Who Needs More than Cooking for exercise?

Although I like cooking, my energy and enthusiasm for cooking is not even from one day to the next.

Sometimes more of an "assemble" action - rather than loads of chopping and cooking would be more my level of ambition.

My reliable partner at that point is a small, electric slow cooker, (2 person versions are available e.g. Cookworks £14 from Argos, or Daewoo £13 from Robert Dyas), put everything in, switch it on and come back to a hot, healthy, economical dish (4 hours later - over that time, using electricity similar wattage consumption to having a lightbulb on).

This Yellow Split Pea Dal recipe is the sort of recipe I had in mind (low-impact cooking adapted as below - for both ease of assembly and turning it into "store cupboard cookery").

• If necessary, you can use frozen, pre-chopped, onion. 
• I use tinned chopped tomatoes. 
• If I haven't got fresh root ginger (or I don't fancy grating it on a small-size grater holes panel) - I substitute some ground ginger. 
• I always use ground Cumin (the mortar and pestle can stay on the shelf as kitchen decoration).
• I don't use a garlic crusher and even Chef Ken Hom would tell you not to slice garlic too thinly!
• I don't use freeze-dried Curry Leaves - I substitute with some ground Medium Curry.
• I don't prepare and slice a fresh chilli - I use some dried chilli flakes.
• Lemon wedges to serve - ...no, I just stir in, just before serving, a little long life lemon juice from a bottle in the fridge).

This type of vegetarian recipe cooks in a slow cooker on High for 4 hours:

The below recipe quantities are for 4 servings (it freezes well).

Just the ceramic slow cooker inner pot, serving bowl and spoon to wash up / stack in a dishwasher.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/food/recipes/slow_cooker_split_pea_93320

Great information DormouseAtRest_25 but why don’t you use a garlic crusher?

I think I read somewhere that to crush the garlic and leave it a couple of minutes before use releases something that makes it better for us.

I don't like washing up the garlic crusher!

I'll check it out!

Yes, my household has long term used a bread machine to make wholemeal loaves. 

(I have some problems with some of the ingredients which can creep into a supermarket loaf ingredients list - therefore, the bread machine affords me a good solution).

Cinnabar_wing said:

(I also love the bread machine for making the dough, that's it's main function for us.)

Me too, I don't like the shape of loaves it produces or the hole in the base. This is a great book, '100 bread Machine Recipes' At the moment, this is £2.79 at Awesome Books and they're offering 20% for new customers. It includes pizza dough, naan, sweet loaves and many baker's shop favourites.

DormouseAtRest_25 said:

Moulinex Classic manual vegetable mill

Oh, that's the sort of thing I was seeking. Thank you!

I used to have one of those that I used for making baby food.

I have a small stainless steel Moulinex Classic manual vegetable mill (Moulin À Légumes) - with 3 feet to rest in a bowl / saucepan, a ling handle, different sized discs and a hand crank - which I use for smooth vegetable purée - potato with celeriac is a favourite:

www.ebay.co.uk/.../366279803903

Ha ha I sort of had the image of cleaning my garlic crusher and how I hate doing it in my mind when I posted.

I always wait fo the steam to go off potatoes too.

Bread machines are just so brilliant.

I feel like that about spiralizers too, I mean why? 

I don't mash enough potatoes to need a press.

Honestly I think some people mostly make people, are just really into gadgets, my ex was like that, he asked me if I wanted a knitting machine to save me doing it by hand? He couldn't get his head around the idea that not only did I not want a knitting machine, but that I enjoyed knitting by hand.

I don't use a garlic crusher either, just chop it up as it is quick and doesn't take long. If it's something like a pizza sauce, I'll crush it with the flat of the blade to release the oils and it's easier to pull it out before spreading. (I also love the bread machine for making the dough, that's it's main function for us.)

I do like our potato ricer, it's really handy and makes a nice fluffy mash! They do need a fair bit of strength though, and easiest to clean if you don't let it dry in (straight into a pan of water). But I also find if I cook the potatoes, drain them and let them steam dry long enough in the aga, I can just use a masher or even beat them with a wooden spoon. 

TheCatWoman said:

Ohh go on, disrupt things, I dare you!

OK - men invent things they don't use therefore they often don't clean well. [Wait for fallout]/

TheCatWoman said:

I do like my potato ricer

I haven't got the strength to use one at present but the problem with a standard masher is that you still get large bits. There ought to be some kind of press, like an apple presser. Maybe a female cook will invent one [again, wait for fallout..]

Ohh go on, disrupt things, I dare you!

I can't be doing with garlic crushers either, I always seem to end up with a bit of skin over the holes thats glued itself in.

I do like my potato ricer though, that can be quite a good work out too. Most of my kitchen stuff is quite basic, 4 ordinary saucepans, a big casserole, a chefs pan, a wok and some glass dishes and mixing bowls. I do have a preserving pan, a sugar thermometer and a jam funnel, but then I do a lot of preserving., I have a food processor too. But I hardly use a microwave, I defrost stuff in it and warm plates, I don't know how to cook anything in it, even heating up peas. Nor do I use an airfryer, they don't do the sorts of foods I use one for, like onion bhaji's and pakoras.

Ohh go on, disrupt things, I dare you!

I can't be doing with garlic crushers either, I always seem to end up with a bit of skin over the holes thats glued itself in.

I do like my potato ricer though, that can be quite a good work out too. Most of my kitchen stuff is quite basic, 4 ordinary saucepans, a big casserole, a chefs pan, a wok and some glass dishes and mixing bowls. I do have a preserving pan, a sugar thermometer and a jam funnel, but then I do a lot of preserving., I have a food processor too. But I hardly use a microwave, I defrost stuff in it and warm plates, I don't know how to cook anything in it, even heating up peas. Nor do I use an airfryer, they don't do the sorts of foods I use one for, like onion bhaji's and pakoras.