As a busy New Yorker who wears a lot of hats in my professional life, I’m all about finding ways to make healthy on-the-go eating easy. My kitchen cabinets are stacked with all manner of reusable containers. I don’t have time for messes, and I hate shelling out big bucks for things I could easily make myself, so I always have my eye open for new containers to use in my own life and to recommend to my clients who are trying to make that meal-prep thing a lasting habit.

This jar from Lékué is an adorable alternative to other reusable containers that help make healthy eating and meal prep more appealing.  Made of BPA-free plastic, it’s safe for use in the microwave for up to two minutes, and appropriate for temperatures up to 212°F and as low as -4°F. The model I reviewed was the 20-ounce, but this also is available in a 14-ounce size. It’s comprised of the jar, a lid and an interior cup that can be adjusted to suit different proportions of what you’re storing in it — this is key if you want to keep wet and dry ingredients separate!

I loved the simple design because it’s lightweight yet durable. It didn’t spill or leak even when getting jostled around in my bag. Something that’s dishwasher-safe or at least easy to clean by hand is essential for me, and this is both! The jar came with a little guide with suggested meal and snack ideas and visual examples — love that!

I found that the best uses for this were overnight oats and for putting yogurt and berries in the bottom and then something crunchy in the cup on top. It’s also great if you want to make an on-the-go smoothie bowl or “nice” cream parfait and tote some seeds or granola to sprinkle on top. I also enjoyed using the jar for sliced veggies and hummus or guacamole for savory options. I don’t love eating hot foods out of plastic, but if you wanted to put soup or chili in the cup and carry crackers to put on top, this would also be good for that.

While it’s not a deal breaker, it would be great to have utensils to go with this — even a fold-up spork that tucks into the lid or that can be snapped to the side could be helpful for people who are trying to keep things as streamlined as possible. I would also love to see lines to measure volume so that it’s possible to measure how much of a certain food or liquid you’re adding. The size might make it hard to practice good portion control for someone who likes to see a lot of food in the container they’re eating from.

Overall, I think this jar is super-handy for eating healthy on-the-go and makes a great addition to any healthy living routine.

The post The Jar-to-Go: Totally Adorable and Totally Practical appeared first on HealthStylz.

As the months get cooler, I tend to transition from smoothies to juices. I find them more comforting during the winter, especially when using seasonal ingredients such as ginger, apple and carrots. I got so excited when I was asked to review this product, because I’ve been through many juicers in my lifetime. I love seeing how products such as juicers evolve in function and aesthetic!

The Omega CNC80S Compact Nutrition System is a multi-purpose, low-speed masticating juicer. It can be used to make fruit and vegetable juices, nut and soy milks, nut butters, baby foods, desserts, pasta and more. It comes equipped with different nozzles, which are easily adjustable in the preparation of different recipes.

The first thing I noticed about this juicer was how compact it is. The juicers I’ve had in the past have been quite bulky, which isn’t very conducive to living in a small New York City apartment. I put the Omega on my little kitchen counter and got to assembling. The assembly part is straightforward, since the five attachments that form part of the juicer are all self-contained. There are two assembly options; one for juicing and one for homogenizing. When homogenizing, you have the option of selecting one of five nozzles, which is how you’re able to create various things including pasta, ground coffee, nut butters and other really cool foods.

Once assembled, I decided to give the juicer function a go, and whipped up three fruit and vegetable tonics (recipes below). Produce such as carrots, apples and beets have to be cut into small chunks, since the chute opening is relatively small. The first thing I noticed after flipping the on button was how pleasantly quiet this juicer was. There aren’t any loud motor or grinding noises. You also don’t have to apply much pressure once the foods are in the chute. They pass easily, and you’ll start seeing the juice being expelled into the container. You also see the fiber coming out, and in this juicer, the fiber was completely dry, which means no juice going to waste here!

Once I prepared my juices, I easily took apart the juicer. I set aside the fiber to incorporate into stews and soups, and let the removable parts soak in warm soapy water. The juicer came with a small brush for easy cleaning, and within five minutes, everything was clean and set out to dry.

