Top

New England Nutrition Advisors

/ Dietitian Picks

Dietitian Recommended Kitchen Appliances

There are so many kitchen tools and appliances out there – it can be overwhelming to find one that will actually get used! Our dietitians put together their favorite kitchen gadgets to help you narrow down your list 🙂 Click the name of the product to shop it on Amazon.

 

Courtney – Veggetti

The Veggetti takes the ‘As Seen on TV’ products to another level. It’s a vegetable spiralizer that allows you to quickly turn vegetables into noodles for cooking. Spiralize zucchini, summer squash, carrots, cucumber, potatoes and more to make any dish lower in carbohydrates and higher in veggies! ” I love it because it is small and fits in a drawer”. See Courtney’s favorite Zucchini noodle dish below!

 

 

Print
Zoodles Pesto and Chicken
Prep Time
10 mins
Cook Time
30 mins
 
Ingredients
  • 2 ea chicken breasts cubed
  • 4 ea medium zucchini spiralized
  • 2 cups baby bella mushrooms chopped
  • 1/4 cup pine nuts
  • 1/3 cup Pesto Trader Joes, Buitoni, Rana are our favorites!
  • Red pepper flakes to taste
  • Parmesan cheese to taste
  • black pepper to taste
Instructions

  1. Toss chicken in pepper and red pepper flakes

  2. Cook chicken in pan over medium heat until almost cooked through (6ish minutes)

  3. Add mushrooms and pesto to pan with chicken and cook until mushrooms are soft

  4. Turn heat to low and add zoodles, toss to coat, cook for 2-5 minutes (they soften up quickly)

  5. Serve with a sprinkle of Parmesan cheese and pine nuts

 

 

Kate – Immersion Blender

Have you gotten to try one of these hidden gems of the kitchen world?? “My favorite is the hand held immersion blender because it is small and versatile! It can do everything from blend juices and smoothies to mince garlic, make spreads (pesto or hummus) and my favorite use is sauces for pasta dishes and veggie bowls made right in a mason jar for storage!” See below for a delicious parsnip soup! 

 

 

Print
Roasted Parsnip Soup
Ingredients
  • 2 pounds parsnips peeled and cut into 1/2 in pieces
  • 1/4 cup olive oil divided
  • 1 1/2 tsp salt
  • 1 tsp pepper
  • 1/2 ea garlic clove
  • 1 medium onion
  • 1 stalk celery
  • 1 ea bay leaf
  • 1 1/2 quart low sodium vegetable broth
Instructions

  1. Heat the oven to 350 degrees F. Toss the parsnips, 2 tablespoons olive oil, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/2 teaspoon pepper together and place in a single layer in a baking pan. Roast the parsnips about 60 minutes. Rotate 1-2 times. Trim away any burned areas and set aside.

  2. Heat the remaining olive oil in a large pot over medium-high heat. Add the onion, celery, garlic, 1 teaspoon salt, and 1/8 teaspoon pepper and cook until translucent and softened. Stir in the parsnips, bay leaf, and broth and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium low, partially cover the pot and simmer about 30 minutes. Remove the bay leaf.

  3. Puree the mixture in a blender or with an immersion blender until smooth. If using a blender, return the soup to the pot. Heat the soup over low heat and stir occasionally until warmed through. 

 

 

Alexa – Pizza Stone

As we’ve been staying safe at home we’ve had plenty of time to recreate our favorite restaurant meals. “My favorite kitchen item is my pizza stone! There’s nothing better than being able to make a typical take out meal in the comfort of your own home. I love experimenting and making all different types of pizzas. Plus the stone makes the crust perfectly crispy!” 

 

 

Print
Homemade Pizza
Servings: 2
Ingredients
  • Store-bought whole wheat dough (found in deli section)
  • 1/4 cup flour
  • 1/4 cup olive oil
  • 1 ea large tomato thinly sliced
  • 1/2 tsp oregano
  • 1/2 tsp basil
  • 1 tsp garlic powder
  • 1 1/2 cups shredded mozzarella
  • 1 ea Al Fresco chicken sausage
  • 1 ea bell pepper diced
  • 1 cup mushrooms diced
Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 5500F

  2. On a pizza stone or flat baking sheet, sprinkle flour over the surface. You just need

    enough so the dough does not stick yet.

  3. Spread the dough out, rolling with a rolling pin or using your hands.

  4. Lift one side of the dough from the stone or sheet pan and spray the surface with Pam

    spray. Repeat on the other side so the entire sheet/stone is covered.

  5. Drizzle dough with olive oil and spices. Lay out tomatoes evenly.

  6. Cover tomatoes with cheese and then add other toppings (emphasis on the vegetables!)

  7. Bake in oven for 12-14 minutes or until center of crust is cooked through.

 

 

Carly – Air Fryer

“Not sure what I ever did before my air fryer! I use it weekly to make a variety of recipes such as homemade french fries, sweet potatoes, breakfast burritos and even chicken parm!” The air fryer gives foods the crispy texture we want but with no added oils – saving on both calories and clean up! 

Print
Air Fryer Fish Tacos
Prep Time
15 mins
Cook Time
20 mins
 
Servings: 4
Ingredients
  • 1 pound cod
  • 1 ea egg
  • 1 1/2 cups breadcrumbs
  • 1/4 tsp paprika
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 1/8 tsp black pepper
  • tortillas
Toppings
  • Broccoli slaw
  • shredded Mexican cheese
  • Avocado diced
Instructions

  1. Preheat your air fryer to 400 degrees for 3 minutes

  2. Pat the cod dry and slice into chunks. Set aside on a cutting board.

  3. In a small bowl, whisk the egg.

  4. In another bowl, add breadcrumbs, salt, pepper, paprika

  5. Dip the cod into the egg and wet both sides. Dip into the panko breadcrumbs and press both sides into the breadcrumbs.

  6. Spray the air fryer with non-stick spray. Add the cod in batches to the air fryer and cook on 400° for 10 to 11 minutes, gently flipping halfway through, until the fish reaches 145 degrees F. Serve in tacos, on sandwiches or on its own.

 

 

Reader Interactions

Leave a Reply

%d