Taste Abounds

Pages

Home
Recipes
Beverages
About
Contact Me

Pinterest Instagram Facebook Twitter Google+ Linked In

Food Bloggers' Top 10 Kitchen Tools Essential for Healthy Cooking

Are you or the cook in your life striving to eat and cook healthy meals? Get set up for success with this list of 10 kitchen tools and gadgets recommended by food bloggers that make healthy cooking easier and more affordable and sticking with it possible!

Can you imagine how difficult it would be to paint a house without a paint brush? It would be almost impossible, which is why most people consider a paint brush to be an absolute necessity for painting. Now think about how much easier painting becomes with a roller, paint tray and tape. If you have a really large area to paint, it would be even easier with a paint sprayer, right?
This blog isn't about painting houses, so yes, I'm talking in analogies to try to make a point. The tools you have in your kitchen can determine so much about how you live, from the types of meals you can prepare to how often you cook and how many people you can feed. All of those things can impact everything from your social life to your health, which can then effect your finances and quality of life. Something as simple as stocking your kitchen with the right tools can literally impact almost every aspect of your life!
Of course, I started this blog to help you follow a healthy and delicious lifestyle, so in this post, I'm going to share the kitchen tools that are as important to cooking healthy meals as a paint brush, roller and paint tray are to painting. These tools make the task of preparing healthy meals for yourself and your loved ones easier and more affordable, which often makes sticking to a healthy diet possible.
I've included both the tools I rely on and those that other food bloggers who specialize in healthy recipes recommend. Food bloggers cook A LOT, so we're all about tools that make our job easier!
If you are searching for the perfect gift for the cook in your life or need a gift for someone who is trying to get healthy, search no more. This list will have something he or she will love.

2 comments

, by Unknown

dairy-free

Chorizo Tacos with Radish-Jicama Slaw - Grain-free, Dairy-free, Paleo, Whole30

If you love chorizo, you will love these tacos! Radish-Jicama Slaw balances the richness and bold flavor of the chorizo perfectly, and it all stays wrapped up thanks to my grain-free Pliable Pumpkin Seed Tortillas. Packed with nutrients and flavor, yet grain-free, dairy-free, Paleo and Whole30 compliant, these Chorizo Tacos would be a fun and healthy way to enjoy breakfast, Taco Tuesday, or Cinco de Mayo!

Of all of the different types of sausages out there, chorizo might be my favorite. It's flavor is so robust that it elevates every dish it's part of. And yeah, I also like that it's greasy. But it's that bigger-than-life flavor that can also make cooking with chorizo challenging. What do you top it with? Of course, cheese and sour cream are excellent on chorizo, but what can you put on chorizo if you're aiming for dairy-free, Paleo or Whole30-compliant? Plop a glob of guacamole on chorizo and you find your taste buds in the middle of a flavor war. What's a chorizo-loving girl to do?
Well, I'm doing a little happy dance because I figured out the perfect solution. These Chorizo Tacos are topped with a Radish and Jicama Slaw that is lightly dressed with lime juice, scallions and cilantro. It's so light and refreshing, and it just happens to perfectly balance the richness and bold flavors of chorizo. In fact, it's such a perfect combination that you won't miss dairy on this taco one bit!

No comments

, by Unknown

dairy-free

Easy Probiotic Rich Lacto-Fermented Dill Pickles - Vegan, Paleo, Whole30, AIP

This recipe for Lacto-Fermented Dill Pickles is so easy that it only requires three ingredients and five minutes to prepare! Once fermented, these Lacto Fermented Dill Pickles are so flavorful, crunchy and full of probiotics that they can and should be used everywhere you use store bought pickles, like as snacks and on sandwiches and charcuterie plates. They're better for your body and wallet!

I've heard and read about the importance of probiotic-rich foods countless times over the years, but just recently, I was reminded both of the benefit of lacto-fermented vegetables and of how easy they can be to make at home.I've made all sorts of excuses to myself over the years for not making my own lacto-fermented vegetables, my favorite being "I don't have time for that!" As a result, I would add "fermented vegetables" to my shopping list and dutifully spend a small fortune on them at my local health food store.But as I said, I was recently reminded of how easy it is to make lacto-fermented vegetables at home, so I dove into a Pinterest hole and began researching. After researching, I started fermenting, and let's just say that I'm thrilled with the results! These Lacto-Fermented Dill Pickles have great flavor and crunch, and they're friendly to just about every special diet out there, such as vegan, low-carb, keto, Paleo, Whole30 and AIP. These Lacto Fermented Dill Pickles could easily be used in place of store bought pickles on a sandwich or as part of a charcuterrie plate, or you could just eat them out of the jar, like I do. However you use them, these Lacto Fermented Dill pickles are so easy to make that there is really no reason not to use them in place of store bought pickles!