I would definitely recommend this juicer, especially for people living in smaller spaces.  It’s very easy to use and can prepare a variety of foods.

3 Immune-Boosting Fall Tonics

Each recipe serves 3

Instructions: Start by washing all of your produce.

Spicy Carrot Juice

Ingredients

• 3 medium carrots, tops removed
• 1 medium apple
• 3-inch piece of unpeeled ginger

Directions

1. Cut the carrot and ginger into smaller pieces that will fit through the juicer chute.
2. Discard the apple stem, core and seeds, and cut into chunks.
3. Juice all of the ingredients. Enjoy!

Sweet Beet Juice

Ingredients

• 1 medium beet
• 1 medium pear
• ½ lime

Directions

1. Discard the pear stem, core and seeds, and cut into chunks.
2. Cut the beet and pear into smaller pieces that will fit through the chute.
3. Juice just the beet and pear, and then finish with a squeeze of lime juice. Enjoy!

Citrus Green Juice

Ingredients

• 1 cup kale, including stems
• 1 small cucumber, about 6 inches
• 1 medium orange

Directions

1. Chop the kale and stems, and cut the cucumber into pieces that will fit through the chute.
2. Peel the orange, cut into segments, and put all ingredients through the juicer. Enjoy!

The post A Small-Scale Juicer That’s Big on Quiet appeared first on HealthStylz.

I have been baking since I could reach the counter. Cookies were a treat I always looked forward to making with my mom. I confess this has resulted in a massive cookie cutter stockpile over the years. I stopped buying plastic ones because they don’t cut as well, and they end up being used for my kids’ play dough creations. My favorite type of cookie cutter is metal, so I was thrilled to review Ann Clark Cookie Cutters.

If you are a serious cookie baker, you understand how important the cookie cutter can be! You want clean cuts and an easy-to-clean cookie cutter. You also want the food to release from the cookie cutter and not cause tears. I put these cookie cutters to the test using the ultimate tester, my 9-year-old daughter! My daughter and I are in the kitchen together every day coming up with easy and fun food. We both love getting creative and have used cookie cutters for food other than cookies. I let her pick out her favorite cookie cutters and we decided to jazz up her lunchboxes to test them. Her picks were Ann Clark’s unicorn, heart, crown and fidget spinner! Here’s what we did with them:

1. Unicorn watermelon with fresh blueberries. With unicorns being so popular right now, this was fun for her to show off to her friends at school. Now everyone at her lunch table wants a unicorn cookie cutter.
2. Princess PB&J with heart cheese. Her princess obsession took over and she combined the crown cutter with the heart cutter. She packed some fresh strawberries on the side to go with her royal-shaped food!
3. Fidget Spinner ham & cheese with pretzels. Of all the cookie cutters, this was by far the most popular among the other kids. If you don’t know what a fidget spinner is, you will now. All the kids have one, so needless to say my daughter was the official “cool kid” to have her fidget spinner sandwich!

Results

Each of the cutters cleanly cut into the desired shape. The food released easily from the cutters on the first try, and each one was also easy to clean. The fun shapes resulted in a great table conversation for my daughter, and she was the envy of the lunchroom!

The post 3 Easy Ways Cookie Cutters Make Lunch Boxes Fun appeared first on HealthStylz.

I’m always interested in innovative kitchen tools that make cooking at home easier. As the daughter of an Italian immigrant, I enjoy the tradition of cooking from scratch and eating as a family. And, of course, I’m a pasta lover. For those like me who love pasta but worry about eating too many carbs, we know that measuring serving size is key, and that including vegetables to serve with the pasta makes the dish more healthful. Finally, cooking pasta al dente contributes to a lower glycemic index in your meal.

