18 Essential Kitchen Items

What do all of the following 18 essential kitchen items have in common?

They are essential for me and the Gutsy kitchen I operate out of. And my hope is that you find at least one new thing for your kitchen, too!

I thought this post up after getting the Nutri Ninja Pro. The Ninja was used to whip up the first batches of baby food with great success. 

Getting the new kitchen gear reminded me of a section in The Gutsy Girl’s Bible: an approach to healing the gut, 2.0 where I talk about some of my kitchen essentials, and I thought I’d share them with you today!

If you came to my house for a meal, you’d quickly realize that:

1. I am obsessed with the kitchen and
2. I likely have a kitchen tool or gadget for almost anything

Everyone is always asking what my top recommendations are for the Gutsy Girl’s Kitchen.

Whether you are able to go out and purchase all of the below now or save for them over time, I strongly recommend each and every single one of them.

{P.s. Want even more recommendations? I now have a spot for them on my blog for quick reference: Recommended Food Products, Recommended Kitchen Items, Recommended Supplements and Certified Gutsy}

18 Essential Kitchen Items

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Slow Cooker

Hands down, this is my favorite item to use in the kitchen. I use the Calphalon 7 qt. Digital Slow Cooker. You will notice that a lot of my recipes use the slow cooker. My favorite thing in the whole world (currently anyways) to make is fresh, Organic bone broth. I have always made mine via the slow cooker. It’s the best and most convenient way. Learn how!

Once you purchase a slow cooker and practice a little with it, your life will forever be made.

Juicer

Having a fresh juice and a fresh smoothie are not the same thing, especially if you are Gutsy. Why? A regular blender will not remove skins and other roughage. The juicer will. (Read: Is My Fiber Helping or Hurting Me? The Gut Healing Process, Still Getting Nutrients & Juice Recipes.) My juicer has not only saved me a few times from misery, but it also provides a ton of nutrients for optimal health that you might not get otherwise. I have and I recommend the BELLA NutriPro Juicer.

Steamer

I would guess that I now do about 35% raw vegetables and 65% steamed or cooked in some way, shape or form. When I was first starting out, though, I probably had about 95% of my vegetables steamed. The steamer is brilliant. It is just as simple as I made it out to be HERE.

Spiralizer

The Paderno Spiralizer is changing my foodie life (I am also considering buying Ali’s spiralizer). I use mine mostly to spiralize zucchini noodles. This is a current favorite recipe I developed for Nutiva. There are so many ways to use the spiralizer!

Vitamix

I wanted a Vitamix initially so that I could make all my baby’s food in it, but once we had it, I quickly adapted to using it for almost everything. Per the above, making smoothies and juices are different, but ultimately the gut should heal to a place where we can consume all the fiber a smoothie contains. Furthermore, having a Vitamix goes far beyond the smoothie. With the Vitamix, you can make everything from smoothies to dressings and desserts to sauces, main entrees and more! A current favorite recipe is from my friend Tess Masters (aka The Blender Girl): Tastes-Like-Ice-Cream Kale Shake. Bonus: If you have a Vitamix, I strongly recommend her book, “The Blender Girl Cookbook.”

Wok

I teach people daily how to cook in bulk, divide and then conquer for eating healthy to heal the gut. The Wok will allow you to create huge stir-fry meals. You can then divide and conquer them as you please.

Cutting Boards

You will definitely use a cutting board frequently. I use several. I had a client ask me what cutting boards I recommend. Hands down, I always say, “Epicurean.”

You must learn how to chop, slice, dice, de-skin, de-seed, cut and more when it comes to your fruits, vegetables, and meat. Know that many cutting boards are prone to trapping bacteria. The Epicurean ones do not harbor these bacteria. I currently have 2 non-slip cutting boards, a serving board and a small and regular-sized slate board from the kitchen series. I still need the Sink Strainer Cutting Board.

Food Processor

I received a food processor as a gift in February of 2013. I have done almost everything with my food processor, and having one will bring new meaning to “processed” in your kitchen. I make everything from soups to sauces, fudge to casseroles and more in my food processor. The sky is the limit with a food processor. In fact, I created a company from initial use of it! I have a Cuisinart 14-cup food processor. I recommend that you don’t go any smaller than that.

Hand Blender

This will make your soups, sauces, puddings and (even) homemade applesauce super simple. I use the Cuisinart Hand Blender, and what I love most about it is how easy it is to use plus how minimal the cleanup is afterward. It’s small so even if you have a smaller kitchen, it can fit anywhere.

Muffin Pan

Portion control, snacks and more! If you have a mini and regular-sized muffin tin, your life can be transformed instantaneously. Muffin tins aren’t just for muffins anymore. See the recipes section of the e-book for some good muffin-tin eats.

Baking pans of all sizes and shapes

I buy a ton of baking pans, but it’s not because I always use them for their intended purpose. Take for instance the “ice cream sandwich pan.” I recently started using this to make “buns” for my burgers. Take a peek! I do this also with the mini muffin pan, cake pop pan and more.

Cast Iron

I have begun using Cast Iron in my kitchen. I will slowly, but surely, replace most of my cookware. Cast Iron (+ stainless steel) will come out as the shining star. You’ll be hearing a lot about me using these in future recipes.

Cheesecloth

I use the Cheesecloth mostly when I’m making my own milk, but I’ve also used in recipes like my Peppermint Hot Cacao and Lemon Curd. I buy them cheap at the Dollar Store.

Garlic Zoom

Love garlic, but hate chopping it up all the time? Enter the Garlic Zoom. Simply place your (peeled) garlic in and roll (aka “zoom”). It has saved me so much time! Side note: I also use it to mince ginger.

Mason Jars

There is not a Mason jar that I have yet to dislike. I love everything about the traditional Mason jar. You can buy fancy Weck Mason Jars if you want, but the truth is that any and all Mason jars will do the trick. I use these jars for storing and gifting mainly. I also use them for table decorations. Learn how HERE.

Lemon Squeezer

Lemon is a great addition to so many dishes. I use it in my daily dose(s) of broth. The lemon squeezer keeps it simple and clean.

Slap Chop

Yes, from the Infomercial. I use this mainly to chop garlic and fresh herbs.

Nutri Ninja Pro

I know I just purchased this, but the reason it’s essential for our kitchen (and likely yours, too) is that it allows you to make smaller portioned blended items with less mess and clean up. I love how small the containers are, and that, if need be, can be portable. I’ll likely use this when I show you how I do smaller batches of baby food.

I could go on and on with things that are in my kitchen, but these are the main ones for today. The kitchen is really my jam, so perhaps I could do a follow-up to this post with even more things at some point!

What’s in your kitchen?!

Xox,
SKH