Due to the busy lives we all lead now time available is key, so there isn’t always time to cook a three-course meal, therefore we opt to fill up with unwholesome ready meals, a takeaway, or calorie laden snacks.

Now however Sistema’s brand new microwave range, enables you to eat more healthily and conveniently.

Their extraordinary new collection of ‘Klip It Microwave’ products provide the latest innovations in cooking and storage solutions.

The range is specifically designed to promote healthy eating to fit in with today’s busy lifestyles:

• All the containers are adaptable, as the trays can be removed in order to store and then re-heat pastas, bolognaise curries and much, much more.

• The new range is also ideal for freezing food and storing leftovers.

• Perfect for the winter months when a good stew is exactly what you need to warm you up.

These microwaves offer a resourceful cooking solution, with 3 steamer products, 3 plate products (complete with an inner tray excellent for cooking meats and fish). There is also a brilliant Soup to Go mug that is just perfect for taking to work and keeping at the office.

Statistics show that 93% of households now own a microwave? It’s now accepted as an efficient, faster and more nutritional method of cooking.

Microwaving with Sistema offers the following benefits:

• It’s fast and convenient.

• Generally, cooking food takes a quarter of the time in the microwave than it does in your conventional oven.

• Natural flavours are retained in the food.

• More nutrititous, as reduced cooking time means more vitamins and minerals are retained. Vegetables steamed in the microwave are much healthier than when boiled in a pan.

• It’s economical your microwave uses less electrical wattage than your conventional oven, and you’re cooking for a much shorter time.

The ‘Klip It Microwave’range is now available from Amazon UK, and many more UK retailers. See online list.

For Further information and to view the whole range of Sistema’s Klip It microwave products, please visit the website.

The popularity of clean lines achieved with sleek wide white slab doors, as featured on Betta Living’s new Dallas range (shown here), is showing no sign of slowing, as this key kitchen trend finds new ways to stay ahead in the fashion stakes.

Simple yet striking styling touches and use of colour, can turn a plain white kitchen into a design statement and make it extremely en-vogue for 2011:

Wide Drawer Base Units
Apart from being practical, the wide drawer base units deliver a designer look, enhanced by sleek curved stainless steel handles.

Statement Worktops
The 30mm thin profile of the granite worktop is a current trend, rather than chunkier worktops from a couple of years ago. The overhang provides a handy bar height seating area for casual dining and is a key new styling feature for kitchens.

Sapphire Blue Glass Splashback Teamed With Oak Flooring Creates a Calming Effect
Inject colour into a white kitchen with coloured glass splashbacks. Sapphire blue creates a calming effect when teamed with this light oak wood effect flooring.

Mood Lighting – a vital ingredient in kitchen design
The room is flooded with natural light from the large roof lights but plinth lights provide additional softer lighting - ideal mood lighting for entertaining.

What’s Cooking In Kitchens - Dual Ovens & Island Hobs
The two main appliances that are in high demand right now are the induction hob, frequently being designed into a central island unit rather than along wall worktops; and additional steam ovens alongside conventional ovens, to provide a choice of cooking facilities.

A Hot And Practical Solution
Vertical radiators are a good space saving solution in the kitchen.

Betta Living’s Dallas kitchen is priced at just £2,471 for an average sized kitchen (based on a guide layout and in Betta Living’s 70% sale), with a 600mm base unit from £262.50.

Betta Living has 20 showrooms, 25 pop up stores and offers free, no obligation design consultations in customer’s homes throughout the UK, to ensure its kitchens are designed to individual, exacting needs and budget.

For more information on Betta Living’s Dallas kitchen, please visit the website.

Tel:    0800 269 945 for a free home design consultation.

Upgrading the kitchen is currently the most popular home improvement and the organisers of The Kitchen & Bathroom Show, at the Harrogate International Centre from 5th to 7th November, have come up with some great top tips to help you create that dream kitchen.

Also if you’re looking to extend, improve, enhance or even build your own home, then pay a visit to the co-located Homebuilding & Renovating Show with over 200 exhibitors.
Tickets to The Kitchen and Bathroom Show give entry to both Shows.

