Shapes are ninja...

Being able to cook is not everyones forte. Some people know they can't cook and resort to take-out or pre-packaged food. Some people are great chefs who cook in their own home restaurant every night. And then there are people like me, who think they cook well until they watch Junior Master Chef on tv and it becomes apparent that they are no more than a big novice in the kitchen.

When I was minature, my priorities in life were walking, talking and collecting caterpillars and I thought myself very ambitious for the time. However these little super power people at the same age were caramalising nuts, whipping up a souffle and preparing a beef wellington for dinner. It's discouraging for my cooking skills and technique but encouraging to see the bright people who will soon be running our world.

Being a rookie chef, I have found a little secret to making food more appealing. The shapes have it! The solution to average cooking is shapes. If the food resembles an identified familiar object, you get instant smiles and the food is likely to be well received.

Food imitating life, a philosophy for amateur chefs to come.

Perception is king. If the food looks inviting then you already start feeling good about it. So for the not so good cooks, I've got an easy fix 3-step solution to cooking.

1. Make a basic food
2. Utilise your range of cookie cutter shapes
3. Think of a fun name.

Voila! People love that its fun and forget about the quality of food.                                        These work a charm.

Pancake Farm - Pancake mix in the shape of barnyard animals.
Starry Night Tatas - Potatoes carved in the shape of stars.
Chicken Love - Crumbed chicken cut out like little hearts. Awwww shux.
Pizzagon - Easy! Cut the base of the pizza into a hexagon and carry on as usual.
Alphabet Fruit - Melons work well with cut-out shapes.
Fairy bread - In the shape of...wait for it...fairies.
Ninja Cookies - Biscuits in the shape of ninjas. Loser gets eaten.
The all famous Smiley Breakfast - Fried egg eyes, buttered mushroom nose, bacon smiley mouth and rosy tomato cheeks. yummo!

If you are the grand chef at home but you cook the same meal every, say Tuesday, you can make it fun by adding shapes to the meal. For example in minestrone soup, you could use alphabet pasta. Just a little change for a lot of fun.

Although shaped food may encourage people to play with their food, it also makes it enjoyable, sparks a smile, initiates laughter and can create a big mess. But then what is life if you don't get a little bit messy.

Olives x