Saturday, December 22, 2018

10 Essential Kitchen Tools for a Vegan Kitchen

essential vegan kitchen tools for vegan cooking

Veganism has never been more popular. With its benefits for people, animals, and the environment, celebrities from singer Miley Cyrus to director James Cameron have gone vegan. That’s a growing trend, and the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics supports it, stating that a vegan diet is “healthful, nutritionally adequate, and may provide health benefits in the prevention and treatment of certain disease.” Whether you’re transitioning to the vegan lifestyle or looking to become more savvy in the kitchen, consider these 10 essential tools that every vegan needs to have in their kitchen.

Spice Grinder

Epica Electric Spice Grinder, $19.95 on Amazon

electric spice grinder

Epica/Amazon

Vegans and omnivores enjoy spice as a primary portion of many dishes more than most realize. Seasoning tofu is as much of an art and science as seasoning any meat. So, having a spice grinder can come in handy whether you’re creating homemade veggie burgers, adding extra flavor to a plant-based roast, or making a stir fry dish. Go for electric spice grinders for quick results. If you prefer a more hands-on experience, a mortar and pestle will work, too. Just make sure you have a tool on hand that you enjoy using to help you grind those spices for more flavorful meals.See It

Chef’s Knife Set

Wüsthof Gourmet 10 Piece Knife Block Set, $199.99 at Macy’s (originally $432)

Wusthof Knife Set

Wüsthof/Macy’s

High-quality knives are among the cornerstone tools for any chef, and they are just as important for a vegan kitchen as any other. Vegetarian Times recommends investing in good knives and taking good care of them by cleaning and drying them by hand. Whether you plan on chopping fresh vegetables every day or simply need to cut into that vegan roast during the holidays, the knife you choose for your kitchen is an important part of preparing and serving meals for your family.See It

Food Chopper or Food Processor

KitchenAid Food Chopper, $69.99 at KitchenAid

KitchenAid food chopper

KitchenAid

KitchenAid food choppers are also indispensable in a vegan kitchen. Use them to make anything from dressings to dips. Vegan author and illustrator Kara Maria shared, “Not only is the chopper easy to clean and quick to assemble, but it chops, purees, and blends ingredients into amazingly creamy and healthful dips in only a matter of seconds! I love it for making cilantro dressing, nacho cheese, hummus, and pesto. Here’s a tip for achieving a rich, cheesy, and creamy consistency in your dips and dressings: experiment with ingredients such as cashews, sautéed onion, tofu, unsweetened nut milk, and nutritional yeast.”See It

Large Chopping Boards

Eco-Friendly Bamboo Cutting Board Set, 4 for $27.99 on Amazon

eco-friendly bamboo cutting boards

Bambüsi/Amazon

With an entirely vegan kitchen, you won’t have to worry about gross cross-contamination of salmonella from raw meats, so you can relax a little with your variety of chopping boards. Nevertheless, it’s a good idea to have dedicated chopping boards for different foods. Bamboo and wood cutting boards are best and can be easily cared for, so they last for years.See It

Glass Jars

Ball Pint Glass Mason Jars, 12 for $17.43 and up on Amazon

glass Ball mason jars

Ball/Amazon

Okay, if you’re a vegan, you’re already doing great things for the environment by avoiding animal agriculture. However, there’s always room for improvement. Adding glass jars to your kitchen can help avoid overusing plastic bags and disposable storage containers. Glass jars can easily be used for storing everything from leftovers to blended juices.See It

Tofu Press

EZ Tofu Press, $20.99 on Amazon

manual tofu press

EZ Tofu Press/Amazon

Preparing tofu is an art that most chefs perfect over time. It can be hard to get the hang of it right away. However, a tofu press can make it much easier! A tofu press removes excess water from tofu, making it denser and ready for cooking. Choose between a plate-style tofu press and a box-style tofu press. Both leave your tofu with a pleasant texture. One Green Planet reports that firm or extra firm tofu is best for use in a tofu press.See It

Instant Pot

Instant Pot DUO80 8-Quart 7-in-1 Pressure Cooker, $89.95 on Amazon (originally $139.95)

6-Quart Instant Pot 7-in-1

Instant Pot/Amazon

Yes, Instant Pots were once thought to be a temporary trend as Instagram and other social media sites showed the appeal of a one-pot meal. However, it has lasting convenience and should be a mainstay if you just want a simple way to throw together a nutritious meal.See It

Garlic Press

ORBLUE Stainless Steel Garlic Press, $13.97 on Amazon

garlic press

ORBLUE/Amazon

All-Creatures.org, an organization that advocates for a vegan lifestyle, recommends a garlic press for vegan food preparation. Freshly crushed garlic adds flavor to savory meals and offers health benefits, too. Happily, garlic presses are inexpensive and easy to use, making them a no-fuss tool for the kitchen. With a garlic press, you can prepare fresh garlic for any meal in under a minute.See It

Ice Cream Maker

Cuisinart 1.5-Quart Frozen Yogurt and Ice Cream Maker, $41.99 on Amazon

ice cream maker

Cuisinart/Amazon

With Ben & Jerry’s now making several vegan flavors and companies like Breyer’s making vegan ice cream too, your options for frozen treats are plentiful. Nevertheless, the power to make your own vegan ice cream is irresistible. With an ice cream maker, you can easily use fresh ingredients like bananas to make delectable concoctions in the flavor of your choice. If your favorite flavor isn’t available in the frozen section of your grocery store, just whip it up yourself.See It

Microwave

Panasonic Stainless Steel Countertop/Built-In Microwave Oven with Inverter Technology and Genius Sensor, $159 at Walmart

Panasonic microwave with inverter technology

Panasonic/Walmart

If you don’t plan on doing a lot of cooking in your vegan kitchen, there are seemingly endless options these days for vegan microwaveable meals in most grocery stores. From enchiladas with beans and faux cheese from Amy’s Kitchen to Field Roast vegan corn dogs, you can find vegan versions of any comfort food imaginable, making it easy to indulge. If you’re not ready for more serious cooking, a microwave can give you access to dozens of vegan meal options that can be ready in under 10 minutes.See It

Related Video: How to Make Hearty Vegan Spiced Winter Squash Soup

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