The Soul Vegetarian Kitchen

Cooking vegetarian can be a great experience or a pain in the neck. A lot of it depends on how your kitchen is set up. Some folks really like to "get down" with their food and prefer the hands on approach. I personally prefer the get me out of the kitchen as quickly as possible approach to food and cooking.

Below is a list of all the little appliances and utensils that I find invaluable in my kitchen. Your list may differ considerably.

Food Processor

Food processors are invaluable for chopping, dicing, shredding and slicing. Buy one that has a minimum of parts, doesn't sound like a jet engine taking off and has a nice variety of blades to go with it.

Steamer
Veggies and rice can both benefit from a steamer. Bamboo ones are nice and you can get the ones that stack so you can steam more than one item at a time. These are fairly economical to buy and come in a variety of sizes. Stainless steel steamers are nice, last forever, are easy to clean but most of them are small, fit inside a pot and can only do one item at a time. An electric one is great for those of us who like small appliances. Most of these can do more than one item at a time, are economical to run, easy to clean and look great on a counter.

Wok
Here is a great invention that we have all heard of and most of us have used at one time or another. You can saute, steam, cook or stew in one and they make a nice serving dish too. The hammered carbon ones are authentic, last for a lifetime, clean easily and usually come with a lid and a variety of utensils. Remember to follow the care directions that came with your wok. They need to be seasoned and cleaned properly or they will rust and everything will stick to them. Electric woks are fine too and come in a variety of great color making them a very pleasing serving dish as well. Just unplug and take right to the table. Stir-fry pans look like an enormous fry pan, usually don't come with a lid, can be no-stick finished, and are easy to clean. You don't have quite the same type of heat distribution and you must take care not to scorch at higher temperatures.

Stainless Steel Stock Pot
A stock pot of  a quart or more is a necessity in the Soul Vegetarian Kitchen if you plan on making your own soups and stocks. I also use this big of a pot to cook pasta in. I have seen some of the stainless stock pots come with a large strainer insert which makes them perfect for draining pasta and for blanching veggies. Good quality stainless will last a lifetime. You definitely get your moneys worth from them.

Large Capacity Strainer
A large strainer is a must for draining and rinsing pasta, blanching veggies and cleaning vegetables and fruits. It can be stainless or plastic. A smaller strainer for little jobs like rinsing strawberries or grapes is great to have on hand as well.

Garlic Press
Not a necessity by any means but nice to have. Get a good steel one rather than plastic. They tend to last longer. Stay away from dollar store presses. Four or five cloves and they are usually broken.

Vegetable Peeler
I know this seems small and inconsequential but when your peeler gives up the ghost in the middle of a salad for ten and the company is at the door, that little peeler takes on monumental importance. I have a great stainless steel peeler that is ambidextrous and didn't cost a fortune. It came from Pampered Chef and is now 5 years old and as sharp as it was in the beginning.

Cutting Boards
Two cutting boards are good. A nice big one for breads, cabbage, larger veggies etc and then the little guy for when you only need one onion or a couple of garlic cloves minced. Cutting boards come in wood, resin or glass. Either is fine. Wood and resin boards should be cleaned with a light solution of spray oil and water after each use. They are porous and juices or whatever can be absorbed into them causing bacterial growth. I keep a light solution of bleach and water in a squirt bottle under the counter and do the cutting boards and counters after each meal preparation.

Electric or Candle Fondue
Fondues make a quick and nutritious meal. Cheese fondues are nearly always a hit with kids and you can cheese coat anything from fruit to nuts. Men, I have found are not fond of fondues. Fondue pots are also great for keeping gravy and sauces hot at the table

Crock Pot
Is there a house without a crock pot? Couldn't be! I wouldn't know what to do in the summer when I want to cook spaghetti sauce or make soup or a stew and it's hot outside. It is nice to be able to have two sizes of crock pot. The one that fits the family and the one that does family plus company. You can put supper on in the morning and with little or no supervision this great gadget cooks it for you and hardly throws any heat. They're great.

A Blender
Blenders are great for sauces, shakes, smoothies, purees and a myriad of other things. Blender meals are perfect for teens or parents on the run in the morning.

Storage Containers
The first time I was in a Vegetarian Kitchen I could not believe the hordes of storage containers, all clear glass and showing off the most amazing wares. Beans of every color and shape, lentils and bulgar and kasha and nuts of all kinds. I use large jars. Some with the wider mouth and some regular. These are the perfect containers for all those grains, nuts, fruits and things that you don't normally buy great large quantities of. You can also use any old glass jar you come across. The bigger the selection of shapes and sizes the better. Filled jars look great on the counter and will keep your non-veggie friends entertained trying to guess the name on the contents. The large gallon jars are especially good for staples like sugar, flour and rice. Plastic containers with tight fitting lids are good for storing leftovers in the frig and for freezing leftovers as well. If you are a margarine or ice cream user, these tubs really come in handy. Save a few and use them.

Juicer
A juicer is an optional piece of equipment that you will either love and use or hate and stuff into the far reaches of the lazy-susan. For years I thought these were a waste of time. I had purchased one at some point and discovered it took five pounds of carrots to make a glass of juice. Last summer, however, this summer picked up a Juices at a yard sale for $10.00 and found that this juicer was great. It does fruit and veggies at the turn of a switch and only takes two carrots to make a glass of juice. It is easy to clean, easy to use and weighs a ton. Sometimes you really need to spend the extra on a brand name to get good quality

Certainly not all of these gadgets are needed. They are nice if you have the space to put them and the money to buy them. I pick up most of my appliances and gadgets at yard sales and secondhand shops so if there is something you would really like but just don't have the money for, keep an eye out for a good bargain at the local garage sales. Whatever you do, do what you like best. It is hard to live with something you weren't happy about in the first place. This is also true for spouses so choose wisely!