That’s why I loved the concept of Tomorrow’s Kitchen tools. The Pasta Spoon + Timer, made to be a two-in-one tool, actually does three tasks:

• The center hole in the spoon measures a 3-ounce serving of spaghetti
• Keeps track of cooking time with a digital timer that is stored in the handle when not in use
• And, of course, it grabs and serves pasta

What I like the most about the pasta spoon is the measuring feature. Now I don’t have to figure out how to use leftover pasta as I can cook the right amount for one meal.

The Vegetable Knife + Brush is a stainless-steel blade with a built-in silicone brush in its handle — perfect to clean potatoes, mushrooms and other vegetables before preparation.

The Utensil Rest is a non-slip silicone mat with raised edges and notches to place up to four cooking tools to keep your countertop clean and organized during cooking.

In the recipe below I used two spoon measures of pasta and added vegetables, which stretched the yield to serve 3. My only minor complaint is that I would prefer that the digital timer came with instructions. It defaults to 12 minutes, but after investigating the tool, I found it could be adjusted — you pull the timer down to the left to take a minute off (most pasta is done al dente in 9 to 10 minutes). Also, make sure to remove the timer when using the pasta spoon as it is not waterproof. The knife is very sharp and the built-in brush is extremely convenient, and both features worked great with the baby portobello mushrooms in my recipe. Lastly, the utensil rest is very handy as its size is adequate to hold regular size utensils and, like the other tools, it is dishwasher-safe.

Made of good quality materials and creative design, I definitely suggest these multi-function kitchen tools to help you cut down on kitchen clutter while making at-home delicious cooking easier. 

Whole-Wheat Pasta with Portobello Mushrooms, Tomatoes & Arugula

Serves 3

Ingredients

• 6 ounces whole-wheat spaghetti (2 measured servings using the Pasta Spoon + Timer)
• ¼ cup chopped, shelled pistachios
• 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 cup baby portobello mushrooms, cleaned and chopped (I used the Vegetable Knife + Brush to thoroughly clean and chop mushrooms)
• 1 cup grape tomatoes
• 1 clove minced garlic
• ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
• ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1 cup arugula
• 3 tablespoons shaved Parmesan

Directions

1. Cook spaghetti in large pot of boiling salted water for 9 minutes, stirring occasionally.
2. Meanwhile, toast pistachios in a large skillet over medium heat until fragrant and lightly brown. Remove from skillet and set aside.
3. In the same skillet heat olive oil. Add portobello mushrooms and sauté about 1 minute until golden brown.
4. Add tomatoes, garlic, salt and pepper and sauté 3 more minutes.
5. Add arugula and turn off the heat.
6. When pasta is done, drain well and add to the skillet along with pistachios and toss to combine.
7. Serve immediately with shaved Parmesan on top.

The post 3 Space-Saving, Multi-Functional Kitchen Gadgets appeared first on HealthStylz.

Even when I’m cooking for just my family of four, I manage to run out of space on my stove. That’s why I was excited to try out this electric griddle. Lucky for me, it came just in time for latke-making last year. Traditionally, potato latkes are fried in oil. They stink up the house a bit, so I try to cook as many as possible at once and reheat them during the holiday. With the griddle, I was able to make latkes on the stove and griddle at the same time. My daughter tended to the stove, while I manned the griddle on the other side of the kitchen.

Results? The sloping plate of the griddle ran the cooking oil right into the grease collector but, because of the non-stick surface, my latkes cooked evenly without the need for oil, making them much lower in calories but also less crispy and less traditional. They were tasty, though, so I’ll probably use the griddle for some latkes again this year, but I’ll know not to waste the oil.

I also tested shrimp and vegetables on this griddle, and the results were so good that I’ll continue to use it for those foods. The surface is large enough to cook nearly two pounds of shrimp tossed with oil and seasonings. My sliced bell peppers and onions, also tossed with oil and seasonings, finished with a nice light grilled taste that I can’t duplicate in my nonstick fry pan.

Other experiments? Fried eggs and French toast came out well on the griddle, but some of my scrambled eggs found their way into the grease collector because of the product’s slope.

