This is me, cooking.To the left is my bamboo dish drain, sitting on top of a T.V. Tray (or as some refer to it as a 'little table' cause it is too classy to be a T.V. Tray).
Hazel had asked in an earlier comment if I cooked. She brought up a good point, in many tiny houses they really do not look equipped to handle those of us who make use of a kitchen. I do cook, quite a bit. In fact I enjoy cooking.
I have a small kitchen, obviously. I have a two burner propane stove, and no oven. I made a personal decision to not have an oven. This was because almost anything unhealthy that made it’s way into my belly, was first in my oven. Thankfully, I have many friends that have offered me full access to their kitchen in the event I need to go on a baking spree.
The interior of my cupboards. Almost every single container in there is refilled. I have cute wooden bowls and plates.
I participate in a CSA (Community Supported Agriculture), with Terra Organics which gives me fresh fruit and vegetables every week. Observe ridiculous amounts of produce on the left side of the picture. I tend to stir fry and make a lot of soup now that it is getting colder. I have a wall mounted spice rack that is gorgeous, to ensure I have more counter space.
I only buy meat once or twice a week, and not very much of it. I usually try to buy it locally at Stewart’s Meat Market, to cut back on hormones, additives and packaging. If I am buying anything in bulk, it is usually beans or grains. Though I haven’t been eating beans or grains much since I moved into the little house. However, when I do, these things I will typically pick up at my local co-op about once a month. I love Quinoa over most other things that take grain form. I do not buy much that is packaged, so that cuts down on the need or urge to stock up when things are on sale. My exception this week was Silk Nog, the soy milk equivalent to Egg Nog. It is delicious and heavenly.
The sexy picture of my compost bucket, full of veggie scraps, and a pear that went bad before I ate it.
I buy canned tomatoes on occasion when I cannot get them fresh, as I like to use it as a base to soup. I refill my soy sauce, olive oil, Dr. Bronners soap and many other things at the co-op. My mom gave me tortillas, and I figure I should eat them before they go bad. But it has been weeks and they have not gone bad, that freaks me out. So I haven’t eaten them. It is a bit of a vicious cycle really.
Most of the tins in there are full of loose leaf tea. I tend to also buy that in bulk when I get the chance to. Marketspice Tea at the Pike Place Market in Seattle (I linked to the Orange, as that is my current favorite), Ruby’s Tea in La Conner (when I am up visiting my parents), and I think I may go visit the Tea Lady in Olympia here soon.
When cooking, whatever vegetable scraps Riley, my dog, doesn’t eat (he loves vegetables and stares at me expectantly from under the dining room table when I pull out the cutting board), goes in my composting toilet. Which is pretty rad. The toilet is through a door directly to the right of the kitchen when I am cooking.
Having a small fridge, and not a lot of cupboard space affects how I shop for food. I tend to eat healthier, as my vegetables are delivered to me once a week. I try not to buy junk food, with the occasional splurge… usually on Peanut Butter M&M’s (I know, I know, they’re HORRIBLE… but I love them). I cannot really speak for how living in a small house has affected other tiny home owners, but I enjoy cooking in my house very much. Everything I need is right here, it’s cozy and inviting and I have tea just a couple paces away.
I have one small pot, one small skillet, one deep skillet that can also be used as a soup pot [on the stove in the top left picture], then a large soup pot that I use for synthetic hair stuff and not for cooking. I use the deep skillet the most. There was an even larger skillet, but I have decommissioned it, since I managed to melt one of my stove knobs whilst using it. It was a really dumb mistake, that I did not think through. I was using the small burner and the pan was big enough to rest above the knobs. Needless to say, when I was done preparing the dish and noticed I had melted the knob, I was peeved. Thankfully, the war wound is not that bad.
Prior to living in The Fortune Cookie, I had never cooked with propane before. To say that I love cooking with propane is an understatement. Conventional electric stove tops are so slow in comparison. I love the fact that my tea is ready in under 10 minutes. I want to switch to something that is not using gas and is more earth friendly eventually, but that will likely be a couple years in the future. My shower and solar power are first on the list.
