12 Great Kitchen Tools for Preparing Real Food

Cooking real food requires working with real ingredients–no surprise there.  It calls for a bit more than opening a can.  And while my can opener still sees some action, the more I cook, the more I find other kitchen tools that make my life easier and, dare I say it, more fun?

I’m treading on dangerous ground here.  Already outlet space is at a premium.  We have 5 small, electrical appliances taking up valuable counter space.  To reach the phone we literally have to slip our hand between two of them.

But plugged in or not, I have several kitchen tools that I use every day or close to it.  I chose 12 that deserve special mention for their usefulness in preparing healthy food for my family.  From low-brow to high-end (sort of, it all depends on your perspective) here they are:

1.  Oil can.  Love having my olive oil at hand when and where I need it.  It sits “stoveside” for ease of access. Great for filming a saute pan or drizzling over pasta.

2.  Pepper grinder.  There’s nothing to match freshly ground pepper.  Great on pasta, soups, salads, pizza, in sandwiches–wherever!

3.  Finger bowl for salt.  While my salt bowl certainly looks attractive, it serves an actual purpose.  When seasoning food to taste, I enjoy having a small bowl of coarse salt handy  to sprinkle on dishes as needed.

4.  Digital scale.  Many recipes give weight in addition to cup measurements.  More accurate in baking.  I find I use it so much I just leave it on the counter (whoops, more counter space gone).  Trivia:  about 24 almonds=1 oz.

5.  Stainless measuring cups/spoons.  Daily use.  Just got a new set for Christmas!  I finally got that 2/3 cup measure I’ve been doing without forever.  I feel so decadent.

6.  Food processor.  I bought this years ago.  Jim was dubious.  But I really use it.  The slicing blade makes for great coleslaw, potatoes just the right thinness for gratin, apples ready for pie.  The dough blade has saved me tons of time making breads, pizza, bagels, etc.  It even makes nut butters!

7.  Compost Can.  Since we’re eating more fruits and vegetables than ever, we’ve seen an explosion in the amount of trimmings.  Rather than throw them in a plastic bag to haul to the dump, we throw them outside to decompose.

8.  Silicone baking mats.  I love using these.  Don’t need to oil pans this way for baking projects.  Great for “drying” grains for salads.  Making fruit leather every summer has never been easier.  I hear they’ve come out with round ones.  Looking forward to trying them.

9.  Citrus press.  This was a present from Sam a few years ago.  I didn’t know I needed it until I had it.  Lots of fresh Meyer lemons at the market right now.  The juice really brightens the flavor of cooked vegetables and makes for some lovely salad dressings.

10.  Julienne peeler.  I bought one for myself not too long ago.  I love to julienne vegis for sandwiches and salads.  Raw carrots and beets look particularly nice.  Great for sushi fillings too.

11.  Good quality knives.  Probably the most useful and “high-end” tool we’ve got.  Get a good set.  If you have to choose, make sure you have good paring and serrated bread knives.

12.  Roasting pans.  Ours are nothing fancy.  Three sizes–small, medium and large. Older than the hills.  We roast vegetables and nuts frequently.  Couldn’t live without them.

This list is not exhaustive by any means, but I have to draw the line somewhere. If I had made it a baker’s dozen, I would have included my old, dented aluminum colander–which sees plenty of action.

Cooking is personal.  What works for you?  What tools of the trade do you swear by?

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5 Healthy Resolutions to Ring in the New Year

It’s that time of year again…

Ever since Sam was in kindergarten we’ve been making New Year’s resolutions a family affair.  I would carefully record everyone’s plans on paper and stuff them away in a manila envelope until the next year. Then we would look back on what we had hoped to accomplish–and see how we measured up.

This turned out to be more of a time capsule than a useful tool for actually meeting hoped for goals.  It’s been interesting–and often worth a laugh or two–to look back on what was important in our lives the year before, but we’re ready to crank it up this year. Take it to the next level.

We’re ready to try to accomplish something.

And if you and your loved ones want to be healthier, happier, and better looking (if it’s possible) than you currently are, here are a few resolutions that you could stick with–for life.

I can think of 5 to choose from that would make a big difference:

1.  Eliminate soda, sports drinks, flavored waters and juice.  Number one place to begin.  Did you know Americans consume twice the recommended amount of sugar?  And over half of that is from beverages.

2   Eat more fruits and vegetables.  The most nutrient dense foods.  Eat your daily requirement (5 or more, preferably more) for all the vitamins, minerals and fiber–filling you up without all the fat and calories.

3. Watch portion size.  Resolve to use a smaller plate at mealtimes and/or don’t go back for seconds.

4. Focus on real food.  Food that’s closest to its natural state without all the vitamins,  minerals and fiber stripped away in processing.  Try to eat a serving or more at every meal.

5. Replace white with whole grains.  Whole grains help you maintain a healthy weight, lower blood pressure and reduce the risk of lots of dietary diseases.  Replace one refined grain item at a time with a whole grain variety.

Making resolutions is a snap.  Keeping them is where the rubber meets the road. Willpower only ever took me so far…  Try these ideas to maximize your success.

• Limit yourself.  Choose only one or two to keep your focus strong.
• Keep them close.  Literally.  No more manila envelopes in drawers in this house.  I’m thinking about pinning our resolutions on the cork board next to the refrigerator.  Out of sight really is out of mind.

And check out the Healthy Children website for age appropriate nutrition resolutions suitable for younger members of the household.  Remember, our children learn from our example.  Trying counts and praise goes a long way towards reinforcing good habits.

Have a happy and healthy new year!