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If you promised yourself you’d hone your cooking skills in 2017, but are still struggling to operate the defrost setting on your microwave, you’re not alone.

Deciding that you’re going to become a culinary queen might happen overnight, but putting it into practice definitely doesn’t.

By acknowledging that you won’t be whipping up gourmet meals any time soon, you’ll give yourself a chance to arm yourself with the tips, tricks and tools needed to become a better cook in no time.

Ladies, we’ve got you covered.

1. Assess your knife collection

You wouldn’t try to write an essay or report with a broken or leaking pen, and the same should apply in the kitchen.

Sharpen your knives so they’re actually functional when you use them.

Struggling to handle your ingredients a result of shoddy implements is enough to put anyone off cooking.

2. Invest in a good frying pan and saucepan

Like knives, you wouldn’t believe the difference durable pots and pans make when you’re learning to cook.

Spending your hard-earned euros on kitchen equipment doesn’t sound in the least bit appealing – we know this, but believe us, it’s worth it.

Ruining what has the potential to be a great meal because your pan is an old rustbucket is the last thing you want.

3. Learn how to chop an onion (no seriously)

Onions are used in so many dishes, so it’s worth your while learning how to chop them properly.

(No one likes picking a giant hunk of onion out of their teeth, right?)

Cut off the top of the onion, and bin it. Peel off the outer layers, and chop the onion vertically. Then, chop it horizontally, and you're sorted.

4. Learn how to cook rice

The sign of a good cook is someone who can cook rice without looking like they're intending to feed (or poison) the entire town.

The key to cooking rice is to use the 1:2 ratio, so it's one-part rice, two parts water. 

And a fist-sized portion of rice generally counts as one serving.

5. Bulk buy chicken breasts 

Chicken is so versatile, and so easy to cook as well.

Bulk buy and store in your freezer, so you know for certain you will always have the basis for a quick and easy meal.

6. Invest in a cookery book

And actually study it.

Do your research and choose a publication which features simple meals suitable for any beginner.

Don't get overwhelmed by the content at the start, and instead tell yourself you'll have conquered all the recipes by the end of the year.

7. Focus on three recipes

If you try to master too many recipes at once, you'll have a meltdown and jack in your resolution for good.

Instead, focus on three recipes (breakfast, lunch and dinner) or three evening meals, if you'd rather, and master them before moving on.

Cooking is all about confidence, so the moment you've mastered three meals, you'll be much more prepared to tackle the next set.

 

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If you've actively avoided social occasions while on a health kick, you're most definitely not alone.

While we may be able to stay on the straight and narrow for the vast majority of the week, the minute we begin socialising all bets are off.

Whether it comes down to manners or sheer lack of willpower, many of us find it difficult to decline a plate of goodies when pressed upon us by the friend or co-worker hosting us.

But according to new research, the easiest way to curb how much you consume at a party or gathering is by serving yourself, and ensuring you're the only one looking after your food intake.

The findings, which were published in the Journal of Marketing Research, concluded that people ate less unhealthy food when they tasked themselves with filling their own plates.

"We find that when participants are given the choice of whether or not to consume snacks that they perceive as relatively unhealthy, they have a greater inclination to consume these snacks when less (versus more) physical involvement is required to help themselves to the food." study authors Linda Hagen, Aradhna Krishna, and Brent McFerran said.

In other words, if you tell your host that you're good for now and will help yourself in a bit, you'll be less likely to consistently tuck in because, hey, who wants to keep getting up and down from the buffet?

When you accept a plate of unhealthy (but obviously delicious food) you tend to relinquish responsibility, but you don't have to.

“We suggest that this behaviour occurs because being less physically involved in serving one's food allows participants to reject responsibility for unhealthy eating and thus to feel better about themselves following indulgent consumption," the authors added.

Simply put, if you insist that it's your responsibility to keep yourself fed and watered at the next party, you're much less likely to overindulge.

And while that seems to make sense, all we can think about is getting free reign over a buffet…

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Ladies, there are some things you just don't know you need until they burst into your life, and you suddenly find yourself wondering how you ever survived without them.

Dry shampoo, we're looking at you. 

And as an office of wine-lovers here at SHEmazing! HQ, we admit we're absolutely intrigued by a mail-order British company which has created a wine bottle which allows you to receive your vino stash right through your letterbox.

The bottles supplied by Garcon Wines are flat and made from glass-like plastic which means they can be delivered straight into your hallway, and no one has to spend hours queuing at a postal depot after missing the postman by mere seconds.