The only real downside to the Lagrange Plancha is its size. It takes up a good bit of storage space, but this also can be a positive. The cooking surface is about 17 by 11 inches, making it plenty big for a large batch of latkes, French toast, shrimp or any family favorite.

The griddle is attractive with varnished wood handles and easy to use and clean. It comes with a small recipe book that includes recipes for shrimp, salmon, chicken and more. It’s a nice way to extend the cooking surface of a college student’s small kitchen or busy family’s larger kitchen. It’s especially handy for anyone looking to minimize fats during cooking.

The post Lower-Fat Cooking for a Crowd appeared first on HealthStylz.

Even as a small child I loved the salty sourness of sauerkraut and the pucker-power of a good pickle — much to the delight of my sisters, who, according to my mother, thought it was great fun to place sour foods on the tray of my high chair to see if I’d actually eat them (I did). Of course, fermented foods like these are not just tasty, they also are excellent sources of gut-friendly probiotic bacteria.

I’ve long wanted to learn how to make my own sauerkraut and pickles, but I can never quite get to the class my local extension program offers periodically, so I was pleased for the opportunity to get my hands on this product. There are several fermentation kits sold online by Nourished Essentials, but the kit I tested was the Easy Fermenter 3-Pack+Pump kit, which consists of three sturdy lids that fit a standard wide-mouth canning jar. The lids are designed with a small valve that allows carbon dioxide created during fermentation to escape, but doesn’t let any oxygen in, thus eliminating the need for more complicated air lock mechanisms that frequently come with fermentation equipment setups.

Also in my kit was a vacuum pump, which looks and functions just like vacuum pumps used to remove air from wine bottles when you want to maintain the quality of wine remaining in the bottle. Removing oxygen from the jar is sometimes necessary during the fermentation process, such as after you’ve taste-tested your ferment. The kit also comes with a short instruction booklet, and purchasers get free access to Nourished Essentials’ “Fermenting Club,” an online forum for recipes, information, instructions and troubleshooting — a useful bonus!

Taking my cue from the instruction booklet and videos on the Easy Fermenter website that described sauerkraut as an easy introduction to the art of fermentation, I thinly shredded some fresh cabbage and got started. I tossed the shredded cabbage and a little Kosher salt in a mixing bowl, let it sit for about an hour, then packed it all into a quart-sized jar, making sure all the cabbage was covered with the liquid produced while the cabbage rested in the bowl. I then screwed on the lid and left it on the counter. That’s basically all there was to it — they weren’t kidding when they said it was easy! The next day I noticed some tiny CO₂ bubbles making their way up to the top of the jar, meaning it was working! As it turns out, I packed the jar too full and some of the brine escaped through the valve and collected on the lid, but I just poured it off.

Just over 30 days later, I taste-tested my sauerkraut and it was delicious! And all I had to do next was put the jar in the refrigerator — no need to swap the special lid with anything else — where it will keep for several months. I’m so pleased with the taste of my homemade sauerkraut. It tastes less salty than commercially produced sauerkraut, which is nice because I usually have to rinse sauerkraut due to its saltiness.

Incorporating more fermented foods into my diet is a goal of mine, and having the Easy Fermenter makes home fermentation much less daunting than I thought it was going to be.
I highly recommend this product, especially because you don’t have to purchase a lot of equipment to get started — most people have a jar on hand at home, and the cost of this kit is reasonable.

The post DIY Fermentation In a Jar — It’s All About the Lid appeared first on HealthStylz.

I have always struggled with cooking proteins and meats to the appropriate doneness. If I attempted to grill a medium-rare steak, it would end up medium-well. Dried out chicken and pork is my specialty, and I hope you enjoy the ends of your fish crusty, because I have mastered it. When I did research on sous vide cooking, it boasted positive reviews of the juiciest, most tender meat. I was excited and hopeful to test out my protein-cooking abilities. 

The ChefSteps Joule arrived at my door and was much smaller and sleeker than I imagined. It resembled a baton used in a relay running race, which makes it perfect for storing. The instructions were simple, and the best part is that it functions using a smartphone app. With the app you get instructions for use, a variety of recipes and the ability to set your Joule to the perfect temperature.

