Apartment Kitchen Renovation - Tips for Cooking?
Omg, can I just say that I am super exhausted. My boyfriend and I went on a very short trip to California from Stockholm, Sweden for 6 days. We got back yesterday afternoon and were forced to remove everything from our kitchen, including the fridge and freezer, and hallway, in order to prepare for the kitchen renovation that all of the apartments are getting in our area.
I didn't sleep for like over 30 hours, since I cannot sleep on flights. It was not a pretty sight watching my boyfriend, flatmate and I, moving everything out of the kitchen. We were not happy campers, lol. But now I have slept a solid 10 hours so I am good.
Now, I am sitting on my couch drinking some coffee. They went to work, and I just finished getting to rest of the stuff out of the kitchen and hallway. But now I am looking around, thinking about how we don't have any room to cook, or walk around for that matter. And we only get one hot plate ( no oven, no microwave) to cook with, and we have to wash our dishes in the bathtub. Ew.
So, I'm thinking, despite how unsustainable it is, I am going to go buy a bunch of paper plates, cups and plastic utensils to minimise the amount of dishes for the next three weeks (omg, three weeks is a long time, as I am typing, I am having a mini heart attack!). My flatmate and boyfriend think we don't need that and they will wash all their plates and stuff themselves, but considering that I have been living with them and I know them, they are not the best at washing their dishes. Lol. Ok, my flatmate is not bad at cleaning up after herself, I just didn't want to single out my boyfriend. I am also to blame too but hey at least I can admit it! I know its going to be a mess, it already is! haha.
The other problem, besides the dishes, is what are we going to cook with only one hot plate and no space? Well… my boyfriend actually had a good idea, he was like one-pot recipes! One-pot recipes are his go-to when it is his night to cook dinner since they are so simple.
There are these wonderful recipes on Pinterest called "one-pot" recipes, where all you need to cook is one big pot, and a big spoon, a cutting board and a knife, to cook supper. So I have been on Pinterest pinning a bunch of these, but they are mostly pasta and I don't want to eat pasta for the next three weeks.
I am wondering if anyone else has gone through this, do you have advice? or any recipes to share (I am vegetarian, I eat cheese, eggs and some salmon)?
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I know for sure that I am cooking a pot chili for dinner tonight
Host of Apartment Gardening | Ashtanga Yoga | Literature | Migraine
And you don’t have an oven? Can you plug in the stove in the living room? And about dishing, can't you buy a countertop dishwasher and plug it in in the bathroom? If you didn’t already have one it’s about time anyway, right? You can use it in the new kitchen. Or in worst case do the dishes in the shower. Just put a dish drainer on the shower floor.
You asked about food. Make cold mushes (röror) and put them on some tasty bread or in oven baked potatoes. You can combine the mushes in a billion ways so you don’t get tired of them. And soups. Green pea soup for instance.
Best regards, Niklas 🎈
#2 No, like we literally won't have a stove or oventop. They are removing everything, even the floors and walls. But we will have a new fridge and freezer and a temporary hot plate on a small metal roll table during the renovation, which will be placed in the living room.
Also, we do not own a dishwasher, there is not place for it in our apartment so they do not allow it, we wash our dishes by hand. 🙂
But, yes we will be washing our dishes in the shower/bath tub, since the hand sink in the bathroom is too small. We will have to buy a drain cover, that is a good point, ill put it on my shopping list for today.
Good idea with the green pea soup! I am looking for simple protein filled vegetarian meals and that hits the criteria haha.
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you can get a tub to do your washing up (there will be some even with paper plates.
As for food I'm voting for one pot dishes and soups. I really don't use recipes so I can't think of any now put I will think it over
Teanerd who loves tea so much that i started a tea shop www.tealovers.se!
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#4 thank you!
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A microwave might be a good investment? You can then pair your one-pot recipes with microwave rice or if you're feeling particularly lazy (or in a rush) microwave meals? You can even just eat out the plastic container that it comes in haha.
All the best, Leia
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When I had the kitchen renovation it actually wasn't that bad, for cooking at least. I don't know whether it will be the same equipment as I had, but I was given two hobs, so you might have a little more to work with than you thought 🙂 Soups come to mind straight away, but also salads? Not everything has to be cooked!
They actually gave us a microwave and a hot plate with two burners. However, the microwave is broken hahah. Yes soups are a good idea! I am going to wait to buy alot of veggies to put in the fridge until we get our new one though! Since we were told for now we have to keep everything in plastic bags in the fridge.
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#8 Quite a few veggies are better in room temperature or atleast as good as in the fridge.
Tomatoes for example should never be in the fridge. Onions does keep better in room temperature if they have never been in a fridge. Winter squash and pumkin is another "room temperature veggie"
Both onions and tomatoes is something I never* have in my fridge
*one exeption. when I have half an onion or so that I plan on using soon then it goes in the fridge.
Teanerd who loves tea so much that i started a tea shop www.tealovers.se!
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Eggs are also fine in room temperature for long periods.
Best regards, Niklas 🎈
I just found a new temporary place to live while transitioning from living in Shasta Lake to Sacramento. I found the cutest little granny flat to rent. I too, am going to be living somewhere where I will only have a hot plate to cook with or my crockpot! I believe I will be making one dish recipes too. Maybe it is time for me to go on a soup diet! Lol
Happy creating!
Tammie
Host of Paints and Crafts
I can recommend water fast if you want to minimize cooking, dishes, and food shopping. 😉
Best regards, Niklas 🎈
Hahah 😂 No thank you!
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Are you sure? Three weeks is the average time a human can live on only water, and you have already started, so your chances are pretty good.
Best regards, Niklas 🎈
I probably should do a water fast!!! But no thank you!
Happy creating!
Tammie
Host of Paints and Crafts
Is your hot plate and induction one?
Happy creating!
Tammie
Host of Paints and Crafts
Thank you all for the great tips! I went shopping for the week and I think we will manage fairly well. The hot plate is not induction.
Host of Apartment Gardening | Ashtanga Yoga | Literature | Migraine