Commenting on the creation, founder, Joe Revell, said: "The team have worked hard to refine the design and ensure the service overdelivers on our customers' expectations."

"No more missed deliveries, no more depot-collection cards, no more waiting around for couriers and no more heading out to the supermarket late at night next time you feel like wine."

Ladies, the future is now.

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If you regularly devour half a chipper before starting in on the contents of the fridge after a night on the booze, it's because… well… you're totally normal.

According to a recent study by the Francis Crick Institute in London, the consumption of alcohol activates a hormone in our brains which is directly linked to appetite.

Using mice as part of their exploration of the theory, researchers injected the creatures with alcohol once a day for three days – a measure which was the human equivalent of two bottles of wine or ten beers.

Researchers quickly realised that the mice which had, essentially, gotten tanked up consumed 25 per cent more food than the sober control group.

Further to this, researchers established that agouti-related protein (AgRP) neurons – proteins linked to their food cycles – experienced an increase in the amount of electrical activity following alcohol consumption.

So, the next time you hoof into the entire kitchen after a night on the beer, console yourself that your body is doing exactly what it should be.

Ahem.
 

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Just when we thought we'd had our fill of unicorn related food, we get slapped with yet another magical treat!

Image result for unicorn stacked pancakes

Unicorn pancakes are our latest mythical food discovery, and we are so in love. 

 

Breakfast goals  #yum #kkbloomstyle #brunchsohard #unicornpancakes

A photo posted by KK Bloom Boutique (@kkbloomboutique) on

They're also really easy to create, so long as your cabinet is stocked with a rainbow of food colouring products. 

 

Happy Pancake Day!! #pancakes #pancake #pancakeday #shrovetuesday #confettipancakes #sprinkles #unicornpancakes #helloduffymoon

A photo posted by Jordyn Duffymoon Burne (@jordynburne) on

You simply have to dye your ordinary pancake batter, and stack them on top of each other to create the colourful effect.

Then you can easily create a unicorn horn using icing, and garnish that baby with marshmallows and sprinkles galore. 

SIMPLES!

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We'll be honest – when we think 'fast food', we generally think grease, fat and more salt and vinegar than you can shake a stick at.

But food which can be prepped, cooked and consumed in record time does not have to be unhealthy.

And considering our New Year resolution had something to do with, you know, creating the body we've always wanted, it's high-time we schooled ourselves on the dishes which will fill us up and do our body good…without having to sacrifice our entire evening.

And here are just five of our absolute favourites so far.

1. Salmon with Boy Choy and Apple Slaw 

Packed full of protein and vitamins, this super-easy dish is exactly what you need when you're stuck for time, but keen to stick to resolutions.

While the salmon cooks through, you are free to prepare the slaw. And voila! A healthy dish in mere minutes.

2. Carrot & ginger immune-boosting soup

Soup is the ultimate comfort food, and there's nothing better than a comfort food which packs a nutritional punch and can be prepared in next to no time, right?

Blitz your ingredients (including your veg stock) in a blender, and then heat until piping hot. Done and done.

3. Spicy Asian Chicken Salad

Gluten-free, sugar-free, dairy-free, and low carb, this quick and easy dish seems almost too good to be true, but it can be all yours with just a few minutes in the kitchen.

This particular recipe serves four, so why not divide the remaining batch and use them for the next few day's lunches?

4. Quick Pork Chow Mein

In just 15 minutes you'll have a healthy version of one of our favourite take-away dishes – what more could you want?!

With five minutes of prep and ten minutes of cooking, this dish will stop you reaching for the takeaway menu, and tick all the boxes on the nutritional checklist.

5. Spicy sundried tomato and feta omelette

When it comes to protein-rich dishes, you can't go wrong with eggs. (And it helps that we adore feta.)

Easy to cook and oh-so versatile, this omelette is the perfect dish to prepare when the last thing you want to do is spend unnecessary time in the kitchen. 

 

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A waitress working in a restaurant in Virginia made headlines this week when the customers she had been serving acknowledged her hard work, but refused to tip her on the grounds that she is black.

"Great service, don't tip black people," wrote the couple after finishing their meal in Anita's New Mexico restaurant.

Speaking to NBC Washington about the shocking message she received on the bill she provided her customers, Kelly Carter said: "It was just total shock, that’s all I can say."

And while the vast majority of us were left stunned by the story, a worrying number of people accused the National Association for the Advancement of Coloured People of perpetuating 'fake news' when they shared an image of the receipt on their Twitter page.
 

