Reader’s Request: Go-to Gadgets
Hey Gina,
Would you mind sharing what your favorite kitchen gadgets are?? I’d love to see what you use to spiralize noodles and make the ‘sludges’ with.
Thanks!
Emily
I’ve been meaning to do a gadget post for ya’ll for quite some time!
So, without further slacking adieu, here are my absolute favorites and what I use them for:
1. Excalibur 9-tray dehydrator
I got that baby from the pilot for my birthday two years ago and had used it at least once a week since then! I use the dehydrator to make everything under the sun, from raw crackers, cookies, rawnola, veggie chips, tortillas and flatbreads, tart crusts, and most importantly macaroons 🙂
2. Spiralizer
This is probably the best $30 I’ve ever spent. I use the Joyce Chen model (available on Amazon) and spiralize veggies with it: cucumber, zucchini, carrots, sweet potatoes, the list goes on..
3. The Vita-mix 5200
The most baller piece of kitchen equipment I own. This bad johnny can make pretty much anything- soup, nut flour, nut milk, smoothies, raw ice cream and cheesecake mixture, raw chocolate, super fluffy hummus and sludges. I’ll even travel with it– the pic above is from when I dragged it with me to culinary school to have at the hotel.
4. Crinkle cutter
This model is from Pampered Chef and I use it for fancy veggies, particularly for more fry-like butternut squash fries
5. Kitchen Air Artisan Stand Mixer aka “The reason I got married” Kidding, kidding. But add it to your wedding registry, like yesterday 😉
I use the mixer for a lot of baked goods, but mostly pizza dough and vegan cookies
6. Jack LaLanne Power Juicer
(Source)
I actually got my juicer from my good friend Heaby and LOVE it. It works wonderfully and I use it to make fresh juices for sake cocktails on special occasions and green juice or veggie juice on a frequent basis.
7. Mandoline
(Source)
I love using the mandoline for very thin, uniform veggie slices.
Perfect for veggie chips in the dehydrator, or raw lasagna
and last, but not least:
8. Coffee grinder
This one might seem a little strange because I usually don’t drink coffee anymore. I actually hardly ever use the coffee grinder for coffee- it’s excellent for grinding spices (like CINNAMON! The taste is so much richer), and FLAX SEEDS! I buy the flax seeds whole and just toss them in the coffee grinder. Saweeeeet!
I hope ya’ll enjoyed reading about my favorite kitchen gadgets! These aren’t by any means necessities to have in a healthy kitchen, but they certainly make things more fun and convenient 😀
Please send any reader’s requests my way to fitnessista at gmail dot com
Enjoy your day and I’ll see ya before Zumba!
xoxo,
Gina
What’s your favorite kitchen gadget???
97 Comments
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I had no idea that spiralizers were that cheap. I thought they cost alot more!! I am still dying for a Vita!! My favorites are my kitchenaid mixer, mini food processor, and crepe pan. 🙂
Thanks for sharing! SO many of these items are on my “need to buy” list. I LOVE my vitamix and my kitchen aid mixer…and yep, that’s the reason I got married too 🙂
Kidding.
Kind of.
I NEED a spiralizer. I’ve wanted one forever now. Currently I just use the julienne..er? from Pampered Chef. Works great! And of course a vita mix. But the husband said he’d buy me 10 blenders before buying a $300 blender :-/ Boo.
My favorite gadget is my Kitchen Aide Artesian Stand Mixer. You’re right – a great reason to get married! haha
Those are some mighty gadgets!!! Oh what I would do for any number of them. LOL My kitchen is extremely basic. I am not very creative with cooking and preparing food. Maybe one of these days I will be.
I feel like we’re one and the same with our kitchen gadgets. You bet a cobalt blue kitchen aid mixer was the first thing I added to a registry when we were engaged. 😉
And I NEVER use my coffee grinder for coffee! It’s #1 use is flax seed, followed by spices, and I’ve even ground nuts in it before!
Now all I need is a dehydrator and I can bask in macaroon glory. 😉
I am so jealous of your dehydrator and vitamix! I can’t wait to have my own kitchen full of awesome gadgets 🙂
It’s simple, but my most-used gadget is probably my apple slicer…it gets the job done!
Thanks for sharing these! SOOOO jealous of the Vita Mix and the Stand Mixer!
I wish I had a Vitamix!
Gina,
Could you explain the technicalities of whey powder? What’s the purpose? When should someone take it and why?
Thanks!
hey liza,
i actually don’t eat whey powder since it’s cow’s dairy based… i prefer brown rice protein 🙂
I’m also in love with my vita-mix and coffee grinder!
Hey gina!