One trick I have learned while having a tiny kitchen is that T.V. trays are a life saver. I do not have a whole lot of counter space, so they provide a place to put my dishes to dry. An extra place to use a cutting board if I have a lot of items I’m dicing. A place to put my salad as I decide what to put in it. They become a place to set extra dishes and food when dining with company at the little table in my dining room. They become an end table when I have company and a spot to set their tea is needed. So, a big recommendation, T.V. Trays.
If you have any specific questions, please feel free to add them below.
~Kera~
I’m so happy to see that you cook, Kera! One pot meals are a great idea. Prep room is always a challenge; putting a bigger chopping board right over the sink helps but TV tables sound really versatile too.
When we’re in our ’83 Airstream in Texas in the winter, I often use a slow cooker to cook dried beans. Chickpeas especially cook fast so I can have hummus when I get a craving.
It’s good for soups, veggie stews, chili. You’re right about baked goods often being unhealthy! I must admit to a love of fresh bread though…’peasant’ bread, hearty, whole grain…so I use a bread-maker to make the dough and bake it myself. (I should just do it from scratch but it’s so convenient to just set the bread-maker and come back in 2 hours.) I have a convection-toaster oven that is small but works really well for 2 loaves of bread. Hey, quinoa is my fave too, but I love it for breakfast with berries and nuts and cinnamon!
Thanks for explaining cooking in a tiny house. I really don’t think Dee cooks, and I know Jay eats next door at the ‘big house’, so it’s good to know that it can be done.
Cheers, Hazel
Hazel, I had a fear of appliances to begin with, so the highest tech thing I ever had in my kitchen was a microwave (that I never used) and a toaster. I usually make my own bread. Oh, I had a crock pot. But I told myself I was not allowed appliances in my tiny house. So far the only thing I miss is a crock pot and occasionally my dutch oven. Luckily, I have friends who love an excuse to have me over for a meal.
Robyn, if you happen to be reading… I think corned beef is in order soon.
Can I ask you what some of your favorite recipes might be?
Amanda,
Oh man, I stink at following recipes. This is part lazy and part butt head. I will want to make a recipe, but note that I do not have an item or spice and will substitute something else. Hmm. My fall back thing is a stir fry. Chicken, whatever vegetables I have on hand, add some ginger, a bit of olive oil and soy sauce. Also, I enjoy making popcorn out of a pan. It’s like interactive television. But I’m kinda weird.
Every week I get CSA veggies. To be honest, I have gotten a few things I have never cooked before this year. Sunchokes, Butternut Squash (I’m a reformed squash hater), chard, celeriac. I remembered that I one of my favorite organic packaged soups was butternut squash and ginger soup. I gave that a whirl and it was delicious. The downside was I had to use a blender from the main house. So, I have another butternut squash and will be giving something else a try.
My trick is that I will pop onto Allrecipes.com using their recipe locator. I will type in a couple things I have on hand. I then dig through until something catches my fancy. I look at the overall rating of the recipe, than read comments on it (as that is where you find the best alterations). I have made some of my best random meals that way. I generally have to search around because I do not have an oven. So, it makes dining an adventure for sure.
A recipe I did like recently that was easy to make was Spruced Up Mashed Potatoes That was so dang delicious.
Oh, I also make coconut curry pretty often. Depending on my mood I make it Thai or Indian style. I use quinoa instead of rice.
When making quinoa I use chicken broth in lieu of water, I usually toss in onions, shallots or green onions depending on what I have on hand.
I hope that helps a little!
~Kera~
I suppose I could work up a dish of corned beef at some point
Sweet!
