Healthy Cooking Gadgets
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Sometimes you need a little help in the kitchen to eat healthy. Well, we’ve got must-have cooking gadgets that make making healthy foods easier.
Instant Pot or Crock Pot Multi-Cooker
Fans have been raving about the Instant Pot for some time now. This jack-of-all-trades cooker can cut down your cooking time in a fraction. Priced between $70 to $160, the Instant Pot can do what 3 or more gadgets can! Unlike a slow cooker, the Instant Pot cooks much like a standard pressure cooker. It can cut down the hours of cooking into mere minutes! It can steam, fry, make rice, make stew, and can even make yoghurt! Another alternative to the Instant Pot is the Crock Pot Multi-Cooker which is priced around $70 to $100.
Recipe to make: Honey Garlic Instant Pot Chicken from Kristine’s Kitchen Blog
Calories 285 calories
We loved Kristine’s version but we made it our own by adding more spice! Combine 1/3 cup water or chicken broth with ¼ cup low sodium soy sauce, ¼ cup honey, 2 or 3 cloves of minced garlic (we decided to add more garlic to ours), ¼ teaspoon black pepper and some heat with a pinch of crushed pepper flakes or cayenne pepper or even a tablespoon or two of Sriracha in the Instant pot. You can even substitute the honey for ¼ cup Thai sweet chili sauce. Add 1 ½ pounds boneless and skinless chicken breast. Put the lid and cook at high pressure between 8 to 11 minutes depending on the size of your chicken breast. Follow the instructions on your Instant Pot or Crock Pot Multi-Cooker carefully. After, use a thermometer to check the internal temperature at the thickest part of the breast. It should be at 165 degrees F. If it’s less, continue cooking it using the Instant Pot’s sauté mode until done. Remove the chicken and thicken the sauce with a slurry made up of 1 teaspoon water and 2 teaspoon cornstarch. Stir and let it thicken for 2 minutes. Slice the chicken and put back in the sauce. Serve with rice.
Spiralizer
The vegetable spiralizer is your new best friend when you want a healthy alternative to pasta. You can get a spiralizer for as little as $20 up to $120 for a high end electric KitchenAid Spiralizer.
Recipe to make: Pesto Zucchini Pasta with Shrimps
Calories: 370.25 calories
Chop 3 garlic cloves finely and 1 small onion. Spiralize 3 zucchinis into “noodles”. Add 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a sauté pan and sauté a bag of jumbo shrimps (deveined and peeled), add salt and pepper to taste. Take them out of the pan just before they’re done. You will be adding them back in the pan later to continue cooking. In the same pan, add the garlic, onion and zucchinis. Add another tablespoon of olive oil if you need it. Cook the mixture until they’re about done. Add back the shrimps, 1/2 cup pesto and cook until done. You can use jarred pesto for this recipe or make your own. Sprinkle with parmesan cheese and serve.
Air Fryer
Air Fryers cooks with little to no oil. They cook food by circulating hot air (convection method) around the food. Air Fryers range in price from $100 to $300 depending on the brand. As with most air fryers, you may have to toss your food for even cooking. Also, just don’t expect it to taste similar to deep-fried foods.
Recipe to make: Air Fryer Breakfast Frittata
Calories: 282 calories
Pre-heat the air fryer to 360 degrees F. Cook ¼ pound of breakfast sausage. Next, combine cooked sausage with 3 whole eggs and 1 egg white, 2 or 3 sliced mushrooms, 2 tablespoons red bell pepper, 1 diced tomato, 1 green onion, ½ cup Cheddar-Monterey Jack cheese blend, salt, pepper and pepper flakes to taste. Add the mixture to the air fryer’s pan. You may need to lightly coat the pan with cooking spray. Cook in the air fryer until the middle is set between 15 to 18 minutes.
Air Popped Popcorn Machine
Popcorn is a great snack! Its low calorie and its healthy. They range from $15 all the way to $45. They’re easy to use and there’s no need for butter!
Recipe to make: Chili Lime Popcorn
Calories: 63 calories
Combine 2 tablespoons vegetable oil, 1 and 1/4 teaspoon chili powder, and 1 and 1/4 teaspoon cumin. Heat in a pan for a few seconds to release their aroma and oils then dump the spice and oil mixture to newly air popped popcorn and add the zest of 1 lime. Season with salt to taste and toss the mixture. Finally, squeeze a wedge of lime over the popcorn before serving.
Simply Slender Master Cleanse
You can pair these tasty recipes with the Simply Slender Master Cleanse Detox Diet. Just one glass contains only 50 calories! We’ve added a boost to the regular Master Cleanse formula with superfoods like Acai, Noni, Mangosteen and Goji berries juices for extra antioxidant power. Grab a bottle today and jumpstart your weight loss journey!
Summary
Here are the three must-have cooking gadgets that make making healthy foods easier.
- Air Fryers - cooks with little to no oil. They cook food by circulating hot air using the convection method. Air Fryers range in price from $100 to $300 depending on the brand.
- Spiralizer - makes vegetable pasta a lot easier for a gluten-free pasta alternative. You can get a spiralizer for as little as $20 up to $120 for a high-end electric one.
- Air Popped Popcorn Machine - can range from $15 all the way to $45. They’re easy to use and there’s no need for butter!
References
"Honey Garlic Instant Pot Chicken Breasts" - Kristine's Kitchen, September 19, 2018