‘What is a Thermomix® ‘ I hear you ask? It is the most versatile kitchen appliance you could ever imagine and it is the only kitchen appliance that I have ever used both regularly and consistently. What do I mean by that – I use it everyday – often 2-3 times a day and I have been using a Thermomix® for 11 years. I bought the TM31 in 2014 and I quickly discovered the joy of Thermomix® cooking. Now, 11 years later I have the newer model, the TM6 and am looking forward to seeing the TM7 on my bench as well. There are many reasons for my conversion and ongoing passion for this appliance – the first of which is time. In subsequent posts I will explore some of the other reasons but time is definitely a big one.
Are you time poor?
Are you a busy person who likes or even loves cooking but can’t find the time to give to your passion? I was like that before my TM31 came along – two of my three children were still at home and eating me out of house and home, I was running a business, volunteering on a board and trying to stay healthy through regular swimming and other exercise. So something was missing and that was time for cooking – I was slipping down the very slippery slope of buying prepared sauces, gravies and frozen meals etc. As a qualified food technologist I will not be critical of the variety of processed foods in our supermarkets. There is definitely a demand for them and the technology used in processing food is amazing. And, without processing capability we would waste food, be unable to transport it as freely and we would lose export markets etc. But for me, I had always liked to cook from scratch but found myself taking the easy way out – and this did not sit well with me.
My purchase of the TM31 was a turning point for me – it allowed me to get back to the cooking I loved so much. Ironically, it was because of my food tech background that I actually became interested in the appliance. This high tech appliance allowed me to process my own fresh and dried foods at home as well as cook them into tasty meals without the addition of preservatives. Now I have the TM6 and it is a whole new ball game in terms of capability and efficiency. But just for now lets get back to thinking about saving time.
Saving Time with the Thermomix®
There are many reasons why cooking with a Thermomix® will save you time and use your time wisely and here are just a few:
- The Thermomix® is not only a powerful food processor that grinds and purees, ferments, thickens and mixes ( the list goes one but more about that in another post). It allows you to prepare meals in the bowl and layer up the ingredients in into the steam basket and tray (the Varoma®) for the ultimate ‘ one pot’ cooking’ experience. For example, one of my favourite meals is Moroccan Lamb with Coucous. The lamb and vegetables are prepared in the bowl and the time, heat and mixing speed are programmed to cook the meal. But that’s not all, once the coucous has been soaked is it added to the Varoma® bowl and cooks at the same time as the lamb mixture. The couscous is steamed. If you have a very hungry family you can add some extra vegetables to the Varoma® tray and they steam too. The whole meal is cooked in around 40 minutes. The initial prep only takes a few minutes so you have at least 20 minutes to go away and do something else.
- Clean up – how much time do you spend cleaning up your kitchen after meals? The TM6 has a preclean function that helps clean away anything that might be stuck e.g. rice from a risotto or white sauce. Once the pre clean cycle has run it will only take a few minutes to wash up the bowl etc. or you can put everything into the dishwasher. More time saving!!
- Save shopping time – if you cook from scratch you will spend less time at the supermarket. Why? Instead of buying packets of spice mix or gravy mix or individual meals that are all gone after one meal, you can buy the basic ingredients and keep on using them for weeks or even months before you need to buy them again. Buying basic ingredients and buying a range of spices can save you time because you will be well prepared to cook a range of meals. For example, prepare your own spice mixes and rubs or marinades and pastes as you need them – its quick and you will also save money. You can either make just enough for your present needs or you can make in bulk and freeze the extra. For example, I made Tandoori paste yesterday, used one portion and froze the rest.
- The Thermomix® is so powerful and versatile that you can buy basic ingredients and use the appliance to quickly and efficiently cook up amazing food in very little time. Have you ever made shortbread – it requires to use of rice flour. Do I buy rice flour? No, I just grind rice into flour – quick and easy and I don’t have to go out to buy the flour. Do you use chickpea flour to make naan bread? Grind your own chick peas. You can also turn sugar into icing sugar, make your own SR flour, grind spices as you need them, grind coffee beans, make your own bread….These functions are easy to do, save money and are quick and don’t forget – made with love in your kitchen!!!
Do you hear my message? Thermomix® cooking can save you lots of time. If you would like to know more and would like to purchase a TM6 please contact me. My details are on my Facebook page HelpfulbyNature by Gillian Thermomix Consultant. Or click here to buy a TM6 now.
Happy to help you with your cooking,
Gillian