Cooking

Quick Air Fryer Start Up Guide (and 3 proven air fryer recipes)

Want to make family meal times easier?
A little less rushed, a bit more nutritious and ideally without nagging your kids to please please eat their greens?
Say hello to the air fryer.
It's no coincidence that the air fryer is taking over the world. Busy parents all over the globe are cooking up a storm in their little cubed companion.
Agreed, it's daunting to start using a new kitchen appliance, and how can you fry with air anyways? Surely that can't taste the same, and it doesn't sound too healthy either, right?
Wrong. Let me explain.

Being a working mum with 2 amazing (but exhausting) kids, I'm always on the lookout for smart ways to cut my time spent in the kitchen, without sacrificing taste and nutrition. I bought an air fryer years ago, since it seemed a good alternative to the deep fat fryer. And that's exactly what I'd been doing ever since, using it for the usual side of fries to go with a roast chicken.

Little did I know that this small cubed kitchen worker can do so much more! And that there are ways to keep it clean. Only recently I learned (read: took the time to learn) how to use the air fryer properly. And believe me, it's been an absolute eye-opener.

I think every busy parent deserves to have one, to win back a little bit of time at the end of a long tiring day.

So, don't make the same mistakes I did (tip #1, where were you 5 years ago??). Please spend 5 minutes reading this quick guide and learn how to use an air fryer the right way.

Busy Mum's Best Friend

Let me be completely honest. I'm not an expert (yet), but I'm confident my quick tips will help you to master air frying in minutes, even if you're a total beginner.

Let's start with answering your most urgent questions:

What is an air fryer and how does it work?

An air fryer is a small countertop convection oven. Contrary to what the name might suggest, it doesn't actually fry. It's patented by Philips and is designed to simulate deep frying without submerging the food in oil. It circulates hot air at high speed around the food, making it crispy on the outside and keeping it juicy on the inside with little or no oil.

Like standard convection ovens, air fryers can also roast, steam, and dry food.

Why should I use one?

1. An air fryer is fast and efficient; it works 1,5 times faster than a traditional oven.
2. You use up to 90% less fat compared to a traditional deep fryer.
3. The 360° air circulation ensures even heat distribution, giving you consistent results time and time again.

In short, the air fryer is an effective tool to help you prepare healthy meals while spending less time in the kitchen! It cuts down your cooking time and turns your vegetables into delectable dishes your kids can't resist.

How's that for a win-win?!

So, now that we've established this nifty machine is a busy mum's best friend, let's get you up and running in no time.

3 Time-Saving Tips That Help You Win The Day

1.      Keep your air fryer clean

Let me start with the most important piece of advice: how to clean your air fryer. We all prefer to spend our time in the kitchen doing the actual cooking, not the cleaning afterwards. Writing this, I'm kicking myself for not making the effort to learn the basics. I often steered clear of this miracle worker, just because I didn't want to go through the hassle of cleaning it.

You'll read everywhere that you should clean your fryer after every use. You can either wash all elements with soap and warm water, or place them in the dishwasher.

But the big secret is to keep it clean entirely. Invest in some air fryer liners and a silicone basket. These will help keeping your air fryer free from food residue and the silicone basket goes into the dishwasher.

2.      Always pre-heat your air fryer

Like you would pre-heat your traditional oven, make sure you pre-heat your air fryer. You only need 3 minutes, but it shortens your cooking time, ensures your food cooks evenly and becomes crunchy and crispy.

3.      Put a little oil in your air fryer

To protect your food from drying out, use a little oil. Especially when roasting vegetables, toss them in a little oil or butter beforehand, to get this buttery, nutty result your kids will love.

And then a last bonus tip: I always put my air fryer underneath the extractor fan, so you don't end up with a smelly kitchen.

3 Simple Air Fryer Recipes That Make Roasting Veggies A Breeze

Don't worry. I'm not going to overwhelm you with a ginormous list of recipes, that will scare you right out of the kitchen. All we need for now, are a couple of incredibly simple air fryer recipes. Recipes with affordable, easy-to-get ingredients, jam-packed with nutritious value that you can cook immediately (yes I mean right now, on a normal busy week day, no need to plan it for the weekend when you have more time).

And because we all want our kids to eat more vegetables, I've limited them to veg recipes only.

So here we go, these are my 3 favourite starter recipes, to cook veggies that your kids will love.

1.    Patatas Bravas

2.    Tasty Ratatouille

3.    Sticky cauliflower

This Is Why You Need To Try These Air Fryer Recipes

Continuously wanting to cook a healthy and nutritious family dinner can be stressful. Especially when you're lacking the time or when your kids are picky eaters.

But a simple change to your kitchen routine can make all the difference. And honestly, I wish I had known about this a little sooner.

Imagine coming home after a long day, spend a brief 15 minutes in the kitchen and put a delicious meal on the table. You sit down at the table, totally relaxed and ready to hear about your family's day. Your kids gobble up their veggies without complaint. And who knows, you might even have time for a cheeky dessert!

Sounds amazing right?

So what are you waiting for? Now is the time to get your fry on!

You hesitated to start using one because you didn't know how to use it. Or you thought it was only good for fries, like I did. But now you're equipped with an easy start up guide that makes using the air fryer a breeze. 

All you have to do, is to pick one of the 3 air fryer recipes above and cook up a storm! 

Bon Appetit.

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