Kitchen tools that help you live healthier

I have a love/hate relationship with kitchen appliances. They make my life so much easier, but take up space, make noise, break down, etc. I think the benefits win, so here is my list of kitchen appliances that improve my life:

• Pressure Cooker: It is great to be able to make a lentil soup in ten minutes. Do buy one with a thick base; bean soups scorch easily.
• Immersion Blender: Blend smoothies and soups right in the pot. The Bamix is great, but very expensive. If you are going to buy a hand blender, I do recommend choosing one that can handle lots of frozen fruit and hot soups.
• Food Processor and Blender: For grinding flax seed, making hummus and other dips and making date-nut balls. Titanium skillet: An amazing improvement over Teflon skillets. I can make mung bean pancakes with almost no oil at all.
• Soy Milk Maker: Home made soymilk is sugar and salt free, and much cheaper than store bought soy milk. I do not care much for the taste, but it is great for using in smoothies and other recipes. You can also make nut and grain milk in the machine.

Next on my wish list is a slow cooker. I think a Vita-Mix would be great, but at the moment it is way out of my budget.

What are your must-have kitchen appliances?

April 19, 2006