Thank you Sara Gutman, dietetics student and gal-in-the-cooking-trenches, for authoring this post!
Are You Bored of Your Kitchen?
While I can't redecorate for you, I may be able to help you in a different way. Cooking meal after meal in the winter can get a rather boring, but sometimes all it takes is a little kitchen hack to break the monotony. Here are some ideas to keep cooking as joyful as possible.
Music!
We all know that music makes everything brighter and more enjoyable; the trick is to make it accessible each time you cook. Keep a charger in the kitchen so you always have power for whatever device you use for listening to music. This way, it's there for you when you need it.
Lighting
Bright lights are so important in areas you constantly work in. If you don't already have them, switch your light bulbs for bright LED lights.
When I realized I was dreading washing dishes since I was blocking the light source by standing at the sink, I got these LED strips. They are so easy to stick under your counter, and they're dimmable, waterproof, and cuttable, I highly recommend them.
Tools
Do you feel like you need to rest after chopping all the vegetable for a soup? The trick is to use good knives. Chef knives look scary, but once you get over your fear, they are so useful. They do the work for you, and you don’t need a super-expensive one. Any decent-quality large blade will provide the power to chop all your butternut squash, and sweet potatoes.
Fresh Spices
Try switching to freshly ground salt and pepper. It adds a delicious dimension to your dishes. Plus, there is something so satisfying about that crack, crack, crack when grinding. ;)
Something New
When you are not interested in experimenting with new recipes, that might just be when you need it most. Try adding a new dish to your dinner rotation or spicing up one of your classics. That recipe that you'be been considering but never got a chance to make? Now is the time to try it out!
I hope you enjoy these suggestions. Happy cooking!
-Sara