitchen Resolutions

I can't believe we're already half way through January - but this year has really started with a bang! I thought long and hard about my "resolutions" and discovered that the majority of them would take place in the kitchen and the office. While 2014 was a year of change and uncertainty, I think this year will be about learning, growth and good habits. I'd like to share them here to keep me accountable, and check back every now and then to see how I'm going, and what still needs work. Here we go...

1. Plan more, waste less. I often fall into the trap of impulse-buying good lookin’ produce with no idea what to do with it, and then not using it before it starts to wilt or go bad. Sometimes my housemate and I will end up buying the same thing. A few lists and a little bit of planning can go a long way to reducing the amount of food that is wasted - which is good for the planet and means more cash to buy cute props!

2. Be adventurous. I used to be the fussiest child ever and even though I have definitely become more open minded with food, there are still things I avoid trying because I think I might not like them, or don’t know how to cook them properly. But I’ve been proven wrong many times when I just get over it and give new things a try. This year I want to try cooking more seafood and adding a few more Asian dishes to my repertoire.

3. Make more things from scratch. There is something tremendously satisfying about making things that most people just buy from the supermarket like ricotta, curry pastes and pickles. There are an endless amount of things to experiment with. And as a bonus, it is usually cheaper and tastes so much better!

4. Start a small kitchen garden. I know I’ve said this before, but I accidentally murdered my herbs last time. Ooops! I’d love to be able to go outside the kitchen door and snip fresh coriander for my curries and cherry tomatoes for my salad. Maybe if the basics go well, I can try to grow a few of my other favourite vegetables and herbs.

5. Cook for friends. More dinner parties! I totally love having my friends over for lunch and dinner and we have the perfect apartment for entertaining, so I'd love to make the most of it. I'm definitely not as ambitious as Jordan who plans to host 52 dinner parties this year, but it's a great way to catch up with friends and make them feel special with a fabulous home cooked meal.
Do you have any kitchen-specific resolutions? Tell me in the comments, I'd love to know!