Favorite Appliances & Cookware
I have had my Vitamix for nine years with no serious issues. It comes with an excellent warranty, and Vitamix stands by it. It is expensive but worth it. It is the most useful item in my kitchen. I use it nearly every day and usually multiple times a day. The Vitamix is a nearly indispensable element of a plant-based kitchen. The machine listed is the exact Vitamix I own. There are newer models available. It's a good idea to use ear plugs whenever using high-powered kitchen appliances like a blender or a grain mill. Your ears will thank you in the long run.
I would be hard-pressed to say which piece of kitchen equipment I use more, my Vitamix or my Cuisinart Food Processor. I have the seven-cup and the 11-cup models, both of which I have used for many years without a minute's problem. I've learned they have recently recalled the blades because of some flaw in the design. The blades in the new models have been redesigned. I have my eye on this 14-cup model and am hoping mine will break down soon so I can justify buying a new one! I love this machine!!
I finally broke down after nearly 30 years of marriage and bought a nice set of All Clad. I can’t believe it took me that long to appreciate the pleasure of preparing food with high-quality cookware. I wish I had done it 30 years ago. Mine is Five-Ply (called D-5), and I chose to purchase only the pieces I knew I would use. My sister has the Tri-Ply, and she is perfectly happy with hers, which she bought as a large set. There are several pieces in her set she has never used. I probably paid more for mine as single items, but I have what I need and nothing cluttering up my cabinets. There is no reason you can’t make delicious meals with less expensive products. But once you decide to upgrade, All Clad is the way to go in my opinion. (I would never dream of putting my All Clad in a dishwasher.)
This is a very good basic set of cookware that will serve most of your needs. If taken care of, these pots and pans will last you a lifetime and will significantly add to the pleasure of your culinary experiences.
This weeknight pan is an extra piece of All-Clad I have and have found very useful. It is not a part of a set.
Fresh grains have heavenly aromas and are a joy to work with in baking. I really like my NutriMill grain mill. It is very fast and mills grains at the flour consistency you choose, from coarse cornmeal to light whole wheat pastry or spelt flours. On the downside, it is also deafening. Wear earplugs when you use it and problem solved!
I looked at numerous products before choosing the NutriMill, and I have been pleased with this purchase. I haven't had a minute's problem with it in the years I've owned it. I like that it fits perfectly on my butler pantry countertop where it has a permanent home. I always clean it well between uses because it can attract unwanted grain moths if you leave the sediment behind. I'm told you can store grain in the flour basket, but I don't recommend doing that.
If you have space for it and expect to use it a lot, a Wass grill is a great tool to have in your kitchen. I have a small bistro table I keep mine on that is out of the way of daily kitchen traffic. The Wass grill is perfect for making Ethiopian injera. In fact, it was created by an Ethiopian for that purpose. It is also great for making pita bread, pizzas, pancakes, burrito wraps, and other flatbread.
If you don’t have room for a mitad and you want to make Ethiopian injera, you will need a non-stick pan to make it on your stovetop. This will make a 12-inch injera, which is perfect for individual plates. This isn’t the exact sauté pan I use but it is nearly identical. The one I have been using for years is no longer available, so I’ve found one that will work well for you. I like the high sides of this pan. It makes it a little harder to slide the injera out of the pan, but the sloped sides of other pans give you less surface area to work with and you end up with smaller injera. It’s your choice. If you follow the directions in my video, you shouldn’t have any problems using this pan.
The Instant Pot is the newest craze and for good reason. It significantly reduces cooking time and requires very little babysitting. You can program it to have dinner ready for you when you get home from work. You can place soy milk and a probiotic in it at night in glass jars and awake with a week's worth of fresh yogurt. It is a pressure cooker, a slow cooker, a yogurt maker, a dough proofer, and a rice maker all in one. You can even sauté in it and bring water to a boil.
The Instant Pot Duo 60 is a highly versatile machine. I have the entire family of Instant Pots; the eight-quart, the six-quart, and the newest three-quart. (I bought the three-quart for travel and just because it is so darned cute!) I find the six-quart to be most versatile unless you are feeding a large family. Be sure to get one with a yogurt function. Look for sales. Amazon offers them periodically at terrific discounted prices. Below this IP are some extras I've found to be extremely useful.
A ceramic insert for the 6-quart Instant Pot is a lifesaver for preparing foods that contain sugars, peanut butter or nut creams that tend to scorch easily. It is also useful if you plan to keep rice warm for a while. I use mine often.
If you are cooking just for yourself or for two and you want to prepare more than one dish at a time in your Instant Pot, this stackable steamer fits the bill. I have made three different types of beans at one time using this little contraption. I've also made an Indian stew and the rice in the same pot. I'm still figuring out new uses for this handy item.