I don’t like to cook. It’s not something that I actually enjoy or find relaxing in any way. Cooking is time consuming, boring and generates more dishes, which are already the bane of my existence! That being said, I love the benefits of cooking. I save money. I know what is in my food. I don’t have to question the cleanliness or hygiene of the person who has prepared my food. Most importantly, I GET TO EAT MORE!!!
This is an important point when you are a volume eater. Yes, I love my sweets, but I NEED good portions of real food to stay sane. Forget those stupid frozen meals. I need three of those to feel like I have eaten, yet for the Point/calorie cost of one, I can actually have three times as much food if I make it myself.
There are several kitchen tools that I find essential for making cooking easier and more convenient. There are also items that I use to help in my weight loss success.
1. CROCKPOT
I didn’t realize how amazing Crockpots are until about five years ago. I can’t believe I did not use this amazing appliance before then. There are so many great recipes that you can just throw in the Crockpot in the morning, then enjoy at dinner. Here is a link to 149 recipes that I found on Pinterest. There are tons of posts geared toward healthy, Weight Watchers friendly recipes. A Crockpot makes cooking as painless as it can possibly be. I recommend one for every kitchen. I like to have at least a 5 qt, but a 7 qt is awesome for generating plenty of leftovers for my family of four. This is the Crockpot I have. It is inexpensive and reliable.
2. PERSONAL BLENDER
This handy little tool has gotten more and more affordable since the original Magic Bullet was released. I use mine for smoothies, homemade salsa, homemade hummus and cold coffee concoctions worthy of a Starbuck’s barista. (At least in my mind.) I actually have two different personal blenders. The Magic Bullet MBR-1701 17-Piece Express Mixing Set
3. GRIDDLE
This is another appliance that I didn’t utilize nearly soon enough. We got one as a wedding gift in 1996, and I’m pretty sure it stayed in the box until well into the new millennium! Once I did unbox it, I think it became my second favorite appliance, behind the Crockpot. I make all different types of wannabe pancakes, toast with a hole, hamburgers, hash browns, eggs, crab and tuna cakes, as well as grilled burritos of all sorts. There’s room to cook for everyone, so I only get the griddle dirty, versus two or three different pans. This appliance is also great for reheating my homemade pizza. It crisps the crust perfectly. It’s just very useful.
4. TINY EGG PANS
When my husband first brought these home, I was skeptical, but now I use them all the time. We have a couple different microwave egg pans, but they make a mess and the eggs don’t taste as good. If you are totally averse to pulling out a pan to cook your single egg on the stove, then definitely grab one of the microwave versions. Single egg cooking makes breakfast sandwiches a breeze.
5. FOOD STORAGE CONTAINERS
Stock up on plenty of small storage containers for doing advanced food prep and packing lunches. If you are easily able to portion out snacks and meals for future use, you will be less likely to just mindlessly grab junk. You can even purchase baggies with measurements right on the bag for ¼ – 1 cup portions. They are great for nuts and granola or even your indulgences like M&M’s or chips. (I found mine at Walmart.)
6. MISTO OIL SPRAYER
With the ridiculously high cost of canned cooking spray, I find this tool useful in two ways. One, it saves me money. Two, it allows me to control what kind of oil is going on my food. It is very handy for controlling the amount of oil that I spray when making my Simply Filling Croutons.
7. SAVOR SPOONS
This has nothing to do with cooking, but these are definitely an essential tool for me. I know it sounds silly, but eating out of a smaller spoon really does help me to slow down. I use one for yogurt, my occasional scoop of ice cream or slice of cake, oatmeal, chili, pretty much anytime I need to just slow down and spend more time with my food. These are my absolute favorite spoons.
8. DRESSING 2 GO CONTAINERS
I love these handy little containers. They are perfect for packing condiments in your lunch, or for stashing in your purse or bag for extra help when eating out. I use them for salad dressing, sauces and fat free sour cream. Any time I am going out to eat, where I might have a salad and baked potato, I am sure to have my fat free dressing and sour cream with me.
9. POCKET SPICE SHAKERS
I love this little shaker from Coleman. I can easily put it in my pocket or purse and have two different spices or popcorn seasonings with me. It’s good to have a couple on hand to carry different spices. These come in handy to boost the flavor of your steamed veggies or baked potato when eating out. I like to have sea salt with me, so I’m not using low quality table salt when I’m not at home.
10. Ice Cream Maker
This appliance is amazing! Now that eggs are zero Smart Points (ZSP) and there are amazing ZSP natural sweeteners on the market, I can make all kinds of decadent frozen custards and desserts. (Recipes will be forthcoming.) If you buy this and can afford an extra freezer tub, it is totally worth it.
Those are just a few of my “must have” tools. What are some of your favorites to help tame your DIETside?
