Let's talk kitchen equipment. You've been cruising along in life with the basics needed to keep everyone alive--a set of pots with questionable finish, some mismatched measuring cups you bought at a garage sale during college, that plastic spoon someone left at your house after a potluck. Suddenly you find yourself spending half your life in the kitchen, becoming the professional chef you never wanted to be. This is definitely a case for when some small investments in good equipment will make your life a whole lot better.
Don't go crazy though--figure out what you really need and are going to use frequently and get that. I don't have a lot of storage space so I'm not interested in buying and storing a gadget that I'm going to pull out once a year. Since Alafair came along, I have invested in a couple things that I never would have considered otherwise. The juicer comes out once a month and is otherwise stored in a box in the basement. This situation isn't ideal, but I tried living without that juicer and life was M-I-S-E-R-A-B-L-E. "Just blend then strain," the internet said, "it's easy." LIES. Hours of my life I'll never get back. That's what you get for trusting the internet. This should be the case for everyone, but it's particularly so with these kids who are especially environmentally sensitive: where possible, avoid plastics. They are known endocrine disruptors. Plastics become dangerous when heated (microwaves, dishwashers). The problem with running plastic through the dishwasher is that it breaks down during the high heat wash cycle and coats everything else in there in toxic plastic particles which then transfer into the food you are eating. Silicone doesn't do this, but be aware of that silicone spatula with...a plastic handle. We hand wash that stuff. Another place you'll find toxins are coated cookware. Avoid nonstick pots/pans. A good set of stainless steel is great to have in your arsenal and even better for its ability to get tossed in the dishwasher. If you have to use nonstick (a lot of bake ware doesn't give you a choice), line it with paper when possible. Here's a list of things I've acquired over the last year that I can't live without: Slow Juicer We make a ton of juice for various applications. This has a quiet motor that doesn't scare my kids so they can even help. Strainer Set This set gets a ton of use. From rinsing berries to straining milks and other purees. Mini Muffin Pan It's nonstick--line with paper baking cups. Cuisinart Cookware Set The perfect stainless steel set. The handles aren't hollow so they don't start filling with water when you run them through the dishwasher. It also comes with a built in steamer, which you'll use all the time. There are no plastic parts anywhere on this (a lot of lids have plastic knobs). It's held up well to heavy use and harsh washings. Ninja Blender Set This set of 3 is perfect for all the applications you'll be using it for. The small top-mounted motor is quiet and easy to store so you don't have a big blender base sitting around your countertop. My only drawback is that it's plastic and has to be hand washed. I also bought a set of cheap wooden spoons that I don't mind sending through the dishwasher (gasp!), a set of quality stainless steel whisks, and a good set of silicone spatulas. Tell me what you can't live without in the kitchen! I'm inherently lazy and on the constant quest to make my time in the kitchen shorter.
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