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Improving Your Diet - Kitchen Gadgets You May Need

By Cathy Wong, About.com

Updated: January 31, 2008

About.com Health's Disease and Condition content is reviewed by our Medical Review Board

Some alternative diets can be time-consuming to follow, because they require you to make most meals from scratch. These are some kitchen gadgets that can help save time:

Mini-blender

The appeal of a mini-blender is that it's easy to clean. The blender consists of several plastic cups, ranging in size from approximately a one-cup to three-cup capacity. The blade is in the lid of the cup, which fits over the cup to form a tight seal. The cup is flipped over and placed on the unit. Just press and begin blending. Cleaning up is as simple as washing a regular cup and lid.

A mini-blender can be used to make:

  • Nut butters and nut milk
  • Smoothies
  • Sauces
  • Pesto
  • Soup
  • Ground flaxseeds

    Kitchen Scissors

    A sturdy pair of kitchen scissors is another time-saving tool. Here are some suggested ways to use them:

    • When boiling green vegetables such as kale, remove them from the pot after cooking and place them on a dish, using the scissors to snip them into smaller pieces.
    • Use scissors to cut fresh herbs such as parsley, chives, basil, rosemary, or coriander.
    • Cut raw fish into smaller pieces before cooking.
    • Trim excess fat and skin from chicken, turkey and beef before cooking.

    Rice Cooker

    Many people on alternative diets try to eat more brown rice. To use most rice cookers, all you have to do is put uncooked brown rice into the pot, rinse the rice under water and press the "cook" button and you can continue on your day. When the rice is cooked, it will automatically switch to "keep warm" mode.

    You can add split red or green peas to the rice before cooking to make peas and rice.

    Juicer

    Using a juicer can help you increase your vegetable intake.

    Ceramic Hotpot

    A ceramic hotpot can help you make quick, one-pot tonic soups and stews that are popular in macrobiotic cooking. For example, fill a ceramic hotpot with about two cups of water. Add miso, chopped onion, garlic, and broccoli and place the hotpot on the stove. When simmering, add spring onions and tofu. Simmer for a few more minutes. Place a small scoop of brown rice into the pot.

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