I am so thrilled with my new kitchen! It has so much light! The kitchen in my apartment was so small and dark that it was impossible to photograph anything while it was cooking. Even photographing finished plates was a challenge I didn’t often have the energy to take on. So I am over the moon excited to introduce you to the new Shoots and Roots kitchen space!
The first thing you will notice about this kitchen is the abundance of light. Today is a dark stormy day, but I still have SO MUCH LIGHT! This is fantastic because I would love to start including videos on my blog this year and that can’t happen without a lot of light. I have started collecting little plants that will eventually make it outside. Right now they are living on the counter near the sink. They make me happy to look at and the lemon thyme smells divine.
Next, we move onto the refrigerator. This is by far the nicest fridge I have ever had. I got it used from my new neighbor for about 75% off of the original price and it’s less than 2 years old! I am super excited to be able to stock up on frozen foods that are on sale, something I was never able to do before, as well as having space to store all the different things I need for new recipes! I use glass Pyrex baking dishes to hold raw meats that are thawing or to hold leftovers or foods that are about to expire and need to be eaten. I have found that if the kids and I can see it when we open the fridge we are more likely to eat it. Things that get pushed to the back of the fridge or are left in drawers go to waste more often. The freezer is organized into meats on the bottom where it is coldest and veggies near the top. We also keep chocolate in the freezer because it gets so hot in the summer that it will melt! Looks like someone was sneaking some chocolate chips last night…
The pantry is gigantic for just the three of us, but I am okay with that because it means I can be more organized and it will look cleaner, even when I haven’t cleaned it. I use bins and canisters to store most items that are used regularly. Snacks are near the bottom so my son doesn’t climb up the shelves to get what he’s looking for. Baking and dry goods like rice and lentils are on the middle shelves within easy reach of my daughter who likes to cook different microwave “in a cup” recipes late at night when she can’t sleep. I reserve the top shelf for oils, syrup, alcohol, and other things the kids don’t use or which need monitoring.
The bar is where we are eating most of our dinners these days. The kids and I haven’t had a proper eating area for years due to a lack of space. We all ate in the living room around the coffee table, which was fine for a while, but I am so happy to have a proper space again. I also have a bulletin board displaying some of my favorite photos and small pieces of art that make me happy.
Across the kitchen is the stove and my coffee nook. I have become quite a coffee drinker over the last couple of years and invested in an espresso machine last year to try to cut down on Starbucks. I’m still trying to master that perfect Starbucks mocha latte so if you have any tips please leave them in the comments! Hopefully this year I’ll figure it out and post the process.
Lastly is my favorite part of the kitchen! The window! It looks out to the backyard so I can watch my son play outside. Its decorated with some of my favorite stones and crystals and is also the new home of my succulents. On a side note, that soap is new from Target and it smells heavenly!!
I hope you enjoyed my kitchen tour! It’s not perfect and still needs some work, but we absolutely love it! My first recipe in my new kitchen will be published soon so keep an eye out!
If you would like to subscribe to my blog you can click the Sign Me Up! button in the box to the right of this post! Also if you want to get some behind the scenes action you can follow me on Instagram at www.instagram.com/melissa_beach
Shoots and Roots 
Wow! Beautiful light! Can’t wait to see all the yummy food you create.