When implementing the Innate Diet, it’s important to get the right tools of the healthy eating trade. Nothing is more frustrating than picking out some healthy recipes only to realize you don’t have the equipment to make it right. Below I’ve listed the essentials for stocking your kitchen with the tools for success.
Proper Cookware
You don’t have to search long before you begin to find the dangers of non-stick cookware. While very convenient, the chemicals contained in the coating easily leach into your food and then into your body. Yuck. The dangers are even greater once the coating starts to chip. When this happens, you’ll promptly want to switch out your cookware for a healthier option. My favorites are Stainless steel
and Cast iron
pots and pans. Make sure when you’re cooking you use a heat tolerant oil for a non-stick effect.
Slow Cookers Meat is healthiest when slow cooked. Plus, we live such busy, hectic lifestyles, this is one of reasons I have not one, not two but THREE crock pots. I actually had a fourth but I dropped it on my way home from a get together. I think it’s super easy to prep a roast with some vegetables the night before. Place the dish in the fridge over night and then into the heating element in the morning. For more ideas, I’m a fan of Fix It and Forget It
cookbooks. They aren’t all healthy recipes, but they’re great for ideas while you’re getting use to making the most of your crockpot, and once you understand the rules of the Innate Diet, make the appropriate edits. Choose lean, grass fed meat and cook it thoroughly. Additionally, there are some great crockpot breakfast ideas floating around on the web. These would be great for a hot and quick breakfast on those busy mornings!
Make Prep a Cinch
I cannot begin to say how much I love my Food Processor
. I’m not sure why it took me so long to get one. This makes it so easy to shred veggies to sneak into recipes like those found in Deceptively Delicious
. My favorites are to shred the usually discarded broccoli stalks and add to salads or slaws, or to tuck shredded carrots and celery into stuffing.
Stainless Steel Vegetable Steamer
While raw vegetables are usually best, there are a few that I just prefer to be slightly steamed. Sure, you could use the microwave, but I think it’s no coincidence the word “nuke” is usually used to describe that method. Therefore, I do my best to avoid my microwave as much as possible. Plus, to get full use out of Deceptively Delicious you’re going to need to puree a lot of veggies, so a steamer is a must!
For those of you constantly on the run, planning ahead will literally save your life! I love this Oster 5712 Electronic 2-Tier 6.1-Quart Food Steamer, White for its delayed start and keep-warm settings, plus two tiers allows for more than one veggie so you can easily meet your five-a-day requirements.
Blenders are another kitchen essential. Easily make purees for soups or to increase the vegetable content of your meals without the kids knowing, make a healthy smoothie for breakfast or snack. Or for those go-getter moms, make your own baby food purees! Both the Ninja 
and Vitamix 
are fantastic options. It really comes down to personal preference. The Ninja is a more affordable option for those who won’t be using their blender daily. But for those who will be using their blender daily, Vitamix is the way to go since it’s made using higher quality parts.
Juicers are another great addition to the kitchen. Though, keep in mind, when juicing, you lose valuable fiber. What goes into a blender is what’s going to come out. But juicing is a great way to get a high quality, high nutrition drink.
On the Go
Filtered water for drinking
Berkey 22-Ounce Water Filter Sports Bottle. Surely you’ve heard of the dangerous of BPA, since almost every water bottle on the market carries a “No BPA” label these days. But consider the chemicals that are in our water supply, including those that are routinely added like fluoride. Feel secure refilling your bottle anywhere with a self-filtering sports bottle.
Glass Food Storage Set. My favorite timing saving-tip is to cook once and eat twice. You’ve invested so much energy into preparing healthy food, reap your reward twice by making enough for left overs for lunch. But don’t decrease your efforts by storing in flimsy plastic, especially if you plan on reheating in a microwave. I absolutely love my Pyrex containers for their amazing versatility.
Of course we shouldn’t forget:
- Organic, vine ripened, local fruits and vegetables
- Grass fed, antibiotic, hormone free meats
- Natural produce cleaner for non-organic produce
- Natural Cleaning Products
There you have it. Kitchen must haves for the Innate Diet.
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