You inspired me to recently buy a spiralizer and now I’m obsessed!!!! : 🙂
That veggie slicer is lookin pretty good too!!! 😉
-Lauren
I have appliance envy!
You have my dream kitchen! 😉
I was going to say my vitamix, but truth is, I could live without my vitamix (not happily, but still….) but when I went without a juicer I had severe withdrawal symptoms (especially since the only close by juice place made juice with 1 apple, and then blended frozen fruit in to it – i.e. not juice!). So, my breville juicer would be the most used and most important appliance I own to date. Thanks for sharing yours! The lasagne looks so great, I may now have to step outside and get me a mandoline 🙂
We have all the same kitchen gadgets…except the dehydrator. Coveting…totally coveting. 😉
We have an old coffee grinder, and I never thought to grind my own cinnamon. AMAZING. I bet it tastes so good. Can’t wait to get some cinnamon sticks.
Love you sweet friend, and I’m glad you enjoy your juicer. My friend has that same one plus a Breville AND a Champion, and she prefers Jack’s. Much easier to use for the smaller jobs and clean up is a snap.
@ Paige:
AHH! $300? I would gladly pay that!! In Canada vita’s go for $599!! :S Not even kidding you, lol 😛
Can I have a tie? I am equally in love with my KitchenAide Stand Mixer and my Immersion Blender. Both make my life so much easier! But now I think I want a spiralizer too, ahh for the love of kitchen gadgets, my counters barely can fit them all as it is!
i have a lot of these things on my wedding registry! Can’t wait to see if anyone actually buys them for us 🙂
My favorite kitchen thingys are my Wusthof Santoku knife, my 3 sizes of microplaners/zesters, my beasty grilling tools and grilling baskets. I have a kitchen aide mixer, but I rarely use it b/c I don’t bake much. I’ve been wanting a spiralizer; they look fun. I have a mandoline but it scares me.
yes, mandoline’s are scary.. i’m always afraid i’ll lose a finger
You have nice kitchen gadget collection there. My husband and I just moved so our kitchen is most definitely a bit lacking.
How funny! I’m doing “gadget week” on my blog where i use one new gadget to cook dinner… there might be a cookbook holder added to today’s post though 🙂
how cute! 😀
I have a question about your fish tacos, random I know! I’m interested in making the sauce, I was hoping you could give me estimated measurements that you use for each ingredient: Yogurt, lime juice, cumin and garlic. Thanks for your help!! (ps I really appreciate all the help you give on your blog to get healthy and fit, it’s great!)
i’d do about 1/3 cup yogurt, juice of 1/2 lime, 1 t cumin, 1/2 t garlic and a little salt and pepper
hope you enjoy them!!
Hands down my kitchenaid mixer. That thing’s the BEST. And it also *might* be pink. 😉 I also loooove my Oster Hive Blender. It’s no Vita Mix, but it works GREAT for only being 50 dollars!
you have the PINK one?!?! that’s so awesome.. that was my #1 choice but it doesn’t match our house :/
LOVE THEM ALL! You truly make cooking an art!
thank you! <3
My favorite kitchen gadget is my Cuisinart Food Processor. On Monday I made my own raw almond butter. I couldn’t believe how easy it was! 2 cups of raw whole almonds, process for ~13 minutes, and WAM! Homemade Raw Almond Butter. Fabuloso!
i still need to try making almond butter again! last time was a mess 🙂
My favorite is my Cuisinart blender/food processor. Probably not as powerful as the Vitamix but I’ve made lots of tasty things with it!
So, I’ve seen the Jack Lelanne commercials and everytime I’m soo close to calling and buying one! But can you really just throw in whole fruits and vegetables without peeling and chopping anything? And, is it hard to clean?
yup, you totally can and it takes maybe 2 minutes to clean.. i cheat and throw most of it in the dishwasher though 😉
Gina, how do you fit all of that stuff into your kitchen??
I don’t have too many fancy shmancy kitchen items..my favorite it probably my Ninja food processer.
we have a LOT of awesome cabinet space 🙂
Btw, breakfast cookie came out great! I had a few bites before my workout this morning for energy. It was perfect! Pure genius 🙂
i’m so glad you liked it!
So jealous. I’m a poor college student who owns a pot, a pan, and a baking sheet. I make do though (and I’ve discovered a decent way of baking with no mixer too!)
Oooh good post! I too have wondered about what you use in the kitchen. My favorite kitchen gadget is my George Foreman. I can do grilled meat for the hubby (okay and sometimes for me too), grilled veggies for me and grilled paninis for the both of it. I love it! I probably use it 5 days a week.