"This is fake. you should apologize for perpetuating #fakenews and encouraging ugly assumptions about white people." wrote one Twitter user.

"FAKE! You are a bunch of race-baiting hypocrites. She obviously wrote that message herself. Shame on you," added another.

Echoing these sentiments, another member of the public wrote: "I don't believe a racist would state "Great Service". Probably left cash as a tip and this is another story to be debunked."

Reflecting on the couple's attitude towards her, Kelly told the press: "I looked at the receipt three times because I was shocked, because I’ve never been a server and seen that."

"I keep my head up. You have to keep moving. One hateful remark cannot stop me. You’ve got to forgive and forget and move on," she added.

Responding to those who disputed the authenticity of the story, the NAACP tweeted: "We will not apologize for the truth."

Thankfully, a fundraising page has been set up for Kelly in the wake of her experience, and currently stands at €2,778.
 

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If you're at all familiar with the world of fitness, you'll know that those in the industry advocate for a healthy nutrition plan in addition to endless squats, lunges and kettlebell swings.

From telling us that abs are made in the kitchen to insisting you can't outrun a bad diet, fitness fanatics are all too aware that no matter how much time you spend in the gym, unhealthy food choices will inevitably set your progress back considerably.

So, if 2017 is all about educating yourself on fitness and nutrition, one of the simplest ways to start is to learn which items to eliminate from your diet, and – most importantly – which ones to replace them with.

And here are five to get you started…

1. Swap sugar for cinnamon

You might have vetoed every chocolate bar you've encountered since January 1, but have you addressed the various other ways sugar creeps into your diet?

If you've got a sweet tooth, it can be incredibly difficult to ditch the sugar, so it's no surprise many of continue to add a sneaky spoon into our tea, coffee or morning porridge.

Ditch this habit by replacing sugar and sweeteners with a small spoon of cinnamon – you'll be surprised how good it tastes.

2. Swap diet drinks for sparkling water with lemon / lime

We've long since realised that diet drinks are not much better for us than the full-fat version, but that doesn't stop us slurping on them more regularly than we probably should.

One very simple way to reduce the number of diet drinks you consume is by replacing them with sparkling water and slices of lime and lemon.

In addition to the kick the fruit gives the water, the sparkling version makes weaning ourselves off fizzy drinks a little easier.

3. Swap crisps for nuts

If you're used to snacking on crisps or including them with your lunch, it can be difficult to break the habit.

Don't deny yourself a savoury snack, but do stock up on nuts like almonds, cashews and walnuts instead.

Most supermarkets sell handy little snack-sized bags which means you don't overindulge, but do get the savoury kick you're looking for.

4. Swap breakfast cereal for an egg-based dish

Eggs are an incredible source of protein and keep you feeling fuller for longer, so why not opt for an egg-based breakfast when you can?

Replace your sugary cereal for two hard boiled eggs or an egg-white omelette on alternate days, and record how long it takes before hunger pangs kick in each day.

Kicking your day off with a protein-rich breakfast generally sees you through until lunch-time, and stops you reaching for a snack mid-morning.

5. Swap a so-called 'healthy' snack for peanut butter and apple

Instead of reaching for a cereal or granola bar on your tea break, why not team apple slices with a large spoon of peanut butter?

Not only will a small plate of apple and peanut butter fill you up until your next meal, it's a great source of protein and vitamins.

Oh, and it's absolutely delish too.

 

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Unless you're adept at ignoring the countless social media posts waxing lyrical on the topic of 'clean eating', chances are you have, on some level, internalised the philosophy.

And whether you practice it or not is beside the point because the sheer number of posts celebrating it means that many of us get a pang of guilt when we tuck into our nightly pack of Malteasers or weekly takeaway.

While eating well and working out are absolutely essential for mind, body and soul, eliminating certain food groups, counting macros and imbibing more green stuff than you can shake a stick at is not the most pleasurable of activities.

And being forced to read about it on our social media feeds is even less interesting.

Here are just seven reasons we need to get the f*ck over 'clean eating'.

1. The term alone suggests that everything else we eat is somehow dirty, and no one needs that negativity in their life.

"I can literally SEE my face in this doughnut glaze. Dirty it is not."

2. Green tea is not the same as a steaming mug of Lyons, and no amount of brainwashing can get us to think otherwise.

"It's like a penance, and what did I do to deserve it?"

