✧✦Catherine✦✧

if you're disabled, consider getting an air fryer.

i've struggled with meal prep for as long as i remember. it's not _completely_ infeasible for me, but it's a lot of effort on the best days, and completely and utterly draining on the worst ones, where every time i stand up pushes me closer to just staring at the wall forever

an air fryer and a pack of single use inserts mean that meal preparation is now a two-step process
1. put stuff in and click start
2. get stuff out
and it tastes nice too

Jun 13, 2024 at 12:51pmWeb
Show thread✧✦Catherine✦✧Jun 13, 2024

this has been probably the single biggest improvement in my quality of life in months

i don't recall there ever being a period in my life where i could get even halfway decent warm food whenever i want. unless i was fine eating unseasoned rice, which grows old quickly

even in the absolute worst state i can usually get up and go to the kitchen twice. meanwhile e.g. using the oven has mostly resulted in accidentally using it as a space heater for five hours before finally putting anything in

Show thread✧✦Catherine✦✧Jun 13, 2024
i have tried many times and i don't think i can combine "eating normal sized meals normal amount of times a day" with "full time employment" in a way that reliably works. i think this might finally reduce the effort enough for it to be feasible
Show thread✧✦Catherine✦✧Jun 13, 2024
i cannot overstate how important it is that i do not have to preheat the damn thing. that it can cook two things to the same completion time with different times and neither of them gets over- or undercooked as a result means that i'm now actually looking forward to eating something i prepare, as opposed to belatedly compromising on eating it because it has calories in it and if i starve myself i feel even worse
Show threadSimonJun 13, 2024
@whitequark this is making me very curious, I have to confess I've only vaguely heard of air friers. Do all air friers allow you to do this? What are these "single-use inserts"?
Show thread✧✦Catherine✦✧Jun 13, 2024
@spoltier it's just a piece of parchment paper pre-cut to fit the baskets
Show thread>>>>>>>Jun 13, 2024
@whitequark where can i learn what things i can put in an airfryer i been wanting one for this reason but all i know it can do is french fries
Show threadkouhai, of the health issuesJun 13, 2024

@artemis the air frier is a convection oven with less steps

You can do basically anything, but cleanup gets annoying fast for stuff that gets blown about

I personally use it to reheat stuff mostly (this includes frozens)

Show threadprincess pancake ​Jun 13, 2024
@whitequark Yeah it's better than oven, but we haven't figured out what to make in the damn thing [that would have good texture and is low effort]
Show thread✧✦Catherine✦✧Jun 13, 2024
@natty as a cat i prepare mostly chicken
Show threadprincess pancake ​Jun 13, 2024
@whitequark chimken is nice but feels like eating chalk on methylphenidate using the easiest prep method of doing it the easiest way ​​
Show thread✧✦Catherine✦✧Jun 13, 2024

@natty oh no

yeah i uhhhh time stimulants to coincide concentration valleys with food >.>

Show threadTotoro(se)Jun 13, 2024

@whitequark

What's your go-to recipe?

I have an Instant Vortex air fryer, I use it to toast bread and melt cheese for hot sandwiches.

I've baked egg bites and cornbread in it and made kale chips in it (it's very good at crisping kale.) 😋

I've seen folks make crazy things in it, like soup.

I would like to try baking a pie in it, I know, that's silly but I think it will work.

It's easy to clean, too! 😺

Show threadcheetah_spottycatJun 13, 2024
@whitequark And if you're not disabled, get an air fryer anyway. It's awesome for exactly the same reasons.
Show threadCalicoday Jun 13, 2024
@whitequark I'm absolutely team air fryer! I stopped eating meals a while ago bc I can't do all the prep/coordinating. But it's so easy to make meal components on the fly, I get hot food more now.
Show threadMrBadAxeJun 13, 2024

@whitequark can agree that getting an air fryer has been a game changer.

* some foods cook faster
* in some cases eliminates the "take everything out and turn it over" step
* allows me to cook using 100% renewable electricity instead of my natural-gas range

Problems with mine: cheap no-name brand, flimsy basket handle already broken and difficult to replace. Imprecise dials for timer/temp. Tops out at 395F when so many foods need >400.

Was free tho. Will #investInQuality next time.

Show threadJoy Aliza DenebeimJun 13, 2024
@whitequark same for the instant pot. And there's actually an instant pot with a air fryer on it
Show threadlloydJun 14, 2024

@whitequark
+1 on the air fryer

I moved my most complicated meal to the start of the day instead of leaving it to the end of the day because it wasn't going to get made otherwise.

I saw John Kirkwood on YouTube use a cutout of baking paper as a single use insert the other day and it seemed to work for me. I don't see single use inserts available for sale here in NZ.