The time one spends in the kitchen is most dependent on the skill level and the recipes one choose. But there are some things one can do to improve preparation times that will save minutes and which add up to hours to do other work at home.

Tips to make cooking faster

Make sure the kitchen is organized properly. Keep the utensils near the work surface like the pots and pans near the stove, and cleaning materials near the sink. Choose a recipe that has fewer ingredients. Choose easier recipes, as they are naturally faster to make. Read through the recipe carefully before begin. Make sure to understand the terminology and steps and be sure to have all the ingredients on hand. While the water is boiling to cook pasta, prepare vegetables too to make the work faster. When the oven is preheating, thaw meat in the microwave and rub it with spices for marinating.

Gather all the utensils and ingredients and start with the steps that take the longest like start a pot of water boiling, preheat the oven and start thawing frozen foods in the microwave oven. Work steadily, but do not force. If the person is not an expert at chopping, go slow. It is better to develop a good method and naturally speed up than to force. Have a multi-use timer on hand like use it to keep track of recipes that have several steps. Write which timer belongs to which steps on the recipe for a quick glance. Use shortcuts where ever possible. Bagged salad greens, prepared and frozen vegetables, pasta sauces and gravies, grated cheeses, refrigerated or frozen pasta, refrigerator dough, boxed stocks, prepared bread crumbs and cut up veggies from a salad bar are all wonderful shortcuts. And have fun. Enjoy the aromas, sounds, and feel of a great recipe in less time.

An easy cooking recipe

Grilled Tomatoes- lightly sprays 4 plum tomatoes with olive oil cooking spray. Grill for 3 minutes per side, turning once quickly. Lightly sprinkle each with some crushed dried rosemary and crushed fennel seed and then sprinkle with a little balsamic vinegar and serves alongside 4 grilled chicken breast halves. A Grilled Tomato has 5 grams of carbohydrate and equals 1 vegetable exchange and this recipe is easy and healthy too.