18 simple ways to cook everything faster

Instead of roasting winter veggies, eat them raw. Pumpkin, beetroot, parsnips, and celeriac make great salads and coleslaws. Since root vegetables are sturdy, grate them. If they’re still too crispy for comfort, marinate them for a half hour or longer in a vinaigrette.

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The machine does the job in a few pulses, and the small pieces will grill in about half the time. Plus, you get more of the delicious crispy bits that I can’t get enough of (just ask my daughters).

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Some soups need to simmer for hours, but cold soups, such as gazpacho, involve simply putting ingredients in a blender and turning it on. So underrated.

They work well in soup or any dish. Minimally processed and chilled immediately after harvest, frozen vegetables are an anomaly in the frozen-food aisle – a true gift to hurried cooks. I always keep frozen peas and corn on hand.

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Unless you’re baking – or roasting something that requires an initial blast of very high heat – you don’t have to wait for the oven to reach its set temperature before putting in the food. Veggies and slow-roasted or braised meat work well this way.

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If you’ve forgotten to let the butter soften, melt it in the microwave; then use a brush to apply it to bread for a more even coating.

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When making meatballs, the most time-consuming part is rolling them. The solution? Don’t. Use two spoons to drop little mounds into the hot frying pan. They’ll brown beautifully – and taste just as good.

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Blanching cabbage leaves to make them pliable is onerous. Use cooked cabbage as a base instead of a wrapper – it’ll provide the same taste with much less work.

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Source: RD.com