Renee's Kitchen Adventures: Must Have Products

Must Have Products

On my quest for better nutrition, fewer calories, delicious taste and/or making cooking and baking easier...I have stumbled upon a few kitchen gadgets and products that I keep on hand in my pantry, fridge or freezer.  Check back often, as I will be periodically updating this list!






FOOD
*Kitchen Basics Stocks
(Best tasting stocks I have stumbled upon)

*Kosher salt
and Fresh ground pepper from a pepper mill

*Chobani Fat Free Greek Yogurt
LOVE!  great sub for sour cream in just about anything!

*King Arthur flour
all kinds: all purpose, bread, white whole wheat
*Whole Wheat Pastry Flour (essential when making things like cakes, cookies and muffins when you want to add the extra fiber of whole wheat without the heaviness it can add)  I like the one by Hodgson Mills

*Cabot 75% Reduced Fat Cheddar Cheese...
ONE point for 1 oz....  ONE POINT for cheese?  are you kidding me?!...AND it melts beautifully with the taste of sharp cheddar!  with PointsPlus Plan...STILL one point for one ounce.  Yay!!!

*Nickels Light 35 Mulitgrain Bread
1 point+ per slice.  Tastes great and has the texture of regular bread.

*Hellmann's Dijonnaise Creamy Dijon Mustard
0 points+ for 1 TBS.  Creamy like mayo, tangy like mustard.  Delicious.

*Brummel and Brown 35% Vegetable Oil Spread made with yogurt
1 point+ per TBS.  Great sub for butter in cooking AND to use as a spread.  NOT FOR BAKING.

*Frank's Redhot Wings Sauce...buffalo
0 point+ per 1 TBS. = 0 calories, 0 fat, 0 carbs, 0 protein, 0 fiber....100% flavorful!

*Fat Free Half and Half ( I like Land O Lakes brand)
0 point+ per 2 TBS.  Rich and creamy, but no fat. Not just for your coffee!  ( although I use it there too ) Combined with skim milk, makes any dish richer and creamier as if you used whole milk.  I seem to keep finding places to use this stuff, as you will see it appear in many of my posted recipes! 


*Land O Lakes Whipped Butter
 2 point+ per 1 TBS....because sometimes...you just gotta have the real thing!







PRODUCTS 
*Misto Olive Oil Sprayer 
LOVE!!!!! I've had mine for about a year, and have had no problems with it clogging
*Microplane classic Series Zester/Grater with cover 
(a must have if you zest anything!)

*A kitchen scale
....mine is a Weight Watchers scale you can buy at the meetings ( but I got it on sale and had a coupon, so it was a deal!  But ANY good scale will do!)

 *Weight Watchers Easy Measure Spoon Set
This is a wonderful set of serving spoons that measure out portions in 1 cup, 1/2 cup, and 1/4 cup sizes!  Highly recommend them.  I purchased mine from the meeting for around $25. But you can also find them on ebay.

*Enamel Coated Cast Iron Dutch Oven
Ok, they can be very pricey, but if you watch, you can get one on sale for around $50.  I LOVE mine.  It is great for making soups and stews and braising roasts.

*NORPRO Silicon Egg poachers
Perfectly poached eggs...no mess...eggs slide right out!  LOVE!  **Darn!  It looks like the manufacturer no longer makes this product.  The product number is Norpro 993 if you can find old stock somewhere!  :( 

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