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By Jane Harrison, R.D., HealthAtoZ Nutritionist
Looking for a gift that will send a healthy message to a friend or perhaps the cook in your family? A well-stocked kitchen filled with wholesome foods is a good place to start, but don't stop there. Having the right cooking utensils can go a long way toward healthier meals and convenience. Many of these "must haves" cost so little they could be used as stocking stuffers.
The following kitchen tools get top grades for promoting healthy cooking and are easy on the budget. Most can be bought for $30 or less, although there are fancier versions if desired.
The price is right - under $30
- Slow cooker/crock pot
A slow cooker, also known as a crock pot, is great for preparing wonderful low-fat, one-pot dishes. Usually, all the ingredients go right into the pot and simmer all day. Spaghetti sauce, stews, chili and soups are just a few ideas. Not only is your dinner ready to serve when it's time to eat, it fills the house with a comforting aroma.
- Nonstick saucepans and skillets
Nonstick pans are a must. They let you use less oil or fat for cooking. Look for thick pans with handles that don't get hot.
- Blenders and mini blenders/choppers
Regular blenders are good for a lot more besides smoothies. You can use a blender for sauces, purees and low-fat cream soups. When you don't need a large blender, mini versions can be used for:
- Grinding flaxseeds
- Making low-fat dips or salad dressings
- Preparing pesto and sauces
- Grinding fresh herbs
- Salad spinner
This takes the drudgery out of cleaning lettuce or spinach and is a big time saver. Simply wash leaves and place in the spinner and you are done. It saves on paper towels, too.
Stocking stuffers - under $10
- Steamer basket
Simply dice or slice your vegetables and pile them into the steamer basket. Then place it inside a large pot with a small amount of water at the bottom. Cover the pot and bring the water to a boil, letting the veggies steam to perfection.
- Kitchen shears
A sturdy pair of kitchen shears is great for:
- Cutting fresh herbs
- Trimming fat from chicken or turkey
- Cutting large bunches of grapes into smaller bunches
- Zesters/graters
- Zesters: Adding finely chopped zest (from oranges and lemons) is an easy, no-calorie way to enhance the flavor of recipes.
- Graters: Great for Parmesan cheese, or grating carrots or zucchini for muffins, loaves or pancakes.
- Refillable oil sprayer
You can pay a lot for supermarket cooking sprays, or buy your own refillable sprayer to save on money and waste. Plus, you can fill them with whatever oil you like. A sprayer is perfect for dispensing just the right amount of oil onto the surface of a pan or muffin tin. You can also spray oil directly onto food - such as a salad or lightly steamed fresh vegetables - for a fraction of the fat and calories.
- Garlic peeler
This is simply a plastic tube. Place a whole garlic clove inside the tube and roll it back and forth, pressing firmly. In seconds, the garlic peel sticks to the inside and the clove falls out, ready for slicing or chopping.
- Slicers
- Avocado slicer: Slices a heart-healthy avocado into 11 perfect pieces per half. Use to prepare salads and sandwiches.
- Apple slicer: Cores apples or pears and slices into even pieces. Use for snacks, salads, oatmeal or yogurt.
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