When it comes to life skills, there those you picked up along the way – and then, in a sad and dusty corner, there are the ones that got away. My life skill register goes something like this: Doing the splits? “HERE MISS” Touch typing? “HERE MISS” Wiring a plug? “HERE MISS” Cooking? COOKING? HAS ANYONE SEEN COOKING???
Apparently not! When everyone else was in line for the culinary expertise needed for life, I was climbing trees and riding bikes or horses. And then boys came along! Enough said!
By the time I left home, my culinary prowess pretty much extended to the peppermint creams I’d mastered aged 7. Despite my sweet parents ambitiously buying me that 80’s staple Delia Smith’s Complete Cookery Course for my 10th birthday – cooking was the talent that got away. Moving to London aged 24 I had never boiled an egg, was in awe of my flatmate Linda and her signature TunaPasta-Bake and famously burnt the pancakes on Blue Peter.
These days - I'm super into health and fitness (about to turn 50 will do that to a girl!) and green smoothies are the way I break my fast in the middle of the day.
So when the gang at Thermomix asked if I wanted to road test their “does everything” machine,
I was all in. I’m a sucker for a bit of worktop eye candy to help me convince all the school mums I CAN actually cook (this is one good looking machine) and with celebs like Daisy Lowe, Millie Mackintosh and Mariella Frostrop also taking delivery, I was intrigued to put this bad boy through its paces.
Which I have done. For the past year – and then some! Unlike other bloggers, I don’t generally write lots of reviews so it has to be something I’m passionate about. Like THIS….
Turn back time to this time last year when I was horrified that the “demo” from a cookery expert would blow my cover and out me as the culinary virgin I was (apparently you can’t just rock into a shop and buy these things) I swallowed my pride and braced my kitchen! But I needn’t have worried. Expert Janie, who, with her husband brought the machines to the UK from Germany, was as delicious as the foods she helped me prepare! My fears were soon gone and before I knew it I was knocking up a 3 course meal. In ONE machine. At the same time! No fuss!
I’m passionate about healthy food for my family and myself. I’m also ambition rich but time poor when it comes to meals, so efficiency is the name of the game. I also need to know every single thing I lovingly prepare will be a HIT! In my home we have a pescatarian (me), a vegetarian (Akira) and two who eat meat but not fish. Yeah - good luck me!
Which is why I loved the Thermomix from the get go. My new best friend would not only talk me through recipes step by step – thanks to the built-in cook book that cleverly attaches to the side – but it would help me weigh, mix, saute, whisk, steam, blend, cook and carry out the entire process from start to finish. Oh, and minimal washing up because you’re doing everything in the one appliance?
Stuff of dreams!
We’ve now spent the year putting Thermie through it’s paces and it’s been a TOTAL game changer. This machine has revolutionised our lives.
We use Thermie on a daily basis and my confidence in my cooking abilities has sky rocketed. The Mr was very skeptical and slightly terrified that I was about to unleash health food on him but EVERY offering has been a hit! Everything from scratch – THE most amazing chicken yoghurt curry – possibly the best curry we’ve ever eaten – DIVINE moist, gooey chocolate cake, supergreen smoothies – anything and pretty much everything is possible!
The most incredible pesto, bursting with flavour and vitamins, our own homemade “Nutella”, pumpkin soup on Halloween, Banana Bread made with desiccated coconut, instantly transporting us back to our recent trip to The Philippines – mealtimes have been transformed. Not to mention the odd yummy cocktail – inspired by trips to exotic locations as a travel writer for Family Traveller Magazine.
My biggest gratitude comes from the fact I’ve guaranteed that history won’t be repeating. The kids are obsessed and cook several times a week – dishes way beyond their years. Affogato inspired by our Tuscan trip one year, American Style pancakes inspired by our recent trip to Florida – they actually get excited to look through the Theremomix Cook Book and make something new.
Firm favourite is the Creamy Tomato Soup, which we make with organic natural yoghurt to provide the creaminess, honey for the sweetness. It’s even replaced THAT tomato soup in their affections which, given the sugar content of the popular tinned version, I’m beyond thrilled about!
The Thermomix doesn’t come cheap but it’s no exaggeration to say it’s rocked our world and revolutionised our nutrition. It’s empowered me to get experimental in the kitchen and I now cook pretty much everything from scratch, I know every single ingredient I’m putting in my family and, most importantly, my kids have a complete passion for cooking.
History won’t be repeating and the gains are huge! That, my friends, you can’t put a price on!
THE FINE PRINT:
THERMOMIX gifted me a machine to be able to write this blog post.
All views are my own.
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