3. Gwyneth Paltrow is an advocate of clean eating – need we say more?

"I won't take life lessons from a woman who wore THAT dress to the Oscars."

4. A 'clean eating' lifestyle does not come cheap,  and who has time to source organic products at every turn?

"I may be eating clean, but I'll never own my own home at this rate."

5. The level of smugness that accompanies a newfound clean-eating convert is more than flesh and blood can stand, frankly.

"Oh, you used Chia seeds, did you?  And you caught the salmon yourself? Well, aren't you a treat?"

6. The health benefits of 'clean eating' are not worth the half-hourly trips to the bathroom to expel the sheer amount of water you're advised to drink.

"Everyone in the office is going to think I went to that dodgy kebab shop for lunch."

7. Turning your back on the glass of wine you so desperately want at the end of a busy week want may be good for your waistline, but it sure as hell isn't good for your soul. 

"I'd rather be drunk than virtuous right now."

 

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Apparently you either love or hate peanut butter, and considering that it's the nicest thing on the whole damn planet, we can only assume that those who hate it simply haven't tried it.

There, we said it.

Smooth or chunky, regular or organic; there's little we wouldn't do to get our hands on a jar of that stuff.

And here are just ten things you'll know if you're pretty much obsessed with peanut butter.

1. People who argue the pros and cons of chunky over smooth are mere amateurs, and have yet to attain true connoisseur status.

"Shut up and eat it, or get the hell out of my kitchen."

2. You get used to talking through a Sahara-dry post-peanut sandwich mouth, and it's a price you're willing to pay.

"That sound? Oh. it's just me peeling my tongue from the roof of my mouth."

3. When you discovered the combination of apple slices and spoons of peanut butter, your whole world changed.

"You gotta listen – the dryness of the peanut butter mixed with the crispness of the apple is what this life is all about."

4. You have been known to happily eat it by the spoonful without the aid of bread, crackers or apples.

"Look at me all you want."

5. You've weighed up the cost of jars, and decided that splashing out on a giant tub for a tenner once a week is worth it.

"It's economical, and I'm a genius."

6.  Reece's Peanut Butter Cups are your today, your tomorrow and your forever.

"Remember a time when Ireland didn't have these? It was our darkest hour."

7. You've tried a PB&J sandwich, but secretly lamented the fact you'd have to take up valuable space with some damn jam.

"I'll eat it, and it's good, but this is an unnecessary combo."

8. You've added so much peanut butter to so-called healthy smoothies, you've basically negated the whole process.

"I'm drinking liquidised PB and there's nothing no one can do about it."

9.You have – more than once – sat and considered how different your life might be had you been born with a nut allergy.

"There but for the grace of God, go I…"

10.The fact that some peanut butter can be considered *relatively healthy* never fails to bring you joy.

"Pass that jar. It's time to start looking after myself."

 

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If you feel like you have turkey coming out of your eyeballs today (yup, us too) you mightn't feel like sitting down to another roast dinner with all the trimmings feed-fest. 

Still, if there's a load of good meat left over from yesterday, you don't want to be chucking it out either. 

So here are five delicious recipes that prove you CAN make scrumptious meals from roast turkey. 

 

1. Turkey Club: Loaded with pecans, mustard, and cheese, this is just the thing to hit the spot on Stephen's Day. Alternatively – try an avocado, turkey and bacon bagel.

2. Loaded with veg – Jamie Oliver's turkey con chilli definitely doesn't feel like leftovers. Complete with home-made guac, this will be devoured!

3. Roast potato, stuffing, sausage, and turkey pie: if there are any sore heads or delicate souls that need a great dish to pick them up today – this is it. A great recipe to use up stuffing, potato, and gravy too. 

4. If you don't have a load of turkey meat left, but still don't want to see what you do have wasted, turkey noodle soup is ideal for using up the remaining slivers. Warming and nourishing too.

5. Turkey curry on Stephen's Day has a bad rep – but this Thai twist on the old cliche is fabulous. 

 

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Unless you're an absolute pro in the kitchen, it can be pretty daunting having to share the fruits of your labour with your workmates.

And it's even worse when you have to do it on live TV, and know, deep-down, that you've made an absolute b*lls of it.

So props to Global News' Leslie Horton who surged ahead and doled out hearty helpings of artichoke dip to a trio of colleagues who looked far from impressed with Leslie's contribution to the office Christmas task.

After squirming and questioning the smell and consistency of the gooey mess, Leslie's workmates eventually tucked in… and we've been laughing ever since.

We'll let them take it from here.

 

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