My Favorite Kitchen Tools for Health and Eating Clean
Certain tools make preparing and cooking healthy foods more pleasurable, economic and fun. Here are a few of my favorites:
Vitamix
I LOVE my Vitamix! I make healthy and delicious hummus, soups, smoothies, dips, sauces, dressings and marinades, and deserts, plus I can chop fruits and vegetables too. I’m able to make clean, nutritious, whole foods. My mixer saves me money and time and guarantees me the freshest, most whole foods available. Check it out at vitamix.com
Pressure Cooker
I remember watching my mother-in-law use her pressure cooker decades ago and the thought of using one scared me senseless. I heard horror stories about people getting burned and the pot exploding. Fast-forward about five years and I picked one from a friend who wasn’t using her brand new “innova” pressure cooker. I read the directions (yes, I actually read the whole brochure – something I have a hard time doing at times), went on-line to learn more, and decided to try it out. And, oh my, I just love it!
When I used to make my beans, I would have to soak them over night and cook them for hours and hours. I was willing to do this because beans are SO good for you and by making them myself I saved a ton of money. Not to mention, I was sure that there were no bad-for-you ingredients in my homemade beans. But I found myself avoiding the chore and those great recipes because it was so labor intensive. Now, I pop in chickpeas for hummus, beans for a plethora of recipes and even some organic meats to cook them quickly and make them very tender.
Electric Coffee Grinder
It’s not what you think. Although I grind organic coffee beans each morning for my morning java, I use a second grinder for herbs and garlic. The chopper works great and it does a much better job then I can do with my knife.
A Few Good Knives
I tell my clients all the time… “you don’t have to be a great cook to be healthy, you need to be a great chopper-upper.” A great portion of my food each day is chopped up and either eaten raw or cooked into soups. Using good knives makes my job (and it is a job, a very important one!) of creating healthy meals and snacks for my family much easier. I am still learning which knife to use for different chopping jobs. When I use the right knife, it becomes easier and easier to do a better, faster job of it. So, research and purchase a few good knives and be sure to keep them sharp.
My Stone Baking Sheet
I purchased my first stone baking sheet from Pampered Chef a few years ago and I just love it. It’s natural, gets better with age, and makes baking on it a pleasure. I make whole-wheat pizzas, oatmeal protein bars, and oven-grilled vegetables.
My Bread Maker
I bought a bread maker about 15 years ago and I make healthy whole grain breads, whole grain pizza dough, and jams from fresh fruits. Yummy!
What’s your favorite healthy kitchen tool that you can’t live without?