I'm not using my thermi as much as I though I would

[Emma H]

I'm deffinatly not using my thermomix a much as I thought I would
I even go days without using it a lot of the time
What can I do to use it more?
In summer we are very much salad and meat people, hubby is now eating healthier so not even baking cookies etc for
Him
We have a nearly 4 yo daughter and I'm due in 3 weeks with our second daughter, I know I will get a lot of use when it comes to baby food, but if all I'm using it for is smoothies and baby food(when that time comes) I'm not getting the most out of it am I

[achookwoman]

Emma,  perhaps your body is doing what it should and concentrating on the new baby.  A couple of suggestions,  maybe Risotto, Salads (don't over process), some healthy main meals are posted on this Forum,  soups and breads.  Don't panic,  your TMX will still be there when you have the energy to think about how you can use it. 

[cookie1]

I agree with Chookie Emma. You have a lot on your mind/body at the moment. When your daughter goes to school you will probably be making her a healthy snack for recess. During the summer months I often stew stone fruit in the TMX, and make a custard to have with it. You can reduce the sugar right down in the EDC custard (I only use 50g) and use skim milk to make it.
You could even add some gelatine to the stewed fruit and make it a cooling jelly.
I always cook my rice and pasta in it.
How about some of the 'all in one ' meals like Baf's Chicken?

[007rocket]

I menu plan so I know that it will be used each day, we also eat pretty healthy and I find I can balance out a good variety of meals. Even if we are having a salad, I use the TMX for the marinade and dressing ( Tenina has some lovely ones that I use often). If we (husband and I) are having a salad, I'll then use the TMX to make the kids (5 & 1) dinner, which is usually a pasta or risotto.

[Halex]

We are healthy eaters too.

I make fried rice without frying regularly in my TM, sometimes its only veggies, other times eggs & meat. I am sure your 4 year would love it, goes well with bbqs too.

Yogurts is another good healthy money saving food.
Coleslaw in seconds, look up some recipes on here next time you have a little sit down.

I am just about to start mango sorbet.
Hally

[Mezza39]

We are very low carb in our house, especially for dinner, but I use the thermie for banana bread as a treat for the kids, and given they eat the lot in about 2 days, I seem to be using it all the time, as well as for marinades and curry pastes (which is really why I bought it!).

Try making tomato ragu, soups and sauces for steak and chicken which will fit in more with the summer lifestyle and still get daily use from the TM.

My DW is very cynical about the purchase, so I have to use it everyday to justify it!

[mcmich]

Just concentrate on having your baby for now. If salad is the family choice of meal now, then so be it.
The thermomix is always going to be there as will the forum. Access it as you have the time.

[Emma H]

Thanx everyone!
I've had it about 10 weeks do far?
And I think part of not using it much is my apatite has been really low, so not thinking about cooking.
I actually felt like dinner tonight do just made Tuna pasta bake thanx to thermie

I will deff look for some more salad and salad dressing ideas and marinades for meat 
And your right I will start to make things for When our daughter starts kindy next year, lol of I have the time with a new born

[wombat]

I find it is normal to be like that.
The whole thermie thing can be a bit daunting at first.  Just start with one or two basics once a week and then build on it. Just one extra recipe a week quickly adds up.
Ive had mine for about 6 months now and have only just made the stock concentrate!!! After saying that though, I use mine at least 6 days out of 7 and some days I use it about 4 - 5 times.
My regular weekly things run out to Hummus, LSA, breadcrumbs, pasta dough and sauce, bolagnaise, cheese sauce, steamed vegies and soups in winter.
Just think, what am I still cooking on my cooktop? Apart from pan frying, everything else should be in the thermie.
It does get a lot easier.

[judydawn]

Have you checked out our salad section Emma - some nice ones there as well as in the EDC.  Even if you are just making a potato salad, you can dice the potatoes and steam them in the basket.  You can even pop some eggs in the basket too to either add to the potato salad or serve on their own.  All these little things add up to the TMX being put to good use every day.

[CarolineW]

Hi Emma,
I've just seen your post after about a month of not visiting the forum (very unusual for me).

I'd just like to agree with what the others have said.  I love my Thermomix and wouldn't be without it (in fact in my ideal world I'd have 2!), and I use it multiple times per day on most days.

The exception is when I'm pregnant.  I don't want to think about food, am not very hungry, hate cooking, have no brain, etc etc.  You may well have had your baby by now as you were due in 3 weeks (if you have, congratulations!).  If you are like me, it is then pretty much the same as when you were pregnant for the first month or so.  Then everything starts to click in again (well, can't honestly say that my brain fully kicks back in!!!) and the thermomix becomes fun again. 

It makes excellent, healthy burgers - and make the bread rolls for it too, it's so very easy.  I'm sure by now you've already looked at the salads and dressings section.  Breakfast smoothies were a lifesaver for me in the first few months after my 2nd daughter was born.  They were quick and easy to make, no matter how demanding the little one was being, and gave me a vitamin and energy hit to set me up for the day and restore me after a (very) disturbed night.  Sorbets are also excellent and healthy for all the family.  They are so quick and easy to make.

Hope these ideas help.

[cecilia]

Dear Emma,
To all these wonderful ideas, I would add the suggestion to attend a Thermomix cooking class if there is one near to you.  Who is the friend who introduced you to the Thermomix?  Maybe that person would go with you to the cc, or else look after your little one so that you could attend with your DH.  Another idea might be to treat yourself to a new TMX cookbook?