Once I downloaded the app, setup was easy. You determine what foods you are cooking and find the correct size container to use with your Joule. I cooked a pork tenderloin and carrots, and it took me a bit to dig through my kitchen for an adequate sized pot. One cool feature is the Joule has a magnet on the bottom and the option of a clip on the side to keep it secure and able to work with a variety of containers. The Joule communicates with your smartphone about adequate water level, when the water is at the correct temperature and when the food is done. It is important that your container is heat-safe and set on top of a trivet before starting and, if you have children, on a stable surface, away from the danger of being knocked over or touched by little fingers.

You will need freezer bags to place the food in and clips to hold the bag on the side of your container. The app is fool-proof for the home chef who struggles with getting the results they want. It prompts you with visuals of what you want the cooked food to look like, which sets the temperature of the water and length of cook time. Once you place your food in the container with heated water, the Joule takes care of the rest by maintaining the water temperature until your smartphone tells you it’s done with a timer notification. The Joule will hold the food at that temperature for up to three hours after it is done and until you are ready to sear, season and serve.

One thing to keep in mind: Cooking with the Joule is a marathon, not a sprint. My small pork tenderloin took almost 3 hours and I cooked the carrots separately for an additional 45 minutes because they needed to be cooked at a different temperature than the tenderloin. My pork was perfectly pink and not dried out, but I feel I would have had the same results with the carrots in the microwave.

I would recommend this product for special occasions, the home chef who likes to cook the perfect protein and for anyone who does meal prep. 

The post Power Up Your Cooking Game with this Sous Vide Tool appeared first on HealthStylz.

I pack weekday lunches for my two school-aged kids, so I’m always looking for ways to streamline the process. I’ve been using a bento box-style lunchbox, but it has six separate containers and lids to wash after every use — it’s a pain! I wanted to try the Yumbox because, with only two pieces, it seemed a lot more convenient.

The Yumbox Original has a clear plastic lunch tray inside a hard-shell lunch box. The one-piece tray has six compartments, which are labeled on the bottom with smart reminders for packing a balanced lunch: vegetables, protein, grain, etc. The lid is lined with silicone, which meets the lip of the tray when the lunchbox is closed. That means no spills or mess — as in, the yogurt won’t drip onto the crackers.

I packed lunch for my 6-year old in our new Yumbox. It was perfect for him because, like many kids, he prefers that foods don’t touch each other. His lunch always has a bit of everything — vegetables, fruit, whole grains, protein and a little treat — and the compartments gave me the perfect outline to build a healthy lunchbox. However, it’s not the right size lunchbox for a sandwich, unless you creatively cut the sandwich into cubes or sticks.

Once packed, the first test was to see if my little guy could open the lid by himself. Success! In the past, we’ve struggled with hard-to-open lunch boxes, which is problematic during a 15-minute lunch period with one busy staff supervisor and 30 kids requiring assistance. This was easy to open and fit perfectly beside an ice pack in his rectangular insulated lunch bag. He also totally loved the cool design and the pictures inside the box — ours has rockets and planets, and four other designs are available.

After my son enjoyed lunch, I noted two things.

1. The lunch box was a bit small for his appetite. The Yumbox Original is suggested for children aged toddler to 8 years, but my 6-year-old was still hungry after eating his whole lunch. I think it’s more suitable for kids on the younger end of the age range.
2. Clean-up was super-simple, since the lunchbox is just two pieces. It washed easily with dish soap and water and also is dishwasher-safe on the top rack. I love that I didn’t have to wash six containers and lids or worry about losing lids!

The Yumbox is a fantastic lunchbox for your little ones, and a great tool for teaching kids about eating a balanced meal and reminding busy parents what to pack. 

The post A Product that Makes School Lunches Fun and Easy? Believe It appeared first on HealthStylz.

