The holidays are here. Our xmas tree is up (has been since November 16). Ooooh how I love this time of year. Food! Gifts! Family! Errr… I mean Family! Food! Gifts! There, that order is better.
As the holiday shopping season is about to begin I wanted to share some of my favorite things that some special people in your life might also love.
Looking for something to put in someone’s stocking?
Scrub Daddy Sponges – These very popular sponges are all the rage now that they’ve been on Shark Tank (one of my favorite TV shows). Using cold or hot water changes the stiffness of the sponge to help you clean everything from pots and pans to counter tops to everything in between. Buy the 4-pack for the best value and you will have 4 stocking stuffer gifts to divide amongst four of your most cherished family and friends.
Bamboo Hands – For the person on your list that has plans for healthier eating come new year… bamboo hands are a great little incentive gift. They are the coolest salad tongs and will do just the trick in helping your loved one eat more salad. Hey, it sounds good, right?
Egg Beater – This egg beater is the cat’s meow for the egg lover in your life. It makes me feel a bit old fashioned when I’m using it (in a good way) but it also does a totally kick butt job. Love it. (Read some of the many ways we enjoy pasture raised eggs here.)
Offset Spatula – Everyone needs at least one offset spatula in the kitchen. They make for the perfect spreads whether you’re spreading butter on toast or frosting a cake or making a raw gluten free cheesecake.
Looking for something to inspire better cooking?
The 4-Hour Chef – This book is great fun. The 4-Hour Chef takes you on an inspiring journey that just happens to also teach you mad skills in the kitchen. The beauty of it is that it’s for anyone, whether newbie or not, in the kitchen. I think everyone should have a copy of this book. It’s just so darn fun and full of practical and useful tips. I have both the kindle and hard copy … I definitely recommend the hard copy. It’s huge and full of fantastic pictures. While I’m talking about books on kindle, I love my Kindle Fire and I’m sure that special someone in your life will, too. If you’re looking to inspire reading in someone’s life, this just might do the trick.
Grass Fed Organic Ghee – I bought little jars of Ancient Organic’s Ghee last year to give out during the holiday and I received many thanks throughout the year as a result. So many people have no idea how awesome ghee is, especially when it’s Ancient Organics grass fed ghee. It’s the best ghee on the market. Don’t even waste your time with others. Seriously. I use this to cook the best scrambled eggs ever and I also use it in soups, sauces, spread on gluten free goodies, baked in goodies, and melted over organic vegetables. Oh! It also makes a fantastic anti-aging moisturizer because it’s loaded with skin loving vitamins like vitamin A.
Looking for something for the girly girl in your life?
Pristine Beauty – I really like the products that Blaire from Pristine Beauty has created. I first heard of her when I saw her on The Donny Deutsch TV Show talking about her business. Blaire, a truly wonderful n spirited gal, is a cancer survivor who felt like the world needed better non-toxic beauty products so she did just that – she made ’em. She hit it out of the park with these fantastic eco-friendly products and her prices aren’t crazy either. I’m particularly in awe with her Suga Suga Woo Woo scrub. It’s simply the best…. it leaves my face soft and super supple, never dry like many exfoliators can do. I can’t see myself ever using a different exfoliator because this stuff is sublime. I also rave about her Hooray for Brallywood Butta (this dream cream is great year ’round but especially in the dry seasons. Greg loves the stuff, too. He’s always using it on his hands. Have any scars? Try this stuff.). Lastly, the self-tanner, Sunless Strip, does a killer job at giving the perfect amount of healthy sun-kissed glow.
Truth be told, I enjoy all of Pristine Beauty’s products, but thought I’d feature a few of the all-stars. I love the gal behind them, their prices, and their effectiveness. If anything, go watch the videos on her website and see for yourself – she’s such a doll.
Looking for something for the foodie in your life?
Sous Vide – I can’t have a list of great holiday gift ideas without putting the sous vide supreme on it. I’ve written about it a few times in the past when sharing details of using it for making the perfect soft cooked egg, the perfect steak (always tender, never tough), and even bone broth (stock). This gift is for everyone. If you know someone who is a newbie in the kitchen, or someone you know that needs, err, a little help, then this is the answer. If you know someone who is a pro in the kitchen, then this is the answer as the greatest of chefs love sous vide cooking, too. They’re fast becoming all the rage. Recently The Rachel Ray Show was featuring the Sous Vide Supreme and how you can make the perfect turkey for Thanksgiving in it. Note: when someone uses a sous vide for cooking, it’s most often used for cooking things in vacuum sealed bags, so the person will need a FoodSaver or a totally awesome chamber vacuum sealer ( <— THAT’S on my holiday list… hopefully my sweet husband gets it for me).
Automatic Soap Dispenser – Ok, before you write this off, give me a minute to explain why this is so cool. As someone who prepares meat, I find this automatic soap dispenser invaluable. How many times do you have raw chicken or beef all over your hands and you go to wash your hands only to get the icky stuff all over your soap bottle. Now you need to actually wash the soap bottle because it’s a little impossible to soap up your hands without grabbing the soap first with your dirty hands, eh? Not anymore. Enter: Automatic Soap Dispenser. Seriously, this kitchen gadget is really useful and you’ll love it more and more with each use. I plan on giving a few of these for xmas gifts.
Baby Slow Cooker – This little slow cooker is an inexpensive gem for every kitchen, making it the perfect gift for just about everybody. I use it for a variety of reasons… shown below I peeled-n-chopped a big organic yam and tossed it inside. Added some grass fed butter. Set to low and let it cook for 4 to 6 hours. You can also put baby fingerling (whole) potatoes in… just give a rinse and let them cook. I love using it to warm small servings of soup and sauces as well. And, I also make delicious ginger cinnamon tea in it. Simply put filtered water inside and add organic ginger chunks and cinnamon sticks. This could also take up very little space on someone’s desk at work and use to warm soups or veggies. Perfect for small apartment kitchens or students. And, as noted, perfect for a family as I use mine for the aforementioned reasons above.
Technivorm Coffee Pot – Do you know a coffee lover? I’ll bet you can count many in your life. Do you know a coffee lover that you really adore and love? Well, if so, you might want to get them the greatest coffee pot on earth, though it looks a bit like it’s from another planet. The Technivorm (“Vorm” for short) is A-mazing. Expensive? Yeah, kind of. But, it makes the perfect cup of coffee every time, brewed to the perfect temperature, with the best flavor. It is of the highest quality, is recommended by Cook’s Illustrated, and has a 5-year warranty. It’s bad ass. (And, let me add one thing… every coffee connoisseur knows that to optimize the coffee drinking experience you should grind your organic coffee beans just before brewing. For this, I recommend a burr grinder and my preferred one is Breville’s Burr Grinder. I’ve tried a few and the Breville wins.)