Odds & Ends: 5 Must-Have Kitchen Gadgets

Sometimes all you need to get inspired in the kitchen are a few new, handy gadgets. Whenever I’ve purchased a new item for my kitchen, like a blender, a food processor, or even something as simple as a new knife, I get excited to use it to make healthy and delicious recipes. With spring in full force, there’s no better time than the present to start cleaning out your old kitchen gadgets and investing in some new ones. Which is where today’s post comes in to play…

With the help of Team LC’s favorite nutritionist, Shira Lenchewski, RD, I’ve put together five cool kitchen gadgets that should be on every budding chef’s radar. These tools will make your kitchen feel complete, and your spring recipes much easier to make.

Without further ado, here are my five favorite culinary gadgets that make healthy living easy as cake…

1. Aqua Zinger

At one point, we’ve all thought to ourselves “I know I need to be drinking more water.” So any trick to make hydrating an easier task is fine by me. Flavored waters can be helpful if you get bored of the plain taste of water. But, Shira says that store-bought flavored waters are often loaded with artificial sweeteners, flavors and colors (none of which are good for you). The Aqua Zinger is a water bottle that allows you to put whole fruits and veggies into a compartment within the bottle, subtly infusing your water flavor. Just add your favorite combo (you can find a few of my favorites here) and fill the bottle up with ice and water for a healthy and on-the-go refresher.

2. Oil Mister

A lot of times, I only really need a little bit of olive oil when I’m cooking or preparing food. I love using oil misters because they can give my sautéed veggies or leafy green salad a fine mist of herb-infused oil without making everything too greasy. Oil misters are exactly what they sound like. They’re perfect for coating skillets and getting a uniform spray of healthy omega-3s over your favorite salad.

3. Citrus Zester

Citrus zest adds a huge burst of floral-acidity and freshness to dishes without added calories. Shira recommends using a zester to add a touch of citrus to a variety of dishes, from summer salad vinaigrettes to grilled fish, ricotta pancakes, and popcorn. They also come in handy when baking summer citrus cakes and pies. Yum.

4. Spiralizer

A spiralizer is a great tool for anyone who loves pasta, but is looking replace refined carbs with nutrient-rich veggies. They are incredibly user-friendly, and create curlicue noodles from zucchini and other veggies. If you’re a vegetarian, a vegan, or just looking to add more veggies to your diet, this gadget will become your best friend. Shira recommends using your spiralizer to make this recipe for Tahini Zucchini Pasta or Zucchini Pesto Pasta.

5. Cuppow

Now you have a reason to hold onto those almond butter, pasta sauce, and salsa jars… The Cuppow converts canning jars into full-blown travel mugs. The lid is BPA-free plastic, and makes for spill-free, eco-friendly drinking on the go. Recycling jars has never been more convenient.

Now that you know what’s on my wish list of impressive kitchen gadgets…

What’s your favorite useful kitchen gadget?

Leave your answer in the comments below.

And thanks again to Shira for sharing her expert tips with us!

XO Lauren

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Photo: SMACS