Hey Gina,
I was wondering if you would consider ellipticaling cardio & ST’ing for the legs? After using it my legs are sore, and dont really have the energy to ST my legs (such as doing lunges). I also try and do ST’ing for my legs on opposite days that I use the ET and they are still sore so it’s hard to get a good session in. I want to be able to do more lunges and stuff, but since they are sore just wasnt sure if using the ET is considered ST for the legs.
-Jessie
hey jessie,
if your goal is muscle toning, do your weight training first and then the elliptical. if your goal is fat loss, do the elliptical first and then light strength training. try bringing down the intensity a little so you can do both 🙂
I am so mind-numbingly jealous! I could make so many things with those! I am also a poor college student who is living off of dollar store knives, dishware, and other kitchen accessories. I think the reason I’m so excited for a long-term boyfriend is that I am THAT much closer to getting a kitchen-aid! It’s so hard to bake cookies for him every month with out one (he’s at the Naval Academy, so he needs his home-baked loving)
You have listed a lot of my favorite gadgets, but I would have to add my food scale (no need to use measuring cups anymore) and my food processor!
oh, i love my food scale too! it’s awesome for baking 🙂
I have the same coffee grinder! (except, i do drink coffee…).
I soooo want a juicer. Big time. And a food processor. And a mixer.
Oh crap.
HAHA, totally laughed at the stand mixer being “the reason you got married,” because that’s totally a gadget I would never consider getting unless it came from my wedding registry. I think my food processor is my favorite of my gadgets, though! I don’t use it every day or anything, but it does some lovely tricks. 🙂
awesome! i’ve been wanting to check out your kitchen gadgets forever 🙂 i’m glad you showed the spiralizer and dehydrator 🙂
WISH i had a vitamix….that is the king of appliances!
I just got a dehydrator and I can’t stop using it! I love it. Do you have any recipe books to recommend for a dehydrator?
check out everyday raw by matthew kenney 🙂
Thanks for all the recommendations. I have some of them and totally agree (Artisan Mixer is the bomb). I actually just bought a spiralizer that’s much more expensive so I’m going to return it and by the one you have! Thanks!
i love my mandoline and bullet express. But i would love to get a spiralizer and a sweet dehydrator like that one!
Thanks so much, Gina! I’m already making a list of things to populate the new apartment!! I also want to get an All-Clad slow cooker for those late nights at work! XD
gah! i forgot to mention the slow cooker. that thing is a lifesaver 🙂
My fav kitchen gadgets are my Jack Lalanne Power Juicer and mini food processor. They make me happy. lol
Hey Gina,
A while ago you mentioned that you stopped taking BC pills. i was wondering if you could share how your body is earcting. I understand if you don’t wnat to answer this on your blog! Please send me an email.
hey joanna,
i posted an update a few weeks ago: http://fitnessista.com/?p=4320
feeling a little better, but still tired
I am JEALOUS of your stash of gadgets.
Lets see I have a cuisinart hand mixer and…erm… that’s it. Seriously, I don’t even have a toaster. There ain’t any room in my tiny NYC apartment for ANYTHING!
Laughing at “But add it to your wedding registry, like yesterday”.
Believe me, my wedding registry (whenever that happens :D) will be HUGE.
love this post! we have the same coffee grinder, but i use it for coffee. lots and lots of coffee.
I love all of your gadgets! I also wanted to throw this out there for any GLUTEN-FREE readers. I just created a cookbook with all gluten-free recipes. So if you need to eat a gluten-free diet or cook for family and friends that do, please check out my cookbook by clicking on my name above. Thank you!
I need a spiralizer! Kitchen aid mixers are the best, that’s all I wanted when I got married haha!
haha! i always say that the reason im going to get married is the kitchen aid mixer! so funny…i should of asked santa for a spiralizer!
Pretty toys! So I’ve always wondered…. how exactly does a food dehydrator work? Whats the difference in the food that it produces? Or is the difference simply in how the food is cooked? Are they expensive gadgets? Thanks Gina!
hey caroline,
it has a fan in the back which removes moisture from the food with little heat. this keeps the nutrients and enzymes alive. mine was about 200 and worth every penny 🙂
awesome thank you!!
Great post 🙂 Totally reminded me that I really need to get a mandolin & stand mixer soon, they are at the top of my list!
Wusthof & Henckles knives, VitaMix, Coffee Maker, Espresso Maker, Excalibur, Spiralizer, and then too much to name. That’s the order of the appliances I love and cannot live without! I am with my mandolin like you were with opening coconuts at school..:)
LOVE this post, Gina!!!
Wow you’ve a great range of appliances, have a dehydrator and a vita mix on my wish list. Have a pink kitchen aid and absolutely love it. I’m off to a cookery demo by an Irish cook this evening, you may be interested in some of her recipes, they look good and healthy. Her website is http://www.susanjanemurray.com
Have a great day!