Create a Personal Storyboard
Start by imagining yourself in the kitchen and think about the way you like to cook, entertain or spend time with friends and family. Cut out pictures of kitchens that inspire you, collect samples and build up a storyboard of styles, appliances, colours and materials. Add an outline plan of your kitchen with dimensions and positions of windows and doors. Now you’re ready to speak to the experts.

Get Advice from the Experts
Take your storyboard to one or two kitchen design experts – most good kitchen companies offer this service; the best ones ask you lots of questions about your home, lifestyle and tastes, to build up a clear picture of what you are looking for.

Then Visit The Kitchen & Bathroom Show and book a one-to-one consultation at The Kitchen & Bathroom Design Experience, an individual design, advice and information centre with experts from The Kitchen, Bedroom, Bathroom Specialists Association.

Consider the Golden Triangle
The golden triangle connects the three main work areas – the sink, cooker and fridge and the principle of the ideal ‘work triangle’ is that these appliances are no more than 2.7 metres from one another. The space between should be kept clear of obstructions and cabinets so that you have no restriction of movement when you’re cooking.

Working the Surfaces
Choosing the right work surfaces is an all important decision, as they often define the ‘look’ of a kitchen. And remember you can never have enough!

Creating the Mood with Lighting
Separate your lighting into zones to meet the needs of the different areas in your kitchen. Bright lights should be focused directly over your work triangle with the option of softer lighting over the dining and/or relaxation area.

Your dream kitchen should reflect your personality and lifestyle and meet your future needs. Having a bespoke kitchen isn’t always a more expensive option so do consider the individual kitchen design companies that can’t be found on the High Street.

If you’re looking for the latest innovations and inspirational designs, then a visit to the UK’s only dedicated Kitchen & Bathroom Show, at the Harrogate International Centre from 5th to 7th November is a must.

Tickets to The Kitchen & Bathroom Show are £5 in advance and £8 on the day (children under 16 go free).

For more information please visit the show website.
Tel: (0844) 5811306.

LG’s new SolarCube microwave enables you to cook healthily and at light-speed.

LG Electronics (LG), a global leading innovator of home appliances, reveals the new SolarCube microwave featuring special Lightwave and steam technology to cook food quickly and healthily.

Simply prepare your food and select the correct setting, to enjoy all the benefits of steam cooking better than ever before. Not only does it keep your meal fresher, it also penetrates your food removing excess fat while locking in those essential nutrients.

The new SolarCube will save up to 40% of energy compared to conventional units, and gives a cooking time that is three times faster.

Coupled with the clever steam technology, the SolarCube uses Lightwave technology, where powerful halogen lights cook the outside layers of your food as well as the inside. This innovative feature means that your meal will be ready in minutes while staying moist, tender and bursting with flavour.

How the technology inside the SolarCube microwave works:

• Lightwave – this technology uses powerful halogen bulbs to cook the outside of the food like a conventional oven, as well as penetrating the inside of the meal ensuring it is perfectly cooked in the middle, as well as being crispy on the outside. All in the speediest way you can imagine!
• Steam- Steam is by far the healthiest way to cook, it locks in all of the essential nutrients we need while even removing excess fat.
  You can switch the steam on and off when needed and even combine it with the oven and grill modes for food that tastes super fresh.
• Taste Saver – this feature will keep your food warm and in pristine condition for a whole 90 minutes.
• Easy cleaning – steam cooking makes cleaning the microwave much easier, simply wipe the inside of the microwave after cooking, and you can even take advantage of the automatic drying, which you can set to kick in after steam cooking meal

For more information on the new SolarCube microwave, please visit the LG Electronics website.

Sub-Zero & Wolf believe incorporating different materials and textures in the kitchen, is a clever way to highlight and contrast design features.

The stark minimalist kitchen is waning in popularity and through 2010 a stylish mix-and-match approach will emerge:

• Stainless steel appliances will be teamed with a variety of raw materials, textures and colours, for example; wood, glass, concrete and exposed features such as brick work.

