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Advice & More December 2013

Rainbow Kitchen

Making Life Easier

By Allison St. Claire

But there’s a big hurdle to overcome – periodic gout attacks and agonizingly painful, swollen, arthritic joints mean my hands just aren’t able to use the tools I’ll need to peel, pare, chop, slice or carve those goodies into a healthful meal.

It’s winter. It’s dark. It’s cold. I’m hungry. But that’s just today.

Other times it’s summer, it’s sunny and warm. And I’m hungry.

In either case my refrigerator, kitchen counters and windowsills,  or back porch “root cellar” are full of lots of fresh produce and grass-fed meats and poultry, tempting my hungry tummy and promising the nourishment I crave. But there’s a big hurdle to overcome – periodic gout attacks and agonizingly painful, swollen, arthritic joints mean my hands just aren’t able to use the tools I’ll need to peel, pare, chop, slice or carve those goodies into a healthful meal.

Already prepared meals are an option, but definitely my last resort: the number of additives, artificial flavors and sweeteners, the extensive use of genetically modified ingredients such as corn and soy, and use of vegetable oils instead of healthy animal fats make me lose my appetite. Plus the cost of having someone else prepare the same dish I could do for half the price or less at home makes my frugal mind shut down even faster than my appetite.

The fix? Finding as many tools as possible that do the work I can’t. Here are some I’ve found worth their weight in gold, so to speak, and keep my dinner plate golden with goodies.

 

In the Kitchen

Almost anything from OXO, which was founded in 1990 on the philosophy of Universal Design, so the products are designed to be usable by as many people as possible – young and old, male and female, lefties and righties and many with special needs. Even on days when I can’t close my fingers into a fist or even tight enough to hold an average paring knife, OXO products are easy and comfortable to hold – and safe for the grandkids, too. Their salad spinner uses a pump action rather than a lever which is very helpful if you have limited range of motion in your arm or shoulder. www.oxo.com.

Kitchen scissors from Zyliss. If a day goes by without using these scissors, I probably was never in the kitchen. With handles like pliers (i.e., no holes to have to stick my fingers through to grip them), I often find myself using my scissors instead of a knife. They make it fast and easy to slice greens like kale into ribbons, snip herbs or green onions into a fine mince, or separate chicken wing parts, or slice off gristle from meat. And, of course, they’re indispensable for getting into vacuum wrapped packages – and even more so for things that come in envelopes that food packagers seem completely unaware that some of us simply can’t tear on the dotted line because we can’t grasp it correctly or lack the strength to tear hard enough. www.zyliss.com

Knives are still an integral part of cooking, however, and keeping them sharp is especially important if your grasp is weak. I like my Chef’s Choice ProntoPro knife sharpener for several reasons. It has a three-stage sharpening process that applies both 15 degree edges for Asian style knives and 20 degree edges for European/American style knives. You can also sharpen sports and pocket knives, and serrated knives. Best of all, there’s no guess work as to what angle to hold your knife or how much pressure to apply. www.chefschoice.com

Bird’s Eye Recipe Ready frozen vegetables can be a special blessing if you don’t have access to, or storage for, multiple fresh vegetables, especially out of season. Or have problems slicing and chopping. With these you have as much or as little you need, for example, of basic sofrito (onions, tomatoes and garlic), or mirepoix (celery, carrots, and onions) blends that are the foundation of so many cuisines. Or rely on combinations like the stir fry blend (broccoli, carrots, onions, red bell peppers, water chestnuts, mushrooms and celery) when you don’t have the variety on hand or don’t want leftover fresh veggies to find another use for before they wilt away. www.birdseye.com

 

And Even the Kitchen Door

Only peripherally food related (well, I do need to get out to the backyard to snip fresh chives or pick garden produce), a major obstacle used to exist in simply opening my back door to let the dogs out each day. The door had a deadbolt lock which I couldn’t even grasp tight enough to turn when my hands and fingers didn’t want to cooperate. Try explaining that to a couple of whimpering dogs who are standing at the top of the steps with their legs crossed! A wonderful answer arrived in the form of a SimpliciKey electronic deadbolt lock. These provide three different modes of home entry while still maintaining maximum security.  An encrypted key fob, with a range of up to 50 feet, allows the locking/unlocking of the door from another room for those with mobility difficulties or who don't want to fumble for keys. It is easy to install with no need for additional holes or drilling if replacing an existing deadbolt and will fit either right or left hand doors; you can also use a standard key; and there are multiple codes so you could enable a special one for a caretaker or service professional to use when you are expecting them. www.simplicikey.com


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Allison St. Claire loves to dream about, study, grow, play with, prepare and ultimately enjoy eating great food.

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