10 Must Have Kitchen Essentials

You all know that I spend a fair amount of time in the kitchen- I cook, do yoga, write recipes and create memories with my sweet family around our kitchen island. The kitchen is the heart of our home and one of my goals as a health coach is to help make cooking accessible to those that find it stressful and daunting.

My sisters upcoming wedding had me thinking about what my absolute must-have kitchen tools are. These 10 Kitchen Essentials are perfect for a seasoned chef, beginning cook, holiday gift or wedding registry!

1. High Powered Blender: Perfect for soups, smoothies, dressings, nut milk, A’cai bowls, hummus… you name it, my blender can do it! We use our Vitamix at least once per day and it makes my life so easy! It is fast, efficient and easy to clean. While they are a bit pricey- you absolutely gain a quality with a Vitamix or other high quality blender that a normal blender just can’t compete with.
2. Kitchen Scissors: Ideal for cutting herbs, green onions, vanilla beans or your child’s bangs 😉 These are also an excellent way to trim meat. So versatile, super sharp and an absolute must-have!
3. Glass Mason Jars: Safely stores flours, sugars, nuts, seeds, vitamins, cereal, dried fruit and breadcrumbs. The seal makes them ideal for pantry storage because no bugs can get in- and glass doesn’t react with food. I also love to use them for drinking smoothies and storing sauces or almond milk in the fridge.
4. Tongs: Hands down my most used tool in the kitchen. They are like an extension of your hand- prefect for grilling, marinating & sauteing all while keeping your hand safe and clean. 
5. Measuring Spoons and Cups: I love to eyeball measurements when I am cooking or experimenting in the kitchen, but for baking and following a recipe the process and outcome are always much better if you measure. Measuring ingredients also helps beginning cooks successfully learn to prepare recipes and dishes. That is so important- you want to feel good about what you make in the kitchen!
6. Microplane: This small tool is my go-to for grating Parmesan, Citrus Zest, Nutmeg, Garlic and Ginger. I love that it is smaller than a box grater- and fits easily into the dishwasher when I am done.
7. Parchment Paper: I line my roasting pans with parchment and love that I can use less oil (keeping it healthy!) and still achieve that perfect toasty, brown color you want on your vegetables. I also line my baking pans with it for easy removing of loaves of bread, granola bars, brownies or cookies.
8. Slow Cooker: The slow cooker gives you a lot of flexibility in the kitchen. You can make something in advance on the stove and keep it warm hours later in your slow cooker (think holiday party dips, sauces, or soups!), you can throw a meal together at 7 AM and arrive home after work with the house smelling amazing and your dinner cooked and ready for you. Another plus, slow cookers are generally large and when you make a dish you can freeze a portion of it for later. This makes eating healthy in a pinch much easier.
9. Santoku Knife: This is a light, easy to maneuver knife. Excellent for slicing, chopping, cutting dicing and mincing- they maintain sharpness longer than a traditional chefs knife. They also “release” food instantly because of the hollow edge along the blade.
10. Fish Spatula: Forget the name- this spatula is not just for fish! This super thin spatula is perfect for flipping pancakes, burgers, omelets and yes, fish 😉 They are also ideal for removing your holiday cookies off the baking sheet. This spatula will keep your food looking good and not falling apart. Do you have any kitchen essentials you just can’t live without? If you do please share them in the comments- I would love to know. I hope that you have a wonderful weekend- and thanks for stopping over to the blog today!