Product reviewed: Ronco 5250 Series EZ-Store Rotisserie

When I was a younger lass, I remember seeing commercials for the Ronco Rotisserie, and I always dreamed of owning one of my own. I actually asked my parents for one before moving into my college dorm because I thought it would be a great device to cook a variety of foods in a small living space, but I got a toaster instead. Darn. When I was given the opportunity to finally cook chicken my favorite way, it was a dream come true.

The Ronco 5250 Series EZ-Store Rotisserie is a countertop rotisserie for the home cook. It is made to be broken down for easy storage, can cook a variety of foods including fish, vegetables and hamburgers and has removable, dishwasher-safe parts. It has a simple push-button display with settings for roasting, searing and no-heat rotation (for allowing meat to rest).

As I opened the box, I was pleasantly surprised to feel how light it was. There was some assembly required, but the instructions made it a breeze. My rotisserie came in a beautiful race-car red color with additional accessories including a multipurpose basket, carving platform, oven gloves and food ties. This device is made to cook food to the perfect temperature and tenderness by sealing in the natural juices with a self-basting feature and catching excess fat drippings in a removable tray.  To test the rotisserie, I opted to make tilapia and a whole 8-pound chicken. I prepped both my chicken and tilapia with a basic dry rub of cracked black pepper, sea salt, garlic powder, dried thyme and fresh lemon zest. I did not add any fat and it was not needed to yield a great-tasting product. I placed the chicken on the spit and put the tilapia in the basket. The instruction book provides cooking time guidance. My chicken was juicy and golden brown, and the drip tray had about ⅛ cup of liquid and fat in it. The tilapia turned out perfect as well and wasn’t dried out. I really feel this product is great to cook large pieces of meat.

There are some things to note: I recommend being mindful of the sharp spit ends when placing proteins, and also tightly tying or trussing meats before placing them on the spit because it’s important your food doesn’t touch the heating element. One drawback was having to cook each protein separately because the spit and basket cannot be in the machine at the same time. The entire machine also will be very hot to the touch when cooking, so I recommend using the provided gloves when removing food from the device as well as letting it cool completely before cleaning.

I would highly recommend this product to the home cook who struggles with cooking meat in the oven or on a grill. It will reduce fat content in the protein for a healthier meal without compromising moisture and tenderness.

The post Prep it and Set it — A Rotisserie for the Home Cook appeared first on HealthStylz.

On a hunt to create the perfect Pinterest-worthy waffle hash brown, I knew I needed to give the LAGRANGE Tarti’ Gaufres waffle maker a go. Trust me when I say my past attempts could have easily made it on the Pinterest fail list. I kept at it though, determined to find the right appliance that would guide me to success.

The LAGRANGE Tarti’ Gaufres, a French waffle maker, is a top of the line gourmet waffle maker,  a fun appliance that any aspiring food blogger, recipe developer or average foodie may want to have on hand. I must admit, when I first opened the package, I spent about five minutes trying to place both plates on, but after reviewing the instructions, I quickly learned this is a unique, dual-head waffle maker. The flat plate allows you to create a smooth surface for toppings — nutritionally, I think this is pretty awesome because you won’t use an extra ¼ cup of syrup trying to coat those outer edges that don’t get syrupy with a traditional waffle pattern.

And the hash brown waffles? They were a hit, and definitely made a social media-worthy photo! I’m still working on adding a few more veggies to them, but the versatility of the flat plate allows me to create a very fun twist on a savory treat. And, as a bonus, you can make paninis and other grilled sandwiches with the flat plates with little to no butter or oil. The only caution I offer is this machine heats up fast! Be sure not to place your hands around its outer edges — I got a little overzealous and set my hand by the side and it got a bit toasty and red. Steer clear while the red light is on!

If you’re looking to up your waffle game, I definitely suggest the LAGRANGE Tarti’ Gaufres as a must-buy!  Its versatility, ease of use and the no-mess clean up make it a family favorite that any foodie will get on board with.

The post A Versatile Waffle Maker That Does More Than Waffles appeared first on HealthStylz.