My "simple" AIP kitchen tool must-haves: (keep in mind....these are not AIP pantry must-haves....that's another blog......these are tools/appliances)
My AIP lifestyle is a simple one.
For the most part, I am not a recipe follower. Which means...I tend to cook basics such as stir-fries, smoothies, salads and lots of grilled and roasted proteins and veggies.
As an AIP coach........I find myself introducing The Best You program to brave new souls several times a year.....so I find keeping it as simple as possible makes it appear less overwhelming for them.
I am often asked....."What supplies will I need?".....so I felt it might help to share with you exactly what I use on a daily basis in my own kitchen.
My Must-Have AIP Kitchen Tools
JUICER:
I start my day with my fresh green juice....which means I use a juicer.
I used to juice every single day.....during my initial healing phase....and did so for 16 months! Fresh juicing offers the most nutritional benefits and I was certainly after every single micronutrient I could find! As my business has grown.....I have scaled back my time in the kitchen where I could....and I now juice once a week and freeze my juice in glass jars for a daily drink that I thaw out the night before.
There are juicers of all varieties and costs. If you have never juiced before, I highly recommend starting with a very affordable juicer, like the Hamilton Beach Wide Mouth Juice ($50-60) to make sure this lifestyle is one you will continue....before investing in a high dollar machine, like the Breville Juice Fountain Cold ($150+).
BLENDER:
Smoothies are a great option for adding lots of nutritional foods to your day at once!
You can load them with vitamins, minerals, protein and fiber all at once.....for the fast-paced person on the go! Think....grab and go!
They also make great treats!
I lived with the simplest version of the Ninja Personal Blender (similar to the NutriBullet) for two full years! I used it multiple times a day.....and even traveled with it! It still works to this day...but I have since upgraded to a large scale Hamilton Beach Professional blender that also has a bullet option. You don't need to get fancy with this.....any blender works to get you started.
CUTTING BOARD:
I have several.....and I do not prefer one over the other. I do recommend a board that has a non-slip surface on the back.
There is nothing like having to chase your cutting board while you are chopping.... or keeping it from spinning in circles. Even the chopping mats work really well and are easy to store and affordable.
If you are shopping for a new cutting board, this extra-large cutting board is an option that works well for me.
Extra Large Cutting Board
A GOOD KNIFE:
I am not a name brand shopper....and I cannot recommend a specific knife to you. I have many chopping knives....but I also have my favorites!
A good knife....a knife that you are comfortable with.....is a game-changer. You will use a knife to prepare every single meal...whether you are eating stir fry, a salad, a smoothie, etc. So do your research.....and try a few out......you'll see what I mean. This Mercer Culinary knife is one of my favorites.
Mercer Culinary Knife
You only need to cut through one Kobocha squash to understand how important a good knife really is!
A Few Other Favorites AIP Kitchen Tools...
A large SKILLET for stir fry
A large SOUP POT for soups and cooking large pieces of meat
A large BOWL for giant salads
CONTAINERS with lids to store leftovers and batched meals for the week
Glass JARS to store frozen juice
Reusable STRAWS for smoothies
And that's it! This is truly all the AIP kitchen tools you need to get started. There are more advanced options I can recommend to you as you move through your journey. My goal is to introduce you to the basics and encourage you to give this a try with the bare basics! An AIP pantry blog will also be most helpful and will be coming soon!