Not only is it important to have the right tools to do the job, you also need to have the right number of them. Trust me, I know what it is like to struggle to get fresh food cooked and be frustrated that you don’t have the right dishes on hand. Avoid making the same mistakes that I did in the beginning of my real food journey. Being successful at real food living requires proper preparation.
Below, are the tools that not only helped me to successfully implement a real food lifestyle, but also helped me to keep my sanity while doing so, including my (unexpected) #1 TOP kitchen item.
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- Knives
- Cutting Boards
- Glass Mixing Bowls
- Glass Storage Containers
- Stainless Pots/Pans
- Stainless Steel and/or Cast Iron Skillet(s)
- Casserole Dishes w/ Lids
- Blender
- Coffee Accessories
- Slow Cooker(s)
- Baking Pans
- Stainless Steel Colander
- Digital Timer
- Kitchen Utensils/Tools
- *My TOP Kitchen Sanity Item*
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1. Knives: I recommend a santoku knife for it’s versatility in the kitchen. It has a flat bottom that can be used to scoop up food after chopping. In fact, it’s the only knife that I use to prep food in my kitchen except for when you need a serrated edge. The key is to find one that is very sharp and keep it sharp. I recommend at least two knives so you always have a clean knife when you need it. And sometimes when prepping, you may need to cut raw meat and fresh vegetables and having two knives allows you to use one for the meat and one for the vegetables and avoid cross contamination. Or, with proper planning, you could chop/prep all of your vegetable first and then use the same knife to cut up meat, thus reducing the need for an extra knife and cleanup.
2. Cutting Boards: I recommend having at least two bamboo cutting boards on hand for the same reason as noted above with the knife to avoid cross-contamination. You should ideally dedicate one cutting board for vegetables and the other one for meat.
3. Glass Mixing Bowls: I recommend a set of at least 2 mixing bowls. Those with lids are best but is optional. Glass is preferred over plastic or stainless when submerging food in water such as when you are soaking seeds.
4. Glass Storage Containers: I prefer rectangular glass containers with lids over circular, just my preference because I have both. I would recommend buying a set of storage containers to find out which size works the best for you. They are great for storing leftovers that can be easily transferred to the oven for reheating.
5. Stainless Steel Pots/Pans: I recommend purchasing a basic S/S pot set (with lids) then adding additional pots/pans, as needed. I currently have two large stock pots, one medium stock pot, two small pots and two skillets…and could probably use one or two more large/medium pots.
6. Stainless Steel and/or Cast Iron Skillet: As noted above, I have two s/s skillets (one skillet came with my s/s pot set) and I also have a medium-sized, cast iron skillet. Skillets are great for batches of burgers, smothered chicken or stir-fry.
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7. Casserole Dishes with Lids: I cannot say enough how having a few sets of casserole dishes are a MUST in our house and a secret to our success. I love my 9×9 casserole dish with a glass lid and two smaller casserole dishes. If you are preparing several meals in advance (which is what I recommend), I would purchase casserole dishes that come with both glass and plastic lids. That way, you can easily stack the dishes in your refrigerator (with the plastic lid) and easily transfer them to the oven (with the glass lid) when reheating.
8. Blender: Not just a blender, but a high powered blender is a total GAME CHANGER! If you can afford it, I recommend a blender such as a Vitamix or a Blendtec for making BulletProof coffee, delicious sauces and nutritiously smooth smoothies. When we first started drinking BulletProof coffee, we began with an ordinary blender. The coffee was tasty, no complaints. However, after we made the plunge and purchased a Vitamix, the coffee became outstanding, smooth and frothy. Delish! And not to mention what it can do to fruit/veggie smoothies…We no longer have to chew the large bits of kale or fruit in our drinks or need to use extra large straws to drink the smoothie. Fruits and veggies are blended beyond belief with our Vitamix. It’s an incredible piece of machinery! Although only one blender is recommended, it’s probably a good idea to have more than one blender container. The Vitamix offers both wet and dry containers (the blades are constructed differently). And especially if you are going to make a sauce or soup (with lots of garlic), you may want to consider more than one wet container so that the garlic flavor doesn’t interfere with your coffee the following morning. (Note: You can even purchase certified reconditioned blenders from Target!)
9. Coffee Accessories: Since we are talking about coffee, I’ll share with you some of my coffee must-haves in order to keep your mold-free coffee fresh and how to process the money-saving 5lb of coffee beans.
- Airtight Canister: I love this airtight canister. It is uniquely designed to force out the air to keep coffee as fresh as possible.
- Coffee Bean Grinder: If you aren’t taking advantage of the 5lb bulk coffee (also available in Decaf), you are missing out on a huge savings. Since we are buying our coffee in bulk, we purchased this small, economical grinder. It’s a true workhorse and gets the job done!
10. Slow Cooker(s): Not only are slow cookers awesome for cooking large cuts of meat such as roasts, they are also perfect for endless batches of vitally nutritious bone broth, as long as it is 4 Qt. or larger. You probably only need one cooker, but I have been known to have two cookers operating simultaneously, one with a roast and the other with bone broth.
11. Baking Pans: I recommend that you have at least two 9×13 baking pans made of stainless, stoneware or glass. Avoid Teflon-coated or aluminum pans. However, if you already have aluminum pan, simply cover it with unbleached parchment paper. I use these daily for cooking things such as my awesome sweet potato bits or roasted vegetables.
12. Stainless Steel Colander: For obvious reasons…But if you have a plastic colander, replace it with stainless steel.
13. Digital Timer: With all that goes on in a kitchen and other parts of the house, having a timer is a MUST or you risk overcooking or burning your food. I usually have two separate timers running for every meal that I prepare. You could use your phone, but it could get messy in the kitchen. I recommend a simple timer.
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- Bamboo Spoon Sets: I cook almost everything with bamboo spoons. I recommend having at least 2 sets.
- Stainless Steel Spoons It is recommended having several slotted spoons.
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- Measuring Cups and Spoons: I recommend at least one set of stainless steal measuring cups and spoons. I actually have three sets of spoons because we seem to use tablespoons fairly often.
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- Kitchen Shears (Scissors): I have two pairs of relatively inexpensive kitchen shears. I use them to cut up fresh herbs or green onions directly into dishes or for opening up bags of frozen vegetables.
15. My TOP Kitchen Sanity Item*…Unbleached Parchment Paper: I would be doing you a disservice if I didn’t share with you my favorite kitchen ‘tool’ that I cannot live without – unbleached parchment paper. Unbleached parchment paper has been my saving grace in the kitchen because it helps to keep your food from sticking and it makes cleanup super easy. I buy my parchment paper from Whole Foods (so it isn’t linked here).
Now that you have the right tools, I know that you, too, will be successful with your real food lifestyle!
Follow this up with the right foods for your kitchen:
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