All you good little boys and girls out there have probably put together your holiday wish lists. And although the newest iPhone, or virtual reality set, or new skis might be cool and make you the envy of all your friends, if you are looking to make 2017 your healthiest year yet, consider adding a few of the following items to your holiday wish list. The following are my personal favorite nutrition-related tools that make healthy eating and cooking easier, more enjoyable, and more convenient.
Note: I am not getting paid to promote any of these items; this list is a reflection of my personal opinions only. With the exception of the Ninja slow cooker and Glasslock containers, I have no particular brand loyalty on these items. The links are provided as examples only.
- Chef’s Knife. Every cook needs a great chef’s knife. While there are hundreds of different types of knives to choose from, my favorite is this pink high-carbon stainless steel knife (as seen in Montana Meals videos!) This knife is lightweight, super-sharp, comes with a handy-dandy protector, and is the perfect size for chopping and slicing a variety of vegetables and meats. Really hard items like bones or frozen foods are best left to a butcher’s knife, but I think this knife is a great all-around tool.
- Slow cooker. Few things are better than coming home after work to a house that smells delicious, with dinner nearly complete. Even better than just a regular slow cooker, the Ninja 3-in-1 slow cooker switches to warm after the designated cook time, can sear meats in the pan itself (no need to dirty an additional pan), and can also function as an oven, using steam to prevent baked goods from getting dry. The Ninja 3-in-1 is pricey, but in my opinion, I think the convenience of this tool is worth the investment.
- Immersion blender: If you regularly make soups or sauces, or perhaps aspire to, I highly recommend an immersion blender. Avoid burns or big messes when transferring hot liquids from a cooking pan to the stand-up blender by blending the liquid in the cooking pot itself.
- Glasslock containers: I always suggest keeping healthy foods like pre-sliced veggies in clear containers at eye-level in the fridge, and these excellent containers will help you do just that. The lids seal very tightly, so these are also great containers for transporting your lunch to work.
- Salad spinner: A salad spinner may take up some precious kitchen space, but it’s an incredible tool when it comes to cleaning greens and keeping them fresh. Forget using paper towels to dry off your greens or herbs; just use the spinner to get rid of excess water after rinsing, then store the greens in the spinner in the refrigerator. Chances are, you’ll eat a lot more salads if you have clean fresh greens ready and waiting for you.
- Food thermometer: Keep you and your family safe by ensuring that all food is cooked to its proper temperature. There are lots of fancy food thermometers to choose from, but even a basic one will do. Here’s a handy guide on safe food temperatures from the USDA.
- Digital food scale: I remember buying my first food scale a few years ago because I had just received a cookbook as a gift that had all of the ingredients listed in weights rather than volumes. I never thought when I was buying my scale that I would use it as much as I do! I use my food scale frequently for measuring exact ingredients like flour when baking, when measuring fresh produce from my garden, and when cooking recipes that have ingredients listed in weights.
- Steamer basket: Steamed vegetables are an excellent, easy side dish. Just fill a saucepan with about an inch of water, place the basket with chopped veggies in the pan, cover, and bring the water to a boil until the veggies are brightly colored and soft, but not mushy. Or, be brave and try steamed collard greens as a wrap in place of a tortilla like in this recipe for collard-wrapped bean burritos. A steamer basket is the perfect stocking stuffer.
- Cast-iron Dutch oven: Cast-iron cookware is durable, can withstand high oven temperatures safely, retains heat, and unlike nonstick pans, doesn’t pose a threat when scratched. If you’re anemic, using cast-iron cookware is also a good strategy for boosting iron intake. Soups, stews, no-knead bread, beans, risotto, braised chicken, apple butter—the possibilities of what to cook in this pan are nearly endless!
- Prep bowls: Having all of your ingredients chopped, measured, and ready to go before you start cooking — what chefs refer to as “mise en place”—will help you be a more efficient home cook. These prep bowls of varying sizes can keep your cooking space nice, clean, and organized.
Happy (Holiday) Eating!
Cristin
P.S. I was just kidding. No one is really buying a virtual reality set right?
Montana Moves 