When we chose our current house after a whirlwind two weeks of showings in 2008, I told my husband it would do, but only if we could renovate the kitchen in 2-4 years. Life intervened, and here we are twelve years later finally starting the process.

We had originally planned to work through the late spring and early summer, but like many other things in life, COVID interfered.

When we first started getting the project going in early 2020 the timeline looked like we would begin in late May or early June the weather would have been warm and it seemed like the best option to set up a cooking station in the garage. (My other option was the basement, but better ventilation for cooking during warm weather seemed like a good idea.) We even installed a magnetic screen over the garage door to allow better air flow and to keep bugs out.

Last week we had demo, and today the electricians have begun wiring for recessed and pendant lighting, and adding additional outlets.

Fortunately our garage is fairly well insulated and the boiler is located out there as well, so even if we get a cold snap I’m hoping a space heater or two will be enough to keep us from freezing. Or rather, me from freezing while I cook.

As we moved a few cabinets, the fridge, my small rolling island and bakers rack and our kitchen table out to the garage, my vision started to take shape. Here’s what I’ll be cooking with for the next 6-8 weeks:

• Instant pot
• Air fryer
• Double burner hot plate
• Crock pot
• Laundry sink, located just off the garage, for dishes

Here’s what I don’t have access to:

• Stove
• Oven
• Microwave (which I rarely use anyway)
• Dishwasher 

While I usually do a lot of cooking, throughout the planning process I had intended to be a bit lazy and not cook every day. I had planned to supplement our diet with salads and a lot of prepared foods from Trader Joe’s as well as the occasional take-out. Unfortunately we had a minor health diagnosis within the family a few weeks back that caused me to rethink this.

Fixing health problems with whole food, supplements, homeopathy and lifestyle changes is what I DO, and I simply couldn’t ignore these principals for my own convenience.  

Thus began my adventure in preparing healthy, fresh and low-carb meals for my family in my Gourmet Garage.

In this series I’ll be sharing my successes and failures as I cook every meal in my garage with limited access to large appliances and an outlet that can only support one small appliance at a time. I’ll be calling on every camping cooking hack I ever used, and a bit of creativity too.

Living with no kitchen for two months may not be fun, but I’m determined to make the best of it and to keep my family healthy in the process.

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Love and Light,
Elizabeth