Build a Vegan Kitchen

I am not a vegan by any means, really if I were to prescribe to a style of eating I would consider myself a plant based paleo eater, but reality I just do my best every day to make good choices when it comes to food for my body and my activity levels.   But I digress, I have recently been working with a lot of individuals who are interested in transitioning to a more plant based life and some wanting to shift as far as to cut out all animal and animal by-products from their lives.   
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While assisting them making this shift there always seems to be a few road blocks.  The road blocks are typically not what you would think, they aren’t center around food specifically, it isn’t that they are having difficulty finding ingredients, or finding it difficult to say get enough protein in their diet, the blockages end up originating in their kitchens. Which has lead me to develop this post help individuals who are getting more serious about upping their plant food game or are just looking to round out their kitchen items. 

​Now, this list is in no way exhaustive, and you can for sure be a vegan, vegetarian, paleo, keto, omnivore, or whatever type of eater you want to be without some of these tools, but they will 100% make your life so much easier.

1. Wooden or Bamboo Cutting Boards: yes, even as a meat eater wood or bamboo cutting boards are a better option.  Initially we were told to go for plastic as the material was always thought to be non-porous however over time and just general wear and tear the boards become scared with slices which allow tiny spaces for food born bacteria to build a home.  Study after study comparing glass, wood and plastic cutting boards it has been found time and time again that something in the wood helps to protect from the spread of food born bacteria.  Plus, they are super durable, when was the last time you dropped a glass cutting board and it survived?
2. A Good Knife: Perhaps you are thinking as a vegan you don’t need a quality knife, its not like you are cutting through thick cuts of meat or delicate pieces of fish what’s the point?  However, a good quality knife is an essential element to any kitchen.  Having at least one good knife will help you effortlessly dice, chop or julienne up those fruits and veggies.  It will make easy work of hard root vegetables and massive butternut squashes, and will make chopping up those nuts and seeds an easy task. So, do yourself a favour and invest and a good quality knife or two.
3. High Powered Blender:  Now I am not saying you have to go out and drop $800 on the fanciest blender out there (we all know which brand I am talking about), but having a high-powered blender that isn’t afraid of breaking down a hard root vegetable or create a nice cream from nuts will open up your possibilities of tasty quality foods.
4. A Cast Iron Pan: I am a fan of this item for every kitchen.  Cast iron pans allow you to cook “dry” or with no fat and oil, for example when making homemade tortilla shells, but they also help to up your intake of iron.  As vegans, especially if you are a woman, it is important that you take steps to ensure you are consuming adequate quantities of iron in your diet.
5. A Sharp Peeler: this might sound a little silly, and sure you can get away with no peeler if you listened to step two and already went out and bought yourself some good knifes, but personally I think a sharp peeler is essential.  I find it speeds up meal prep as you don’t have to worry to not cut your fingers off in the process, plus you can use that peeler to make ribbons of carrots, cucumbers and zucchinis giving your food more variety and making its esthetic match the flavour.
6. Large Food Processor: yes, you can definitely get away with a smaller food processor but you are going to be doing batches and batches, slowing you down in the kitchen and keeping you stuck on a step for longer than maybe you would want to.   A large food process can handle more, they often come with additional attachments, and they do a great job of breaking down drier ingredients.   Your blender will be great for more wet ingredients like soups, purées and smoothies and your food processor will thrive making cauliflower rice, pesto, hummus and nut butters.
7. Microplane Grater: you can definitely get away without this addition to your kitchen, but let’s be honest lemon and lime zest are amazing, grated ginger is great and a fine grated garlic please! Like with most of the items on this list you don’t need to buy top of the line, it just needs to be easy to hold and sharp. 

Remember, just because this article is focused on building a vegan kitchen doesn't mean that these items wouldn't be a welcome adiditon to any kitchen, so if you are getting your hands dirty more and focusing on that meal prep life consider adding some of these tools to give you a helping hand in the kitchen.