What Every Vegan Kitchen Needs!
Vegan cooking is easier and less time-consuming than you might think, especially if you have a well-equipped kitchen. Why not invest in some top-notch kitchen equipment as your next step towards a healthier, more ethical diet?
One of the best buys you will ever make is an electric steamer, which is perfect for steaming lentils and legumes. These can be quite pricey, but you can always look out for good deals. The humble metal mesh steamer, as found in every kitchen, will do the trick, but for more elaborate dishes and preparation, not to mention greater convenience, you may want to investigate other options.
A silicone steamer can handle more complex steaming operations, steaming lentils, small legumes, and whole grains by simply adding water to the pot, then placing the food and some water in a heat-proof bowl, setting the bowl in the steamer, and covering the whole thing with a lid. However, as simple and effective as this setup is, you have to keep your eye on it. The in-pot steamer basket is a more elaborate, and more expensive version of this, but worth investing in. It has handles, graduated ridges on the bottom so it can fit many different sizes of pots, and comes with its own lid.
However, if you have more money to spend, and its convenience you’re after, a 3 in 1 steamer, slow cooker and pressure cooker is the perfect thing for multi-purpose cooking, whether you’re cooking rice, or even making soup. Electric pressure cookers may be the priciest option, but they’re perfect for busy people – just set the timer, sit back and wait for great food to come when the timer goes off.
You need the best ingredients to take advantage of your diet – we like a good-fashioned grain grinder to extract the goodness in grains, though you can also use the Vitamix, which is perfect for smoothies, sauces and soups.
Another essential for the vegan kitchen is the non-stick pan. Many vegan dishes absolutely require a non-stick pan, especially if you’re cooking without oil. This is perfect for any high-protein foods from tofu to pancakes, which have an especial habit of sticking to pans. Get one that’s been anodised – this creates a surface that heats up evenly and quickly, as well as making it sturdy like steel, ensuring that it is capable of handling extremely high temperatures, and as easy to clean as it is easy to cook with.
A good chef’s knife is vital for any kitchen, vegan or otherwise – get chopping those healthy vegetables. Salad spinners are another useful item, perfect for washing leafy greens. Other useful items for the vegan kitchen include the microplane, which comes in so handy for zesting lemons or grating cheeses, whether vegan or otherwise.
Don’t forget such basic items common to all kitchens, such as a colander, a vegetable peeler and kitchen scales, and then you’re ready to go. If you’re looking for great savings on your new kitchen equipment, you’ll find deals like this at Groupon.