“What tools do you find indispensable in the kitchen when prepping large amounts of food? “

Thanks to one of my readers, Kelly, a grad student with a full time job, I've got blog topics for over a week!  Kelly wrote in with several questions, many of which clients and readers have asked before, and suggested I use them as blog topics.

I do encourage readers to do the same- my goal is to educate as many people I can about Paleo living, so if you've got questions- please do feel free to post them as comments to a blog of a related post, or email me through my website, www.nellstephenson.com.

OK, then, on to today's question:

My must-haves:

-Cast Iron Skillet (great way to add iron to your diet).   DON"T use cookware that is coated with synthetic plastics etc., as you'll end up eating that, too!  Yuck!

-Measuring Spoons & Cup (NOT for portion control-a nice feature of paleo- just to get a sense of ratios, especially for those of you new to the kitchen.)  You may want to follow recipes you find, and modify them to be paleo.  Once you get the hang of how much basil to use with how much oil, you may not need the measuring devices any longer.

-Digital Food Scale (Same as above)

-Good quality Chef's Knife ( I love Henckel's and Wusthof; Ginsu also has a good reputation).  Invest in a good one and take care of it.  Keep it sharp, don't put it in the dishwasher and… be careful!  I don't know how many times I've sliced my finger cooking in a hurry!

-Two cutting boards- one for raw meats that can be sanitized and one for fruits, veg

-Large stock pot (4 – 6 quart)

-Sauce pan with steamer insert (3 -4 quart)

-Glass or ceramic baking dishes

-Small Food Processor

-Blender

Fun Extras:

Mandoline

Veg Peeler

Garlic Press

Meat Grinder attachment for Mixer

Mortar & Pestle

Knife Set 

Grill

Mesh basket for grilling fish

(This extras list could go on and on- have a look at williams sonoma and play!)