For the foodies in your life that love to cook, here is a list of the items that are most used in my vegan kitchen. Enjoy!
Larger Items
Restaurant Quality Smoothies from my Vitamix
Vitamix Blender - This is my go-to kitchen tool. I use it to make restaurant-quality smoothies, hummus and other dips, pasta sauces, salad dressings, banana nice cream and sorbets, to grind coffee beans, and even to finely shred some veggies like cabbage and carrots. I have used my Vitamix almost daily for the last seven years.
Food Processor - This is a more recent purchase for me. Thank you, Costco sale. I mostly got it to give my Vitamix a break. So far my favorite thing to make in it is date energy balls. It’s also great for finely chopping nuts and vegetables. I can’t say that it’s absolutely needed if you have a Vitamix but I am definitely enjoying it.
High Quality Knives - If you eat a lot of produce, you likely do a lot of chopping. Like, every day. High quality knives make this process less time consuming and more precise. I notice a huge difference when I use low quality or dulled knives.
High Quality Cutting Boards - On that theme, I am constantly using my cutting boards. Mine conveniently pop in the dishwasher but I have heard a large block is really where it’s at.
Smaller Items
My Nana’s garlic keeper
Garlic Keeper - I am not saying every vegan loves garlic, but I haven’t yet met one that doesn’t. This item is just a little nice to have. I have my grandmother’s old school garlic keeper and it just makes me feel so comforted when I reach for the garlic, which is most days.
Garlic Press - Again, not needed, but very helpful to speed things up when you like a lot of garlic minced.
Mason Jar Lids - I store so many dried goods in mason jars and just love them. I find the metal lids to rust and they even specify on the packaging that they are meant for one time use. While I try to not buy too much plastic, I do really love my reusable mason jar lids. I find that all of mine are always in use.
Apple Crisp in the making with fresh lemon juice
Reusable Metal Straws - This one tends to be pretty polarizing but I love my reusable metal straws.
Handheld Citrus Juicer - This one became a game changer when I got it last year. I find I use more lemons in my cooking just because I have it. And, my son is pretty obsessed with the days when we make some fresh pressed OJ.
Spatulas - A great complimentary gift to a Vitamix. I have a long, thin, silicone one that is especially helpful.
Vegetable Peeler - I would guess most people would have one of these already but they are so used that they can break down or get a little gross (ask my sister) so this might be a welcomed replacement gift.
A High Quality Water Bottle - I have several and use them in rotation daily. I’ve gotten some as gifts and they are some of my favorite items to receive.
Extra Specialty Items
Tofu Press - Learning that pressing tofu before cooking created the best texture was a game changer for me. Thank you, Lizzie. I press mine between a cloth or paper towels but an actual press would be an awesome gift for someone who cooks tofu often.
Rice Cooker - Simple and seemingly unneeded, but I use mine at least a couple of times a week for rice or quinoa. It’s just nice to free up the stove and let this one cook on its own. Mine is quite small and inexpensive but the basic setting of on and then “keep warm” when it’s done cooking, until you’re ready to eat it, is quite lovely. Highly recommend.
Dehydrator - This was on my wish list for years and I just never could justify the cost for the minimal use. But, I am borrowing a friend’s right now and it feels like the perfect balance to have it for a few weeks a year. Today I made dried apple slices, dried orange slices for holiday ornaments, and this week I am hoping to get to some homemade kale chips and drying the last of my garden’s herbs.
Juicer - I have one. I love it. I rarely use it. I prefer to make smoothies and get all of the fiber. I used to juice and then make pulp muffins. That was a fun kick but I find that the excitement of a juicer and the effort to use the pulp and clean it all up outweighs the usage for me. That said, it could make a great gift for someone who’s eyeing one!
Air Fryer - I recently used an air fryer for the first time and definitely loved the potato wedges and sweet potato fries that it made. They were pretty comparable with my oven baked versions but definitely a lot quicker and I avoided having to heat up a whole oven. It might come down to how much counter space you have available, but it’s definitely a fun addition.
Services
Misfits and Thrive Market Delivery
Gift Cards - Help support the local economy where your loved one lives by gifting a gift card to their favorite vegan restaurant. If you’re local to MA, I highly recommend Walnut Grille (Needham), Life Alive (Cambridge, Brookline, Boston, Salem) and Green Leaf (Framingham).
Thrive Market - If you have a loved one who lives in a rural area where access to specialty grocery stores like Whole Foods Market is difficult, an annual membership to Thrive Market could be a great gift.
Purple Carrot - This vegan meal prep service delivers weekly ingredients and recipes to your door. They are based in Needham, MA and I am a big fan. I used the service for over a year while I was transitioning to veganism and I loved all of the menu ideas and cooking styles I learned while using the service. I actually only stopped when I was pregnant and had too many food aversions to gamble on the menu. This is really a great gift for any foodie though, not just vegans. Carnivore friends of mine loved the meals as well.
Misfits Market - This weekly grocery subscription service delivers “misfit” produce on a budget. I am a big fan of this service as it helps alleviate food waste, keeps me eating seasonally, and has even introduced me to new produce I’d never used before. Use this code to receive 25% off your first box. Code: COOKWME-PE4QBK
What gifts have you loved giving or receiving? What kitchen items and services are your most loved? Share them in the comments below.
