One of the best things about following a keto, low-carb, or even Paleo diet is it doesn’t require drastic modifications if you’re cooking for a family.
Skip the carb-laden side like mashed potatoes or pasta and add another vegetable to your plate. Use pork rind bread crumbs, like these from Pork King, for chicken cutlets or white fish. You may even find your family eats healthier as you reduce or eliminate sugar in dishes and incorporate more healthy proteins and vegetables.
These are seven appliances I’ve relied on as I learned more and more about keto cooking. They’ve become indispensable in my kitchen. With Black Friday, Cyber Monday and other holiday sales on the horizon, it’s a good time to pick these small appliances and other kitchen tools up for yourself or as gifts for loved ones.
Dash Multimaker Mini System Waffle Maker
Anyone who’s dabbled in the keto lifestyle knows “chaffles” are a way of life. Chaffles can be savory, serving as hamburger buns, toasty “bread” for sandwiches, or sweet, to be eaten like waffles with sugar-free syrup. (See some of my favorite chaffle recipes here!)
Dash is the pioneer of the mini waffle maker, which makes chaffles possible. But I recently discovered another use for my favorite itty-bitty countertop appliance: Eggs.
The Multimaker Mini System Waffle Maker also includes a griddle plate, so you can grill over-easy or over-hard eggs that are the perfect size to top a burger or toss on an Arnold Keto Sandwich Thin – or on chaffles! You can also cook burgers or sausage on the mini-griddle.
This deluxe unit also includes decorative waffle plates for fun.
The plates are super-easy to switch, but I keep two units on my countertop: One for chaffles and a griddle pan for eggs. This is truly a game-changer and time-saver in any kitchen!
I am in love with the Dash Deluxe Rapid Egg Cooker. It cooks 12 hard-boiled eggs in about 16 minutes. We have used the Chefman Electric Egg Cooker for several years and thought it was a phenomenal product. But the eggs sometimes came out overdone or were hard to peel. Still better than stovetop or oven methods.
Then my husband made a dozen eggs in the Dash cooker. They came out perfectly and I peeled four eggs for egg salad in seconds, with no frustration. I love hard-boiled eggs as the perfect keto snack, but I don’t have a lot of patience. If they don’t peel cleanly, I don’t want any part of them. I’m looking forward to using this appliance to steam vegetables and cook omelets, too.
P.S. The Dash six-egg cooker is an Amazon favorite with an average of 4.7 stars across 126,300+ reviews. If you want a smaller-capacity egg cooker at a great price, this is the way to go. It’s on sale for $15.99 for Black Friday.
Ninja Twisti Blender
Last year, Ninja sent me a SS151 Twisti Blender Duo to review. It was at the same time I started doing the iFast system from Pruvit, which involves a low-carb snack, low carb meal, two exogenous ketone drinks and two protein drinks with ketones. The protein drinks are more filling and taste amazing as shakes! (Interested in iFast? I created a cart for you right here!)
The Ninja Blender was a lifesaver. I mix OS//Pro ketones in any flavor (Blueberry Muffin, Banana, and Orange Cream are my favorites) with heavy cream, ice, and fresh berries. I typically add a healthy protein such as hard boiled eggs or grilled chicken for a light lunch that keeps me full until dinner.
Ninja Air Fryer
Whether I’m cooking up a few slices of bacon for a bacon cheeseburger, reheating fries for my family, or roasting vegetables, my Ninja Air Fryer is a kitchen workhorse. This morning I heated up breakfast sausage patties in the air fryer and then crumbled them up for an omelet in my Zacharian by Dash 7-inch cast iron non-stick skillet. (But more on that later!)
I know many people cook burgers, steaks, and chicken cutlets in their air fryer, but I generally stick with re-heating protein or cooking up frozen fries. I have also roasted vegetables successful in the air fryer. I have a lot of appliances that serve the same purposes as my Ninja Air Fryer, but I’m not ready to give it up yet. I love its small footprint and how easy it is to use and to clean.
Tovala Oven
When I mention appliances that can take the place of my air fryer, the Tovala Smart Oven Pro is 6-in-1 convection oven and air fryer is first on my list. I reviewed the Tovala Oven for Time this fall. You can read my glowing review here.
My favorite keto foods to make in the oven include grilled cheese on keto bread, roasted vegetables like broccoli or cauliflower, salmon, grilled chicken, and omelets. I also enjoy their meal service although you may not always find low-carb options and the costs can add up if you are feeding more than two people. I enjoy getting the Tovala meals as a treat to heat up quick lunches for myself.
The oven also toasts bread in minutes and heats up chicken fingers (I use the RealGood low-carb brand) and other convenience as well as or better than a conventional air fryer. Getting notifications on your phone about when your meal is done if you are in another room is a handy feature.
Lodge Cast Iron Cookware
I’d been reading that steaks cook up better on cast iron skillets. When I saw an original Lodge Cast Iron 10.5-inch skillet on sale at Marshall’s years ago, I couldn’t resist. Whether I’m cooking burgers, sirloin steaks, filet mignon, salmon or swordfish, my cast iron skillet does not disappoint.
It’s pre-seasoned so you don’t have to worry about coating it in oil or baking it, and it’s sturdier than you might imagine. If baked on burger bits stick to the skillet, I just fill the skillet with water, add some Dawn dish soap, and heat on the oven until the caked on food flakes off.
I would recommend investing in these silicone handle holders and grips for lifting your hot cast iron skillet off the stove. I purchased a set of two – one set to keep in the kitchen and one to stash with our camping gear to go with cast iron griddle my husband uses on camping trips.
Zakarian By Dash 7.5-inch Cast Iron Skillet
I was already in love with my Lodge Cast Iron Cookware. I rated it the best $20 kitchen investment you can make on Amazon earlier this year on GOBankingRates. My Lodge cast iron remains one of my go-to kitchen tools, pretty much stored permanently on my stovetop.
Then Dash sent me a 7.5-inch non-stick cast iron skillet.
Cast iron is already inherently non-stick if you season it properly, don’t use abrasive sponges, and avoid metal utensils. But it turns out Zakarian by Dash non-stick cast iron is impervious to all of these kitchen perils and is also designed not to rust. (That’s a recurring problem I’ve had with other cast iron if I don’t dry it completely after washing!)
Food releases easily and, from steaks and swordfish to omelets, has cooked up perfectly every time. Zakarian by Dash offers a package of non-stick cast iron skillets in three handy sizes on Amazon. But the 7.5-inch size fits my needs to cook up a quick omelet easily.
My new love for Zakarian by Dash doesn’t mean I’ll give up my Lodge Cast Iron any time soon, but as I expand my collection, I’ll definitely consider Zakarian by Dash as an alternative to Lodge.
Dawn Allcot