I’ve had people ask me what my favorite appliances or gadgets are for quicker and easier healthy cooking and living. So here they are. And many are on sale right now!
High-speed blender – A high speed blender is on the top of my list of appliances to help with healthier eating. I have a Vitamix. It’s a workhorse in the kitchen, but other good brands include Ninja, Nutribullet, and Blendtec. You can whip up healthy smoothies full of nutritional foods like spinach, hard vegetables, protein powders, and fruit with no residual ingredients at the bottom of the blender. I also make hot and cold soups, dairy-free cream sauces, shakes, ice cream, dairy-free cheesecake fillings, homemade nut butters, nut milk, salad dressings, and mix batters for baked goods. Cleanup is super easy, too.
Knives – You need a good knife if you’re going to chop veggies and meats. You don’t want a cheap knife because it’s more apt to be dull or get dull quicker so you’ll cut yourself. (Ask me later how I know : ) Cutco is a great brand. My hubby sold them in college so some of ours are about 35 years old. We have added others over the years. Here’s the good news: If one breaks, which happens seldom, you can send it in for a complete replacement. And they will sharpen the knives at no charge. Remember, you get what you pay for so get a quality knife. If you can only buy one right now of a good brand, do that. You don’t want a dull or cheap knife.
Cooking utensils – You also need a good set of cooking utensils – either wood, silicone, or stainless steel. You don’t want to use the cheaper plastic or Teflon ones because those are made with toxic chemicals which can leach into your food. Research has shown that those can lead to endocrine issues, immune system damage, reproductive problems, and possibly harm liver, pancreas, testicular, or mammary glands.
Pots and pans – On the same topic, don’t use the toxic nonstick pans like Teflon for the same reasons I mentioned above. There are safer ones such as stainless steel, ceramic, glass, cast iron, and enamel-coated cast iron. I personally like Calphalon and Breville and have several in various sizes.
Pressure cooker and slow cooker – I’ve talked about these many times, but they will save you time in meal prep and cooking. You can walk in from a busy day with dinner all ready. I use the Instant Pot pressure cooker and love it for really quick cooking. But I love my crockpot as well. And either are useful for meats, veggies, soups, broths, desserts, eggs, yogurt, and more.
Glass storage containers – I don’t like to use plastic to store food due to the toxins so I use glass storage containers which you can buy online or in home good stores. I like Glasslock, but there are many great brands. Or for a cheaper option just use mason jars which come in a variety of sizes.
Gadgets – If you have sore muscles, I highly recommend a massage gun. I have the SonicPro which I love. It has 8 massage heads. Also the hot/cold rice packs help when you have sore muscles or aches and pains. Heating it also helps if you have a stomachache, migraines, a headache, or arthritis. Get a stainless steel water bottle to help you drink water throughout your day. In fact, get several so you can leave one in your car, one at work on your desk, and even one by your bathroom sink.
Perfumes/air fresheners – Most store-bought perfumes and air fresheners have artificial fragrances which give me headaches and make me nauseous. I can’t even go inside one of those stores. And research does indicate that these environmental toxins may cause health issues. So instead, I use quality essential oils as a perfume. I dilute it and put in a roll-on bottle. Plus, in my house I diffuse essential oils for a natural fragrance.
Favorite books – Some of my favorite books for self-help, motivation, goal-setting, personal development, health and wellness, and spiritual growth include Atomic Habits, Tiny Habits, The 4:8 Principle, Get Out of Your Head, Eat That Frog, Hashimoto’s Thyroiditis by Isabella Wentz, Made to Crave, Super Gut by William Davis, and One Perfect Word by Debbie Macomber. And, of course, the best book of all – the Bible. There are easy to read translations you can use such as the NIV, Living Bible, or The Message. And you can even read it online as an ebook with various apps which you can do for all the books listed or even listen to audio books.
And if you’re wanting to begin 2024 with a healthier gift for yourself, I’m offering my private health coaching program at a special 20% off if you book by December 18. You can begin after the new year but need to book by that date. Click here to contact me for details.
Leah Cheshire, MCD, CCC-SLP, NBC-HWC is a national board certified health and wellness coach and a speech-language pathologist who works with women who have brain fog, fatigue, joint pains, weight issues, autoimmune, hormonal, and digestive issues. She’s also an autoimmune warrior herself and has found success using nutritional and lifestyle modifications for both herself and clients. Click here to contact her for a free discovery call.
