Holiday gifts for Ditching the Box

 

If you are still noodling over your shopping list, I thought you might appreciate a few ideas for those who are choosing a healthier lifestyle and kitchen.

Kate Payne’s Hip Girl’s Guide to Homemaking is a terrific handbook for moving away from not only processed food, but a slower, less processed life in general.  I’ve found it to be an invaluable resource as I settle in to my new home.

My new favorite cookbooks that I would recommend to even the most novice cook are from New York Times columnist Melissa Clark.  The recipes from In the Kitchen with a Good Appetite and Cook This Now are straight forward and her stories are fantastic.

I realized this year that the utensil I use the most in my kitchen now besides a knife is an OXO vegetable peeler. The sturdy handle and swivel peeler make life much easier when you are tackling a stack of carrots or a tough skinned pumpkin or butternut squash. I also love my bamboo steamer.  I can put the tougher veggies on the bottom level, more tender on top and cook it all at once.  It’s not bad for warming up tamales either.

Since writing my gadget article for the Edible Austin Cooks! issue, I’ve become obsessed with the Soda Stream starter kit.  I don’t have one yet, but that might have to be my Merry Christmas to me present.  I love the idea of being able to make my own carbonated drinks from fresh squeezed juices.

I’m a big fan of the Blue Avocado shopping and storage bags as a stylish way to avoid the plastic bags at the store.  The bags are cute, light weight and clean up easily.

If you know a farmers market addict or someone who wants to pick up the habit, check your local market or farm stands for farmers market bucks – like gift certificates to be used at the market or farm.  In Austin, Johnson’s Backyard Garden offers farmers market bucks as does the Cedar Park Farmers Market.  You can also check with local farms for gift certificates to their CSA program.  It’s a great way to help someone start their year with plenty of healthy produce.

What gifts have you come up with for your favorite person ditching the box?  I’d love to hear what you’ve found this holiday season.