Start Your Own Minimal Kitchen

Since there are lots of people talking minimalism, they normally just talk about making a capsule wardrobe and minimising their clothing collections. We were thinking why not try it in kitchen? Minimising the food ingredients you have in the kitchen so that they don’t go to waste. Here are our top picks of the food ingredients that you will use the most.

Tomato can

Tomato Puree is an essential to your food cabinet. There are a lot of dishes that use tomato puree. Get yourself a few cans of tomato puree and you won’t say that you don’t have enough ingredients to cook in the kitchen anymore.

Tomato Stew

Similar to ratatouille, tomato puree is what makes a hearty stew. You can pretty much put anything you have in your fridge. Within one step, which is putting all the ingredients, chopped tomatoes, you will have a scrumptious meal.

Butterbean and Chorizo stew (Serves 4)

Ingredients

200g cooking chorizo

2 x 400g cans chopped tomatoes

2 x 400g cans drained butter beans

1 tub fresh pesto

Instructions

Prepare the chorizo in slices. Fry  the sliced chorizo in a large saucepan over a medium heat for 5 minutes. Add the chopped tomatoes, butter beans and bring it to boil. Simmer for 10 minutes. Add in the pesto. Enjoy your hearty meal.

A vegetarian/ vegan stew would be replacing the chorizo with other vegetables, such as pepper, aubergines, similar to ratatouille.

Arrabbiata (Serves 4)

Ingredients

2 X 400g tins quality chopped tomatoes

3 to 4 fresh red chillies, finely chopped

6 cloves of garlic, peeled and finely chopped

200ml organic vegetable stock

400g penne pasta

A bunch of fresh basil, leaves picked and torn

25g parmesan cheese

Instructions

Add a splash of olive oil to a large pan over a medium heat, then fry the chilli and garlic for 1 to 2 minutes, or until softened and smelling fantastic, then add in the tomatoes and veg stock and bring up to a simmer.

Meanwhile, add the pasta to a pot of boiling salted water and cook according to the packet instructions.

Tip the pasta and most of the basil into the tomato sauce, then cook for a further minute or so, adding a splash of reserved cooking water to loosen, if needed. Add in basil for more flavours.

Enjoy your meal.

Pesto

pesto is a must have ingredient in your kitchen. You can mix it up with your cooked pasta or slather on sandwiches to enhance the flavours.

Avocado and pesto toastie

Ingredients

1 ripe avocado

Sprinkle of mozzarella cheese

1 tbsp pesto

2 slices of sourdough

1 tbsp butter

Instructions

Mash the avocado and spread it on the sourdough slice. Sprinkle some mozzarella cheese and spread 1tbsp pesto.

Melt the butter in the pan. Grill the sandwich on the pan over a medium heat. 2-3 minutes for each side

Have a big bite of your sandwich!!

Baked Pesto Chicken

Ingredients

4 boneless skinless chicken breast halves

1⁄2 cup refrigerated basil pesto

2 -3 plum tomatoes, sliced (optional)

1⁄2 cup mozzarella cheese, shredded

Instructions

Preheat oven to 180 degrees for 5 minutes.

Put the foil paper on the baking tray.

Coat the chicken with pesto

Place chicken on the tray.

Bake for 20-25 minutes or until chicken is no longer pink in centre.

For more flavours, top up with tomatoes and cheese.

Bake for an additional 3-5 minutes or until cheese is melted.

Quinoa

Full of protein and nutrients, quinoa is a great staple for you kitchen. You can mix it with salads or treat it like cooked rice or pasta. There are lots of options that you can get creative about.

Quinoa salad with fresh lemon juice, pine nuts and olives

Ingredients

1/2 cup water

1/4 cup quinoa, rinsed and drained

2 teaspoons pine nuts

2 tablespoons chopped coriander

1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice

2 teaspoons pitted green olives

Salt

Instructions

Boil the water. Stir in the quinoa and cook over a very low heat for 12 minutes.

Once the quinoa is al dente, squeeze some fresh lemon juice. Sprinkle the pine nuts, coriander and green olives on top.

Enjoy your light and healthy meal!

Quinoa Patties

Ingredients

2 1/2 cups/12 oz/340 g cooked quinoa, at room temperature

4 large eggs, beaten

1/2 teaspoon fine-grain sea salt

1/3 cup/.5 oz /15 g finely chopped fresh chives

1 yellow or white onion, finely chopped

1/3 cup/.5 oz/15 g freshly grated Parmesan or Gruyère cheese

3 cloves garlic, finely chopped

1 cup/3.5 oz /100 g whole grain bread crumbs, plus more if needed

Water, if needed

1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil or coconut oil

Instructions

Combine the cooked quinoa, eggs, and salt in a medium bowl. Stir in the chives, onion, cheese, and garlic.

Add the bread crumbs, stir, and let sit for a few minutes so the crumbs can absorb some of the moisture.

Heat the oil in a large pan over a medium heat. Add in 6 patties and fry for 7 to 10 minutes. Once both sides are brown, put them in the cooling rack.

The remaining mixture can be kept in the fridge for a few days.

Now that you know these amazing ingredients. Time to do a kitchen clear out and stock them up. Enjoy your cleaned and minimal kitchen!