No comments

, by Unknown

dairy-free

Pliable Nut-free Pumpkin Seed (Pepita) Tortillas - Grain-free, Paleo, Whole30, Vegan

These Pumpkin Seed (Pepita) Tortillas are just as pliable, nutritious and delicious as my original gluten-free tortillas / wraps, but ground pumpkin seeds instead of almond flour makes them nut-free as well as gluten-free, grain-free, vegan, Paleo and Whole30 compliant. They're also easy to make and only require four ingredients. Time to conquer taco night!

Awhile back, a reader asked a question about my Gluten-free Tortillas / Wraps. She wondered if it was possible to make them nut-free due to a nut allergy. My original and enormously popular Gluten-free Tortillas / Wraps that were featured on The Feed Feed are made mostly from almond flour, so making them nut-free was an interesting request. Thankfully, I have a made a lot of recipes nut-free by substituting ground pumpkin or sunflower seeds for almond flour, so once I got through the holidays and two surgeries with our sweet new greyhound, I got to work on the recipe.
Folks, these pumpkin seed tortillas are amazing! They're gluten-free, grain-free, vegan (dairy-free and egg-free), Paleo and Whole30 compliant AND nut-free. Only four ingredients are required and they're easy to make. On top of all of that, these Pumpkin Seed Tortillas are delicious and super pliable, so just like my original grain-free tortillas, they won't fall apart. That's right, these tortillas will actually hold whatever fillings you put in them!
Health Benefits & Nutrition Info
Pumpkin Seeds, a.k.a. pepitas, make up the majority of this recipe and wow, are they good for you! Not only do pumpkin seeds provide protein and fiber, they contain impressive amounts of manganese, phosphorus, magnesium, copper, zinc, and iron. (source). These minerals are crucial for everything from making neurotransmitters that help us feel relaxed and happy to keeping our bones healthy and making red blood cells. Some of the minerals in pumpkin seeds even act as antioxidants or are used to make antioxidants in our bodies. So, yeah. Pumpkin seeds might be small, but they sure are mighty!

No comments

, by Unknown

dairy-free

Mashed Cauliflower with Kale & Bacon a.k.a. Low Carb Irish Colcannon

This mouthwatering mashed cauliflower with kale and bacon is an allergy-friendly and low-carb twist on the traditional Irish Colcannon! Bacon and leeks add so much flavor that nobody would know that cauliflower has replaced potatoes or that it's gluten-free, dairy-free, nightshade-free, low-carb, keto friendly, Paleo and Whole30 compliant!

Of all the holidays, St Patrick's Day is one of my favorites. I mean, who could blame me? I'm part Irish and my husband is mostly Irish. Green is my favorite color, and I like to eat, drink and be merry, which is how St Patty's Day is celebrated. It's just my kind of holiday!
Since St Patty's Day is right around the corner, I'm planning to celebrate by doing what the Irish do and eating what the Irish eat. Corned beef and cabbage is on the menu in my house since it's my favorite Irish dish, but I also like other popular Irishes, in particular a dish called the Colcannon. The Colcannon is traditionally made by mixing mashed potatoes with cabbage or kale and butter, but additional ingredients are sometimes added, such as leeks, bacon or cheese. No matter how it's made, the Irish Colcannon is hearty and delicious!

The Colcannon, like so many Irish dishes, includes potatoes, which are not just starchy, potatoes are one of the vegetables in the nightshade family. Nightshades and starchy foods can both be problematic for some folks, so I made a low carb and nightshade-free Colcannon by sustituting my Mashed Cauliflower recipe for regular mashed potatoes. The result is a Colcannon that is not just nightshade-free, low-carb and keto diet-friendly, it can also be made dairy-free and therefore Paleo and Whole30 friendly!

No comments

, by Unknown

dairy-free

Healthy Chocolate Chip Muffins - Grain-free, Vegan, Paleo

These Chocolate Chip Muffins are so good for you that you can't consider them a treat! Made mostly of almond flour, they're nutritious, lower in sugar and carbs than most muffins, free of most common allergens, Paleo and vegan. Treat yourself and nourish yourself with these grain-free chocolate chip muffins!