Thanks for the fascinating info. Something that my daughter said that she would want after living on a sailboat (much like a tiny house) was a pressure cooker. We got a Rapid Chef model at the State Fair of Texas, they come in all sizes from 6qt to 12 qt. You can even fry in them, but it sounds like you probably stay away from fried foods. I just love mine and I’ know a lot of people who live on boats and travel in motorhomes wouldn’t be without a pressure cooker. I use mine just like a large stock pot or even dye yarn in it!
My friend Caris and his girl Sarah are fans of the pressure cooker too. I have been considering getting one since I noticed them using one. After another recommendation, I have to say that it is on my To Buy list. I wouldn’t need a large one, and they sound like a really nice option for some versatility in the kitchen.
Congratulations for your beautiful, beautiful tiny house. I want to have one myself soon, but I have doubts about cooking in it. Tell me, please, how do you manage to prevent your clothes and all your tiny house to smell like food? How do you get rid of the smell of food and vapours and all? You don’t have a chimney, do you?
Thank’s
Luz
Luz,
I haven’t really noticed my items, or clothing smelling like food. I have a kitchen vent I run while I am cooking, I am sure that helps. My house will smell like food while I am cooking, but the smell seems to dissipate pretty quickly, as I haven’t noticed it yet. So, I assume that is a good sign. If I smelled like garlic all the time, I figure someone might mention it to me. My loved ones are pretty outspoken. I couldn’t imagine not cooking in my little home. Where would you cook? I live in Washington State. Seeing as it is November, it will do nothing but rain or snow with occasional breaks for a few months. I figure I haven’t much of an option but to cook indoors.
~Kera~
Hi, Kera. I’m new to your website. I followed a link from Deek’s “Relaxshacks.com” who mentioned “Tinyhouseswoon.com” who then had a link about your house and… here! God, your kitchen is just droolworthy. I’m trying to build a tiny house so I love hearing about your daily living to see what a tiny house is like in actual practice outside of the carefully staged photos you usually see online. Thanks for showing how it really is and giving advice! I want to catch up on your other posts, since this is only the second one I’ve read.
Your advice about the TV tray is great. It never occurred to me, actually. I’ll definitely add that to my ‘must do’ list now. Also, I can’t even begin to tell you how easy it was to relate to your story of the tortillas. I’m so, so guilty of all of that.
Cheers <3
Nice to meet you, and thanks for following! My goal was to be practical so people can relate. I’m not a Martha Stewart type by any stretch. I have Eowyn for that!
I am happy that my advice is coming in handy. I still use the crud out of my TV trays. Though, I think I want to downsize from 4 to 2 of them. As I don’t use all of them, just two at max.
I had to look my tortilla commentary up again. I made the mistake of buying corn tortillas and using two of them… and holding onto them for like two months… and they didn’t go bad. Just freaks me out. Darn scary preservatives!
I know exactly what you mean. Normally I live on an island in the lovely pacific where many of the main grocery items are shipped in, which I know makes them already older by the time they’re in the stores. I didn’t think, however, that the mainland would be as subjected to that sort of aged food thing. So when I was visiting family in WA, where I know something like apples can be grown locally, the fruit market guy told me not to get a certain Washington apple because it was already 7-8 months old and to go for ones from New Zealand because they were only a month. I was -horrified-… because it’s not even like it’s a processed food. It was an -apple- that the market man swore was seven plus months old! I shudder then to think of how old the produce on the islands are, then. It made me instantly swear over entirely to only local and in season food from my area. D: Even the idea of a one or two month old apple made me so petrified that they just sat in the bowl and I stared at them, being freaked out.
I’ve heard that properly cool stored apples and roots and such can last a long time… but that’s nature’s preserving. Not chemical preserving. Dang!
Yeah, food is scary business anymore. I am pretty grateful that Eowyn has a garden growing here that I get to partake of. It takes some of the fear out of my food. Root veggies can stay good a really long time. Though it is canning central around here nowadays. Winter is sounding pretty tasty with all the fruit Eowyn is canning. Yesterday was apricot lavender jam. Mmmm.