My Everyday Kitchen Essentials

Calphalon Non- Stick Square Grill Pan (ON SALE!)

I love this grill pan for how it cooks meats & veggies, especially those totally professional looking grill marks it gives you. I eat a LOT of grilled chicken so during the week this pan is a real life saver. It’s what I use to make my Chimichurri Chicken and how I grill paneer for my Paneer Tikka Wraps. It’s easy to clean too, unlike many of those plug in grills!

Garlic Press

I use a TON of garlic everyday, it’s a blessing AND a curse. When I’m on top of my routine, I blend a heaping pile of garlic to last me a week but there are times when that doesn’t happen and I need just a few cloves. This little gadget keeps me from having to pull my chopper out of the kitchen or get my hands all sticky mincing it up. One of my favorite finds!!

Le Creuset Skillet

This is probably the skillet you see most in my recipes. I won’t lie to you, these pots & pans are super pricey but there are definitely ways to score deals. Wait for sales, browse your local Home Goods stores or find a Le Creuset outlet near you! They are 100 percent worth the time & investment! Great for frying, sautéing, browning and incredibly easy to clean. They also go beautifully from stove top to table top for serving.

Chopping Block

This is also a piece that makes quite a few guest appearances on my blog! I’ve had this for almost a year and love that I can just leave it on my countertop and not reach for a cutting board constantly. I DO NOT cut any meats on here but I love it for everything else. It’s the perfect size whether you just need to slice a lemon or chop a few stalks of celery. Here’s a great article that explains how to maintain them: Care & Cleaning of Wooden Chopping Blocks.

Blendtec Blender

You probably hear people rave about Blendtec and Vitamix blenders all the time, so I won’t go on forever about this but this Blendtec deserves all the hype it gets. Easy to clean, use and I especially love how smooth and creamy it makes soup like my Cauliflower Soup!

Global Kitchen Knives

Most of my life I used those colorful knives my mom bought from the Indian grocery store. No matter how cheap they were, she kept track of those damn things like a hawk. When I got married and bought my own home, my best friend (who happens to be a professional chef) recommended these Global knives to me. So I walked into Sur La Table to check them out and did you know they actually let you try them before you buy them?! I chopped up a few potatoes and carrots right there in the store and picked the knives that were most comfortable in my hands. I got the set of 5 in the block and haven’t bought knives since! There are lots of great knives, so whatever brand you invest it- make sure you try them first and feel comfortable with them!

OXO Pop Container

I use glass containers to store most of my Indian spices but I absolutely love these pop top containers for everything else. All the different shapes and sizes make for a great look in a pantry as well. I use these to keep grains, flours, snacks, rice and dry pastas tightly sealed and looking good while doing so ? I often see the large set at Costco if you’re looking to snag a deal!

Pyrex Measuring Cup

Ok, so this is super basic and most of you will already have this, but because I’m sharing everyday essentials, this made the cut. I use this often when I need some liquid warmed up before adding it to the pot (like broth or milk). I have it in a few different sized and love that it pours without making a mess! It’s also extremely durable so if dropped, its practically unbreakable.

Mulit-Purpose Pot

I make everything from Tandoori Salmon to pasta in this pot! I love it’s flat bottom and wide rounded sides which makes it great for when you are making dinner for more than just two people. It’s versatile, and non stick which makes it super easy to clean. This is easily an “essential”!

Hand Blender/Chopper

I put this on my wedding registry 3 years ago and it has been with me every since! This is what I use to finely chop the loads of ginger garlic and chilis you see in my recipes. Its insanely quick and again, everything goes in the dishwasher ! I don’t use the whisk attachment ever but the immersion blender is MY FAVE. It’s how I get my Poblano Sauce so smooth and creamy !

Scraper/Chopper

I don’t use this to chop anything at all, but I LOVE using it to scoop things up! I love how efficiently it scrapes everything off of my cutting boards and into my pots or even into the trash without spilling little bits all over the place! I reach for this EVERY day while I’m cooking and highly recommend trying it! I promise you will be hooked!!

Rubber Spatula

Until I bought this, I thought all spatulas were created equal. I liked it so much after the first few uses that I bought another one. It’s heat resistant up to 500 degrees and it is safe on non stick pans! It also does an awesome job at getting every last bit out of mixing bowls (especially stick things like batter!) After almost two years of use, they still look brand new!

Over the Sink Colander

I use LOTS of vegetables and herbs in my cooking so this has been a lifesaver and keeps from making a mess when I’m washing all my veggies. I hate using small colanders and then having to keep them in the sink while the water drains. It grosses me out to keep it in the sink and I hate getting my countertops all soaked so I like that this keeps everything off of my surfaces !