• The combination of different materials including flooring, cabinetry, work surfaces, and interesting spaces.

• Warm coloured wood is being used with rich and sophisticated grains, providing an elegant canvas to the kitchen.

• Sleek stainless steel appliances juxtapose well against the range of diverse surfaces, offering an industrial feel with a technological edge.

• Alternatively, appliances can be cleverly concealed using integrated cabinetry to blend with the scheme, for limitless design possibilities.

Featured here, is the stylish mix of the Sub-Zero wine storage with refrigeration drawers. Priced from £7,457.75 inc. VAT, and

The 700 Series units, priced from £6,656.00 inc. VAT.

Sub-Zero & Wolf are suppliers of  world-leading product ranges in Europe.

Their aim is to help you achieve the best possible design and performance for modern living.

They possess a winning blend of experience and superior quality products that are sure to inspire you and promise uncompromising service, care and maintenance, to foster your life-long relationship with their products.

Visit the Sub-Zero & Wolf website to be inspired.

Tel: (0845 250 0010)

Providing a plethora of options for consumers, Caple has launched the high performance C2217SS to cater for a wider range of tastes.

Responding to consumer’s wishes, Caple has updated its portfolio of ovens, to include a new range of ovens with push pull control knobs.

Danny Lay, Sales Director comments, “Designers have consistently been pushing touch screen controls to conform to streamlined kitchen trends.

However, we have found that although customers desire the sleek and contemporary style that this affords, a significant proportion of them prefer operating their oven using push pull knobs.

By launching the C2217SS, we hope to combine modern aesthetics with push pull knobs to provide an option for every consumer”.

Featuring a distinctive blend of stainless steel and black glass, the new oven will create a focal point in any kitchen.

Ideal for sophisticated contemporary styles, the bold C2217SS coordinates well with both popular stainless steel appliances and the latest craze for black finishes.

The new oven is packed with features, including:

• Treble glazed doors and heat reflective glass, to ensure that the oven is cool to the touch on the exterior.

• Achieving powerful results, the ‘A’ energy rated oven has 9 functions including; light, defrost, conventional, turbo conventional, top heat, turbo base heat, fan heat, grill and turbo grill.

• Providing the end user with plenty of space, the oven has a 56-litre capacity.

• Other useful features include; closed door grilling, tangential cooling fan and a programmable electric timer.

The C2217SS oven retails from £369 including VAT.

For further information, please visit the Caple website.
Tel: (0117) 938 1900

From September 17th to October 10th, AGA will be celebrating the 300th anniversary of its foundry at Coalbrookdale, with a host of special events in its network of shops around the UK.

It’s 300 years since famed engineer Abraham Darby first smelted coke with iron ore at the landmark Shropshire foundry, sparking the Industrial Revolution that changed forever how we live.

To mark the anniversary, AGA shops around the country will become true destination venues, as they line up a series of events for all the family, each designed to be informative and fun.

Fun for all the family
Around the country AGA Open Month will feature themed demonstrations, special evening events, hands-on cookery sessions and much more. The anniversary celebrations will take place over four Fridays and Saturdays, with each weekend having a dedicated theme…

• September 25-26 will feature the best of regional dishes, with the opportunity to learn how to cook the finest local cuisine and a number of competitions for young cooks

• October 2-3 will be about food from local producers. There will be AGA tips and advice, master-classes on getting the best out of seasonal vegetables, as well as activities for children, such as a ‘design your own AGA’ competition.

• October 9-10 will revolve around cast-iron cooking favourites, such as soups, stews and warming winter dishes. Highlights will include recipe ideas and tips on getting the best out of your cookware.

Fantastic offers throughout AGA Open Month:

The AGA open month will also feature a number of special offers for AGA customers. They include:

• 3-for-2 offers on all cast-iron cookware plus 10% off all other AGA cookware.

• 20% off Fired Earth kitchens and tiles when purchased in conjunction with an AGA Authentic Upgrade, which allows older models to become fully programmable.

