I often find myself struggling to find new and creative ways to plan and cook meals, and have recently invested in some new cooking tools to spice up my home cooking. When we become bored of eating food prepared the same way, we revert to poor eating choices that are pre-made or fast food. Investing in tools for your kitchen will not only allow you to explore new recipe ideas but keep meals healthy and fresh. Here are some great new cooking tools to look into if you too are looking for new ideas in the kitchen.
Pressure Cooker:
It seemed like for a few weeks, everyone I spoke with said, “do you have a pressure cooker?”, followed by why it has revolutionized their meal cooking. Pressure cooking is the process of cooking food using water, or other liquid and sealing it into a pot. If you have ever used steaming to cook food this is the same idea. Pressure cookers are a great investment for your kitchen because they can save a considerable amount of cooking time while making meals taste delicious. Another benefit is that meals prepared in a pressure cooker use fresh and healthy ingredients, without any additives needed to cook. There are different brands and models available to buy, and it is best to look into what style will suit yourself and your family best before purchasing. Many companies have their own healthy recipes when you purchase a pressure cooker, or the link below also has some healthy and creative ideas.
https://www.skinnytaste.com/recipes/pressure-cooker/
Sous-Vide:
Some of the most flavourful and tender foods I have tried have been prepared by the sous-vide method. Sous-vide is a way of cooking where food is placed in a plastic, vacuum sealed, pouch and cooked in a water bath or steam environment at a low cooking temperature for a longer period of time. Meal preparation is easy, as you place your meat or vegetables into the bag along with herbs and spices. Simply seal the bag and begin to sous-vide from there! Prices and styles of machines can vary, and again it is best to do your research online or in cooking stores to inquire about which is best for your lifestyle. For an idea of what a week of healthy meals can look like with your own sous-vide machine, check out the link below.
https://www.chefsteps.com/activities/get-started-with-sous-vide-your-first-week-s-menu
Fridge Cam:
I often go to the market or grocery store after work, and when there struggle to remember what ingredients I actually need to prepare dinner. When I come home, I find many of the items I purchased were already there. A fridge cam is a great modern device that saves time, food waste and money. The device will send pictures of inside your fridge to your phone, so you know exactly what is in there. Furthermore, some fridge camera’s have sensor devices that can alert you when staples in your fridge are running low.
Steam Oven:
A similar system to a pressure cooker, however, this machine is the size of a microwave or can come as a feature in some new ovens. Cooking in a steam oven is a healthy alternative because it traps in the flavours of the food along with the nutrients and vitamins. Again, this method cooks very quickly and the humidity generated by steaming helps meals from drying out. Keep in mind that steam ovens can be more costly than the cooking tools above. However, if you are looking to purchase a new oven or cooking tool, it is something that will add healthy cooking benefits, along with a variety of meals.
Do your research in looking into and purchasing new cooking tools, they can be great investments for your health and to keep meal planning fun and inventive.
Article By: Sarah Bamber
