Bavin - Good food, sorted: save time, cook smart, eat well

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Getting the opportunity to write my first cookbook has not only been very exciting but also a real privilege. I have always loved good food and cooking from an early age, though I have never been a chef or had any formal training. I am hoping that youll find the recipes in this book easy and delicious!

As a parent I know how hard it is to constantly produce meals that the whole family will enjoy. My house is similar to many others I know, with different needs and food preferences and, despite my best efforts, some fussy eating from my two boys. Ive heard similar stories time and again all over the country. In writing this book I wanted to give you a whole range of appetizing recipes that are likely to appeal to all.

Working in the food industry for over 20 years, importing and selling fresh fruit and vegetables, has also given me a fascinating insight into peoples kitchens, what they are cooking, and their everyday concerns. People want to shop efficiently, waste less food, and save time in the kitchen, so Ive addressed these concerns, too.

In this book you will not only find lots of really lovely recipes, but I have also tried to make sure its a practical and useable cookbook. Every recipe has been looked at with you in mind! How have I done this? By trying to make sure, for example, that you dont buy an ingredient only to use half of it and find that the rest goes to waste. Ive also included ideas for using up leftovers, and suggestions for swapping flavours to help you build variety into your weekly meals when you feel stuck for ideas. And there are lots of hints, tips, and shortcuts to help you save time in the kitchen and become a super-organized home cook. I have even tried to minimize the amount of washing up you have to do!

My aim for this book is to save you time and make cooking as stress-free as possible so you can enjoy good food every day and still have time to spend on other things.

I hope you enjoy the recipes and the book. Thank you all!

Yours fruitfully,

h

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Planning your shopping helps you to cook efficiently, save time, and avoid waste. Food waste is a hot topic every UK household throws away food, with millions of tonnes wasted each year. Ive come up with a few tips to help you get organized and shop smartly, starting before you even reach the shops.

Without planning, you are likely to buy ingredients that you dont use, and/or you will discover you are missing key ingredients and end up back at the shops! Plan your weeks meals before you go to the shops and try to get the whole family on board to avoid disagreements later on.

List the ingredients you will need for each meal then cross off those you already have. Stick to the remaining list (provided everything is available) and you will save time and money and avoid waste.

Do one big weekly shop for basics such as oils, spices, and pasta, plus fresh ingredients for a couple of days. Then you need to shop just once more in the week for fresh goods.

Avoid shopping with others. Its all too easy to get distracted and extra bits and pieces tend to get stashed away in the trolley.

Try to avoid shopping when you are hungry you are guaranteed to spend more money!

Best before, often used on dried and frozen foods, tells you when a food is past its best, but if it smells and looks fine, it is still safe to eat. An expiry date is the last day a product is thought safe to eat, so pay more attention to these.

If you have a local butcher, greengrocer, or fishmonger, use them when you can theyll save you money and, if they do home deliveries, time. They can steer you to the best offers and most seasonal goods and introduce you to new items.

Greengrocers have beautiful fruit and veg but often also have a wonky veg section; some supermarkets have these, too. These odd-looking items can be cheaper but are just as tasty, and easily disguised in meals.

Not all offers are as good as they sound. If you need only one head of broccoli and are unlikely to use another one before it goes off, a two-for-one deal is simply a waste. It is only a deal if you need it or will definitely use it!

Do consider swapping items on your list if this is cost-saving. If you want strawberries but raspberries are half price, use raspberries; or if you want a Baby Gem but the romaine is cheaper, can you use that instead?

PLANNING MEALS

SAVES TIME

and avoids waste

If you find yourself regularly throwing away items that have passed their best in the fridge, you may need to review where and how youre storing them and your general fridge maintenance. Randomly placed foods, the wrong fridge temperature, or less than hygienic conditions can all make your fridge less efficient. Follow these guidelines to help your fridge work at its best.

Your fridge should be set to between 1C and 4C (34F and 40F) that is, cold enough to keep food from going off too quickly and to stop bacteria forming, but not so cold that fridge items freeze.