• Technical advice will be available every Saturday throughout Open Month, with specialist AGA engineers in store.

For further information – and for contact details of AGA shops throughout the UK visit:

Web: http://www.aga-web.co.uk

See Below for AGA’s Energy-saving Upgrade

The timetable of events to mark the 300th anniversary of AGA’s Coalbrookdale foundry, coincides with the launch of a programme to transform older AGAs everywhere.

With a simple upgrade, owners of older cookers will be able to take advantage of new technology, offering considerable savings on energy use and running costs.

The nationwide upgrade campaign – called the Authentic AGA Upgrade Programme, offers retro-fit programmable burners to the owners of oil, gas and electric AGA cookers.

These authentic AGA burners, used in conjunction with a state-of-the-art programmer – fitted by a qualified engineer, allows owners to programme their cookers, to suit their lifestyle and to save both money and energy.

For further information and for contact details of AGA shops throughout the UK visit:

Web: http://www.aga-web.co.uk

Whirlpool’s latest Fusion and Glamour built-in single oven collections, are not only stunning to look at, they are also packed with high-tech features that will make cooking enjoyable for even the most reluctant cooks.

The new built-in ovens showcase the very latest in kitchen design trends:

Models in the four-strong Fusion collection combine stainless steel and glass with an integrated handle to provide a streamlined effect.
Pictured here is the AKZM 657 Fusion pyrolytic multi function oven.
•Estimated price: £700.

Whilst the AKZM 693 Glamour oven, features a sleek full glass door, with a touch control user interface that enables you to keep a close eye on your culinary delights.
The built-in ovens in the Fusion (selected models) and Glamour ranges incorporate Whirlpool’s unique 6th Sense technology, to provide perfect cooking results with minimum fuss.

Sensors are used to detect the weight of the food that is being cooked, as well as the precise temperature in the oven.

The 6th Sense technology then adapts the cooking time and controls the cooking process as required, providing regular progress updates.

The ovens also feature a 6th Sense Menu with 30 pre-programmed recipes, which enable you to cook a variety of dishes from lasagnes to roast chicken perfectly.
Just select the recipe and the oven does the rest!

Other beneficial features:

Multi-function cooking: This function enables you to cook different food types to perfection, by offering a wide variety of cooking methods. A Energy Class: The ovens in these collections are super insulated in order to retain heat, save energy and reduce the cooking times.
67 litres capacity: Extra large capacity adds to the overall cooking experience.
Ready2cook: The oven reaches the set temperature in seconds due to a new improved convection system.

Further details of the models in the Fusion and Glamour collections can be found at:

Web: http://www.whirlpool.co.uk
Tel: (0870) 600 8989

The Cuisinart Cook & Hold Slow Cooker enables you to prepare your main dish in the morning, so that a delicious meal is just minutes away, when you come home from a hard day.

Easy to use, the Cuisinart Slow Cookers are perfect for a variety of delicious meals including, stews, casseroles, braised meats, lasagne, chilli con carne, pot roasts, soups and delectable desserts.

Cooking food slowly is also a great way to preserve all the nutrients and flavour of your ingredients.

The cookers are available in two sizes, a large six and a half litre, ideal for large families, or the four-litre version, for busy couples and small families.

Extremely easy to use, there are just two heat settings to choose from, low and high and a timer, which will switch to hold to keep your food warm for you, when it has finished cooking.

The shiny black removable cooking pot can be lifted straight out, allowing you to place it straight on the table and a removable rack allows you to cook individual ramekins of pâté, mousse or mini stews.

Cuisinart Cook & Hold 4 Litre - RRP £59.00.

Cuisinart Cook & Hold 6.5 Litre - RRP £69.00.

The Cuisinart Slow Cookers benefit from a five-year guarantee.

Stockists
Available from John Lewis, House of Fraser, Selfridges, Harrods and good independent cookware specialists.

Web: http://www.cuisinart.co.uk
Tel: (0870) 240 6902