May be it’s just me, but when I see a recipe that calls for a food processor or any other gadget with more than 2 or 3 parts I tend to turn the page, close the window or delete the email. The thought of the extra clean-up for the blades and who knows what else is exhausting and I can’t justify excess cleaning.  What can I say? I pride myself on being an efficient and practical person, and unnecessary suds is just not my thing. If it’s yours… please invite me over to dinner sometime so I can taste the recipes I have passed on creating myself over the years. That being said, there are a few “gadgets” that I think every person should have in the kitchen. These are easy to clean, allow for multitasking and speed up the cooking process. Like I said earlier, I appreciate efficiency and the ability to multitask, and my recommendations below do just that. What can I say? I used to be a corporate girl…

First – a rice cooker.

If you’ve ever cooked rice on a stove, then it is likely that you’ve probably burned rice at some point on the stove. An electric rice cooker cooks rice (duh), but it is impossible to burn! This awesome gadget controls the temperature and timing of the rice and turns itself off once the rice is cooked! How great is that! It even keeps it warm for you until you are ready to eat. Added bonus – now you’re free to focus on the rest of the meal, take care of the kids or anything else without having to run back to the stove every few minutes to check on the rice. All you have to do to get things started is pour the desired amount of rice into the rice cooker and fill with water. The instructions come with the rice cooker, but general rule of thumb is 2 parts water to 1 part rice. They come in all sizes so you can buy a larger one if you eat a lot of rice or feed a lot of people, or a smaller size if you don’t eat a lot of rice or don’t feed a lot of people. Hit the switch (don’t forget to plug it in first) and let the magic begin. The setting will automatically go from “cook” to “warm” once the rice is fully cooked. Before you begin be sure to rinse your rice with water. I also recommend soaking it for a few hours (or even overnight) to help break down the starches prior to cooking which will be a lot easier on your digestive system. Don’t be alarmed by the white film on top of the water – that’s the starch! Just drain and rinse and you are ready to get cookin’.

Second – a manual chopper

Peppers, onions, herbs, you name it – this awesome hand-held gadget can chop it! And just like the pro’s! And just as fast (have you picked up on my efficiency theme yet?)! All you have to do is put chunks of the food item on the cutting board (or the enclosed blade covering), place the hand-held chopper over it, press the knob and the blades do the rest! Chopping is even and effortless! Who knew this was possible without going to culinary school?

Third – a slow cooker / crockpot

Similar to the rice cooker, but used for vegetables, meats and beans. It cooks food with a moist, low and steady heat.  You can put an entire meal into the slow cooker before you leave for work in the morning and come home to a hot and fully cooked dinner waiting for you in the evening. How easy (and efficient) is that? I use mine most often to cook beans. All I have to do is rinse the beans, put them into the ceramic container, fill with water  (3 parts water to 1 part beans), put on the lid, turn the switch and check on them a few hours later. For added flavor I like to add chopped onions, some seasonings like pepper and seaweed for some extra nutrients.

Fourth – a hand blender / immersion blender

Blend soups in the same pot you cooked in and make fresh fruit smoothies in a glass or beaker – no blender necessary. This magic wand saves time cooking and cleaning! The long wand can get to the bottom of even your biggest batch of soup. Have a bowl now and freeze some for later. Some of the fancier ones come with other attachments for whisking and chopping, which are just as easy to use and clean – it all depends on your needs.

All of these gadgets range in price, so you need to find what best suits your needs and budget. I hope you have found these suggestions to be useful so that when it comes time to declutter your kitchen, or create your wedding registry – I hope you will remember that all you really need are four simple and efficient kitchen gadgets.

This recipe, inspired by The Foodista, has a real kick and is a great option when vegetarians and meat eaters dine together. Since I don’t eat meat and Ryan does, this meal is a great way to avoid making two meals for dinner (a double gold star in my book).

Typically, I try to take recipes that I find online, in books or are referred to me by friends, and make a few tweaks to the ingredients to make them a little healthier. Sometimes a few small changes can go a long way. For example, I used brown rice in this recipe instead of arborio rice, which is one of the standard rices used for risotto, but is a white rice. Brown rice is white rice without the brown-colored bran and germ layers removed. Brown rice is a whole-grain. White rice is a processed and refined grain. Since brown rice still has its shell, it offers more fiber and nutrients than white rice which has been “stripped” of its shell.  Brown rice is a healthier option because it is absorbed into your blood stream more slowly, keeping your blood sugar level so you avoid the spike followed by a crash in your blood sugar, energy level and mood. You will also feel fuller longer. A whole lot of pluses for just a small change in the color of your rice.

I prefer to water sautee my vegetables whenever possible to reduce the amount of fat calories. Fat calories are important, don’t get me wrong, but they can come from more nutrient-dense sources like avacados, nuts and seeds instead of oil to really maximize the benefits.

For added flavor for us vegetarians, I cooked the cajun flavored turkey sausage and beans together in the slow-cooker to allow the flavors of the sausage to seep into the beans. I definitely tasted the cajun-kick in my dish even though I didn’t have a bite of sausage. I am very sensitive to spicy flavors, but this level of spiciness was just right.

Ingredients:

1 cup of brown rice, cooked

2 husks of organic corn, boiled, cooled and then separated from the husks with a knife (if you are short on time, canned corn will work too)

1/4 cup of onions, chopped

1 clove of garlic, minced

3 pieces of organic turkey or chicken sausage, grilled and sliced into 1/2″ pieces (I recommend cajun-flavored)

2 tbs of fresh cilantro, chopped

1/2 cup black beans, cooked

1 tbs of olive oil

Salt and pepper to taste

Fresh lime juice to taste (I used the juice of 1/2 lime)

Directions:

Water sautee onions and garlic about 7-10 minutes or until golden brown and aromatic. Add to cooked rice and stir gently. Add the corn, sausage, beans, cilantro and lime juice to the rice mixture and season with salt and pepper. Adjust seasoning according to your liking. Spoon some guacamole (recipe below) on top and you’re all set!

Guacamole (inspired by The Foodista)

Ingredients:

2 large, ripe avocados, mashed with fork

1/3 cup of chopped onions

1 handful of fresh cilantro, chopped

The juice of 1 good lime

Salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

Place all prepped ingredients in a small to medium bowl and mix with a fork. Make sure to keep tasting the mixture periodically and adjust salt and pepper as needed.