Believe it or not, these Healthy Chocolate Chip Muffins were inspired by Starbucks' chocolate chunk muffins. Hopefully I didn't lose any of you by making that confession. Stay with me, folks. I will explain, and I promise the recipe is worth it!The holidays and two months that followed were a blur. I was so busy that I could barely remember my first name and felt like a hot mess most of the time. I tried to stay on track with planning out healthy meals, grocery shopping and cooking nourishing meals for my family, but life doesn't always go as planned. More than once, I found myself in the Starbucks drive-thru desperate for coffee and something to feed my kids.Being desperate and sleep deprived, I didn't have the will power to say "no" when my son requested a chocolate chunk muffin. I knew it was loaded with gluten and sugar and didn't offer many nutrients for his growing body, but no mom is perfect. *sigh* At least I learned a couple of things from those muffins. One, that my son absolutely loves chocolate chip muffins! Two, the muffins confirmed that like me, a lot of gluten-containing foods give him a tummy ache. Knowing that my son loved chocolate chip muffins so much, I set out to develop a recipe for a chocolate chip muffin that my son could eat, one that was free of most food allergens and actually good for him. I nailed it! These Chocolate Chip Muffins are awesome and my kids absolutely love them. *happy dance*Not only are these Chocolate Chip Muffins loved by adults and kids alike, they're free of eggs, dairy, soy, corn, and gluten. Thanks to cassava flour, these Chocolate Chip Muffins are not only gluten-free, they're completely grain-free! But don't worry, these muffins aren't crumbly or gummy like most gluten-free and vegan baked goods. These Chocolate Chip Muffins are moist and have great texture and structure, all without xanthan or guar gum!
Hold on, it gets even better. This recipe also uses minimal amounts of natural sweeteners, meaning that they contain less sugar than most muffins and still fall under the Paleo-friendly category. Yippee!

No comments

, by Unknown

egg-free

Spaghetti Squash with Parmesan, Pine Nuts, and Tarragon - Gluten-free, Low-carb and Keto

This flavor combination will blow you away! Buttery and fruity parmesan cheese (ideally Grana Padano) is the perfect companion for tarragon and pine nuts, and it's all mixed together in a healthy, gluten-free, low-carb and keto diet friendly spaghetti squash dish!

The first time I saw cooked spaghetti squash separate into noodle-like strands I was mesmerized. Us humans love noodles, and Nature somehow created a squash that looks like noodles! I mean, how cool is that?! My fascination with spaghetti squash has inspired me to try to perfect it. The truth is, though, cooking spaghetti squash can be tricky. Almost every recipe and tutorial out there calls for cooking it cut side down or even whole in the microwave or slow cooker. The problem with all of these methods is that they steam the spaghetti squash. While that can sometimes result in perfectly cooked spaghetti squash, it's not a fool proof method. Think about steaming vegetables. Cook them for the ideal amount of time, and you get perfectly al dente vegetables. Go even one minute over that "ideal" amount of time, and your vegetables get mushy. The same goes for spaghetti squash. Steaming it requires precision. Cook it too long, and you get a soggy mess instead of squash that magically looks like noodles.So what's the solution, you ask? Roasting. Again, think about what roasting does to vegetables (and most foods, for that matter). The excess water cooks out and the edges caramelize, resulting in great flavor and texture. The same thing happens with spaghetti squash. When it's roasted cut side up at a high temperature, the excess water cooks out and the spaghetti squash caramelizes, resulting in lots of flavor and squash "noodles" with enough texture to hold up to any sauce. A big thank you to Katie over at Chocolate Covered Katie for realizing this. You can check out her post on it here!With a fool-proof method for cooking spaghetti squash under my belt, I've been experimenting with all sorts of flavor profiles. Search Pinterest and you will find Italian, Mexican and Asian flavors. Spaghetti squash can be used as a healthy, low-carb substitute for all sorts of noodles! One of my favorite ways to eat spaghetti squash is with bacon, blue cheese and buffalo sauce, a recipe you can find here. In this recipe for Spaghetti Squash with Parmesan, Pine Nuts and Tarragon, I keep it simple. However, the flavors used in this dish are huge and come together as powerfully as Beethoven's 5th Symphony!

No comments

, by Unknown

Older
Stories

About me

Lots of people think they are limited to tasteless food when they switch to a healthy or restricted diet. Well my name is Laura, and I started this blog to prove that wrong! I share all sorts of recipes here, from Paleo to vegan, Whole30 to AIP. All are gluten-free, low-glycemic, extra nutritious and delicious. If you have a craving for taste, it's my hope that you find something to satisfy it here!

Follow Me

Pinterest
Instagram
Facebook
Twitter
Google+
Linked In

Subscribe to Taste Abounds

* indicates required

Email Address *

First Name

Last Name

Pages

Food Bloggers' Top 10 Kitchen Tools Essential for Healthy Cooking

Chorizo Tacos with Radish-Jicama Slaw - Grain-free, Dairy-free, Paleo, Whole30

Easy Probiotic Rich Lacto-Fermented Dill Pickles - Vegan, Paleo, Whole30, AIP

Pliable Nut-free Pumpkin Seed (Pepita) Tortillas - Grain-free, Paleo, Whole30, Vegan

Mashed Cauliflower with Kale & Bacon a.k.a. Low Carb Irish Colcannon

Healthy Chocolate Chip Muffins - Grain-free, Vegan, Paleo

Spaghetti Squash with Parmesan, Pine Nuts, and Tarragon - Gluten-free, Low-carb and Keto

About me

Follow Me

Pinterest

Like me on Facebook

recent posts

Proud Member of the

As Seen On

Popular Posts

Featured Post

Pliable Nut-free Pumpkin Seed (Pepita) Tortillas - Grain-free, Paleo, Whole30, Vegan