Whether you are a kitchen pro or just getting started, using the right kitchen gadgets can help you eat healthier and even lose weight. They can make cooking easy and even fun. So here is a list of my five favorite kitchen gadgets.
- A Vegetable Spiralizer – Spiralizing is a food trend that is here to stay. And it’s a good trend because it is healthy. Spiralizing vegetables into noodles is a great way to cut down on carbs and calories. In fact, one cup of zucchini noodles is 40 calories versus 200 in spaghetti. And one cup of zucchini noodles has only 8 grams of carbs versus a whopping 43 grams in spaghetti. Moreover, its gluten-free, quick and easy to make. And it’s a great way to get more vegetable in your diet. Examples of some vegetables to spiralize are zucchini, carrots, sweet potato, and beets.
- An Air Fryer – These are appliances that provide the taste, texture, and golden-brown color of oil-fried foods without all the fat and calories. It works by circulating hot air around the food to give a crunchy crispy exterior. Air frying is healthier than frying in oil. In fact, it cuts calories by 70% to 80% and has a lot less fat. This cooking method might also cut down on some of the other harmful effects of oil frying. The reaction that happens when you fry potatoes or other starchy foods makes a chemical called acrylamide, which research has linked to cancer. So next time you get a craving for french fries, try air flying them instead. Or better yet, try air frying cauliflower or brussel sprouts for a crispy healthy side dish.
- An Instapot – Most people who have purchased an instapot have fallen in love with it. A good instapot combines an electric cooker, slow cooker, rice cooker, and a yogurt maker all in one, making it any cook’s dream. They are extremely safe, easy to use, and provide a fast, fresh homemade meal. Not only can you walk away from the kitchen while cooking with an Instapot, it’s also designed to cook without heating up the surroundings. There are countless Instapot recipes online with websites and facebook groups devoted to it. And most importantly, it’s one pot cooking which means easy cleanup!
- High Speed Blender – Like most kitchen appliances, choosing a blender from the overwhelming number of options can be absolutely confusing. But a high-speed blender is the most powerful and versatile blender out there. They do so much more than standard blenders, including making smoothies, grinding grains into flour, processing nuts into nut butters, whipping up ice cream and sorbets, crushing ice, mixing sticky dough – and so much more. Initially, these blenders were mostly found in commercial kitchens, but with their cost coming down, they have made their way into many homes. High speed blenders are a great option for those who want to cook with whole foods.
- Cast Iron Skillet – A cast iron skillet should be a part of every kitchen. One of its greatest advantages is that it is possibly the only piece of kitchen gear you can buy that improves after years of heavy use. The more you use it, a cast-iron skillet can become just as non-stick as an aluminum or stainless-steel pan. And the durability of cast iron is impressive—many people are still cooking on cast-iron pans that are handed down through their family for generations. One of the lesser known benefits of cooking in cast iron is that it can increase the iron content of the foods that are cooked in it. Keep in mind that cast iron is some of the most inexpensive cookware on the market.
When it comes to kitchen gadgets, you don’t have to spend a lot of money or have a large kitchen space to store them. They can make meal prep easier and even more fun. And most importantly, they promote healthy homemade meals that you can take pride in. I love cooking! I also truly enjoy helping my patients create easy to make healthy and flavorful meals that the entire family can enjoy. If you are interested in learning more, please visit my website at healthymeweightloss.com. When weight loss is simplified, it is easier to build healthy habits that you can live with for life.
