Essential Food Tools

For me the essential equipment for eating well is that which allows me to put the best and highest amount of nutrition into my body; those items I reach for almost every day.

1. Juicer: I got a basic one on amazon.com that cost about $130 or so, and it works great for my purposes, but it has difficulty with tougher greens like kale. I just put kale in a blender for smoothies.
(Breville JE98XL Juice Fountain Plus 850-Watt Juice Extractor). I use my juicer everyday and now find I cannot live without it!

2. Knife: I really like the standard 8-inch kitchen knife because its a good multipurpose knife. I prefer a handle with some heft and a good quality blade, but it does not have to be crazy expensive. Here are some options that I like:
           i. Henkles International forged synergy 8-inch Chef knife (about $55 on amazon.com)

          ii. Wusthof Gourment 6-inch chef knife (about $60 on amazon.com)

      
3. Cutting Board: The only reason quality matters when it comes to cutting boards is to protect your knife. Bamboo is a very hard wood so it can do damage to your knife; Maple wood is best. A thin, lightweight board can be handy but it can slip out from under your knife during chopping (which can lead to injuring yourself!). This is why getting a hefty wood board is ideal. 
         

4. Food Processor: I just have a basic $30 one by Hamilton Beach (London Drugs/Extrafoods/Superstore). It does the job just fine but I would love to one day upgrade to a Cuisinart (about $150-250 depending on how big you want it) as they are renowned for their quality in food processors (my parents had one for years and it was amazing!).

5. Blender: I have a basic all-rounder blender (KitchenAid KSB560ER 5-Speed Blender about $150) that works fine for most tasks but if you really want a blender that can do a great job in a small amount of time you would need to upgrade to a blendtec or vitamix blender (each over $400 at least)

6. Non-Stick frying Pan: I love my non-stick frying pan by Starfrit. I got it at walmart for about $40 and use it almost everyday. It has really deep sides (about 3 inches) so I can fit a lot of veggies in it at one time, a glass lid, and a handle on both sides. My husband and I have been using it for the last year and there is not much wear and tear on it yet. Great buy!

7. Misc: Spaulas, wooden spoons, measuring cups, measuring spoons, grater, whisk and Colander.