Now that you’ve created a meal plan and shopping list full of healthy food — fruits, veggies, whole grains, beans, nuts/seeds, healthy fats, and lean protein — it’s time to get serious about your kitchen tools. I believe having a well-stocked kitchen (both with food and cooking tools) makes healthy cooking much more enjoyable (and easier)!
Below are a few of my go-to kitchen tools for healthy cooking:
Spiralizer
Turning veggies into “noodles” using a spiralizer is such a fun way to boost your veggie intake. Making veggie “noodle” dishes like my Sauteed Asparagus with Zucchini Noodles and Spinach Pesto or splitting regular noodle dishes with some veggie noodles is a great way to add extra veggies, especially for kids!
Blender
I use my Vitamix nearly every day for making green smoothies! Blending up fruits and veggies makes boosting the produce in your diet super easy. Check out some of my favorite blenderized recipes: Chia Fresca with Pineapple and Turmeric, Clean Eating Cauliflower Soup, and Tarragon Berry Smoothie.
Grater/Zester
I use my zester all the time to add fresh lemon zest and grated garlic into dishes – it brightens up dishes like my Quinoa Salad Formula Meals, Lima Bean Saute with Basmati Rice, and Energy Ball Formula Meals without adding any fat, salt, or calories.
Mason Jars
Mason jars make it easy to portion-control things like yogurt or smoothies, and are great vessels for storing overnight oats, chia pudding, and anything else that needs to sit overnight. I like assembling my Banana Chia Pudding with Almond Crumb Topping and Chia and Oatmeal Breakfast Bowl with Cherries in mason jars to have for breakfast on the go the next morning. I also use Mason jars to shake up salad dressing and other sauces.
Cast Iron Skillet
Cooking in a seasoned cast-iron skillet means you don’t need to pour in as much oil to keep things like eggs and veggies from sticking. I have a few pans, a mini one for my Wild Blueberry Skillet Pancakes and an 8-inch pan that’s perfect for making sautes like my favorite Asparagus and White Bean Saute and these amazingly delicious Tempeh Skillet Enchiladas. You can also make casserole type dishes in your cast iron skillet, like my take on scalloped potatoes.
Avo Saver
Nobody likes a brown avocado, right? I’ve had my avo saver since 2009 and have used it almost every day. It’s not only super sturdy, it does exactly what it’s supposed to do: it keeps my unused avocado fresh! This little gadget is a must-have if you love avocados as much as I do!
Citrus Juicer
This one seems kind of indulgent, but I use it ALL THE TIME! I get so much more juice out of my lemons and limes than if I squeezed them myself, plus my hands stay clean. When I do cooking demonstrations, my lemon squeezer is the number one tool I’m asked about.
Fitted Bowl Covers
I know what you’re thinking. Are those shower caps? Yup, they sure are (at least they look like it). I love these bowl covers! They come in handy all the time when I’m storing food in bowls that have no lids. They’re perfect for my daughter — who always seems to leave 3 bites of food in every bowl. They’re also great for storing leftover batter, mixes, and sauces. The best part is that they’re reusable, I just rinse them off and let them air dry overnight. They say you can microwave with them, but I never microwave plastic anything!
Steamer Basket
I love turning my favorite Le Creuset sauce pan into a steamer! Although perfect for steaming veggies, I mostly use my steamer basket when I’m cooking with tempeh. Steaming the tempeh for a few minutes softens it and removes any bitterness. It also makes it super moist and delicious. Tempeh is one of my favorite meat substitutes and perfect for healthing up dishes like Tempeh Taco Salad and Kung Pao Tempeh.
