kitchen appliances Archives - The Paleo Network

Call yourself paleo? Not unless you use these essential gadgets you’re not…

1. A strawberry hull remover

You haven’t been doing this by hand have you?

2. The egg cuber

Essential for packed lunches and picnics to ensure your eggs don't roll away.

3. Dedicated fruit and veg choppers…

I hope you aren't using a knife? Oh no, you need a dedicated chopping tool for each variety of fruit and vegetable you use. Introducing the banana and strawberry chopper

4. A chop stir

You've not been wasting your time chopping and stirring separately have you?

5. The robo stir

Use a spoon you say?

6. The capsicum/ bell pepper preparer

Those seeds in the middle, you aren't meant to eat them you know… this gadget removes the seeds. But you do still need a knife to chop the pepper up. So that’s erm, worthwhile.

7. Herb scissors

How else are you supposed to cut herbs?

8. The flavour injector

Because a marinade is just too marinade-y

9. The lettuce karate chopper

Clearly a knife or bare hands is too damaging for lettuce. You need to use a dedicated plastic karate chopper instead.

10. A pineapple slicer

Another fruit you've been cutting up all wrong. You need a pineapple slicer.

11. Avocado slicer

Don't even think of using a knife when this is available

12. The banana saver

For all those times a whole banana is just too much

13. The apple peeler/ corer

How else are you going to peel it?

14. The cherry pitter

You mustn't eat the stones you know

15. A mayonnaise knife

How have you been getting your paleo mayo out of the jar?

16. The omelette maker

Because using a pan is just too complex

17. Better bagger

To make sure your bags stay open and upright when you’re filling them. Just what every kitchen needs.

18. Finger spoons

Well cavemen didn't have proper cutlery did they?

19. Microwave bacon tool

Because microwaved bacon just doesn't compare to oven cooked bacon

20. The garlic peeler

There is no other way

21. Egg slicer

For when you don't want to eat a whole egg

22. Kiwi scoop

Looks remarkably similar to that other device. What’s is called… oh yes – a spoon.

23. The butter warmer

Cold butter, urgh.

24. Pickle picker

How else are you going to get pickles out?

25. Asparagus peeler

Asparagus. Peel it.

26. Nutmeg slicer

What do you mean, you haven't been slicing your nutmegs in a dedicated slicer?

27. Garlic roaster

Yep

28. Melon deseeder

You've got to get those seeds out properly.

29. Left handed wooden spatula

Essential for the left hander in your household.

30. Olive spoon

Well, if you're going to eat olives, you're going to need to get hold of them.

31. Self stirring mug

For your bullet proof coffee fix.

32. Towel-matic

Because it would be unhygenic to use your HANDS to tear off some paper towel.

33. Mango splitter

Surely everyone has one of these?

34. The mushroom brush

You've got to get the mud off somehow.

35. Grapefruit segmenter

It's of vital importance to make sure your grapefruit is in equal sized segments.

36. Egg cracker

You know some of those recipes that ask for an egg? Well that means minus the shell, hence the need for this nifty gadget.

37. Tomato slicing tongs

Like a bit of tomato in your salad, but don't want tomato hands?

38. Tomato slicer

Probably a good idea to have a back up tomato slicing option too.

39. Onion goggles

There's no excuse for tears when cutting onions.

40. Egg scrambler

Every wondered how to make scrambled eggs? Wonder no more!

Do you have any of these super handy gadgets in your paleo kitchen? I'd love to hear which other tools you have hiding in your kitchen cupboards!

As I mentioned in my Paleo Pets post, I’m currently house sitting and looking after someone’s dogs

I always look in peoples shopping trolleys with interest, but living in someone else’s house offers such a unique insight into what people really eat. The pantry in the house I'm staying in could not be any further from mine. And I find it really sad.

Obviously fresh food was used up before they left, but even so, it appears that almost all of the families meals come from tins, packets and jars, with expiry dates far into the future and lists of ingredients I don’t recognise.

The kitchen counters are full of gadgets like toasters, popcorn makers and microwaves – all absent from my kitchen. Meanwhile gadgets that I rely on in my kitchen are no where to be seen – a blender for soup and sauces; weighing scales for trying out new recipes; a big stockpot for broths and a slow cooker are very evidently missing. Instead of measuring cups and a julienne peeler I've found a pizza cutting wheel and an ice cream scoop.

The pantry is filled with a fat fearing agenda. There are all sorts of fat-free, reduced fat and low-fat instant options. Even the olive oil is “light” – but of course the fat of choice appears to be canola oil. The spread options (for bread, I presume) are low fat margarines. There is a shelf full of cereals, all boasting some amazing health benefits (and lots of mention of wholegrains) on their packaging.

I've been really surprised to find the herbs and spices (of which I have a rather large, regularly refilled collection in my own kitchen) consists of just a packet of cooking salt and an unopened jar of black peppercorns. I suppose when you reheat and eat out of packets and jars, all the taste you need is provided for, by the unrecognisable ingredients listed on the packet. With some good meat or fish, vegetables and a handful of the Paleo ingredients I can use my herbs and spices to make literally hundreds of completely different meals, with far superior tastes to anything the packets could provide.

Water doesn't appear to be the drink of choice, judging by the collection of shockingly coloured cordial bottles and shelf of soft drinks bottles.

The other interesting comparison is in the cooking materials themselves. Plastic (for use in the microwave and for storing food) is in almost exclusive use, and most of the cookware is non-stick. I used to use this type of cookware too – until I started to replace my pots and pans with safer options.

Tellingly the kitchen also houses two medicine cupboards full of all sorts of medications. My medical supplies are housed in a small container and consist of paracetamol (not used this year as I just don’t get headaches any more), some old forgotten about inhalers (my asthma disappeared without trace a couple of years ago), some out of date antihistamines (my allergies have also disappeared) and some plasters (bandaids for any Americans in the house).

I can’t accept it takes too long to bother to prepare proper food, it definitely isn't more expensive than buying everything in packet form. I think for some people opening and reheating from a packet has just become a sad habit, that is hard to break.

The effort to buy low-fat and “healthy” cereals clearly indicates an desire to be healthy – it’s just sad that the intention has failed so strongly in execution.

Have you seen such a SAD kitchen recently? Do you think this is typical?

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