Spring is that time of year when we automatically feel like starting fresh. The snow melts, days become longer, flowers bloom, birds chirp, Snow White sings in a forest somewhere, surrounded by furry cartoon creatures…But, seriously,the spring bloom literally feels like a fairy tail to me. Especially living in a northern climate where we’re pretty cooped up over the winter and, now, finally get to enjoy more time outdoors.
No doubt, it’s a time for new beginnings and clearing out all the stale junk in our bodies that might be accumulating from a bit too much hibernation and over-indulgence. Just sayin.
So, I’ve come up with a quick list of some of my spring must-haves to inspire you to get into gear for a healthy and happy season ahead.
A sturdy citrus squeezer: For your morning lemon water and for juicing citrus into just about every recipe you will ever make. There’s barely a day that goes by when I don’t use my citrus squeezer and, now that spring is here, it’ll be sure to get used in your house in your spring superfood salads and salad dressings.
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A big, beautiful salad bowl: Speaking of salads, this is the time! Fresh starts, new beginnings, and loading up on a bonanza of healthy produce to help your body detoxify. You can’t get sick of ‘em because there’s literally infinite possibilities. No matter what you make, it’s always nice to have a pretty bowl to serve up your creations. This one’s from one of my fave cookware shops in TO, which also has an online store.
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An awesome salad spinner: You gotta wash them leaves and you gotta dry them leaves. I have a feeling convenience is probably just as important to you as it is to me. So, unless you’re going to take to spinning your washed and wet greens around in circles in a pillow case (and if so, good on ya), you’re going to need to invest in a salad spinner. I’ve been using this one for years. It’s fab!
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A handy spiralizer for fresh, spring “noodle” salads: This will change your life. Not only is it fun to use and easy to clean, it will redefine your relationship with pasta. With this gadget (that literally transforms veggies into thin, squiggly noodles or gorgeous ribbons) you don’t have to depend on the regular starchy pastas when you’re craving a noodle dish. I’ve had this model for years and it still serves me well.
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Non-plastic food wraps: I’m not perfect, but I do try to reduce my use of plastic where I can. I’m telling you, these beeswax reusable wraps are amazing. Love em! They’re washable and keep things super-fresh when sealed up on all edges. When warm, they’re malleable and will shape around whatever you want to store. Simply press and form over dishes to cover leftovers. They’re great to package cheeses (if you eat cheese), wrap lunch items, healthy baked goods and more.
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A sturdy (and cute) glass water bottle to take with you wherever you go: Good hydration is everything and there’s certainly no shortage of reusable glass bottles to choose from. I’ve been using this brand for years with great success. They are incredibly sturdy. I know this because I’ve dropped mine countless times. I’ve never had to replace one unless I’ve accidentally left it behind somewhere. I love the easy carrying handle and I enjoy the wide lip that allows me to get a good, refreshing mouthful. The silicone wraps come in a variety of colours to suit your style.
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A great grater: A simple, sturdy grater can take a plain “boring” veggie from flat to fab in no time! You may be looking at those carrots or beets in your produce drawer and feeling a little meh about them. But, the simple act of grating these crunchy fruits and veggies literally takes them to a whole new level. Make a carrot, apple slaw or a shredded beet and zucchini salad. It’s all in the prep. If you don’t have a spiralizer, a grater will do the trick with most of those types of recipes.
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Reusable straws for slurping smoothies: Glass and stainless steel straws are an ecofriendly alternative to plastic and paper. And if it’s straws you want, straws you will get on this amazing site that’s filled will tons of stylish and sustainable housewares. Yes, it’s true that I use paper straws in my pictures of smoothies, but (spoiler alter) I don’t actually drink out of them. I simply use them to make the picture more pretty, wash them and reuse them over and over. But, I know a lot of you love straws and kids love them too. So, I’m recommending these durable and eco-friendly stainless steel ones. They even come with a handy cleaning brush to make sure you don’t get chia stuck up in there!
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A handheld immersion blender: Yes, you can use them for soups, but they’re also great for creamy or pureed salad dressings and even making an easy smoothie is a jiffy. I can’t live without this handy gadget. Get it? “Handy”. This little gadget comes in handy (I did it again) when you don’t want to transfer everything over to your big ol’ blender. There are lots to choose from, but I’ve had a solid love affair with my Cuisinart hand blender for years.
A powerful, high-speed blender: If you have a decent budget and are in the market for a blender that will make instant work of solids and last a lifetime, you might want to consider a Vitamix. Yes, it’s pricy, but this is an investment you won’t regret. It’s smoothie season after all, and nothing blends frozen fruits and veggies or ice quite like this bad boy. I especially like this model because this comes with a dry goods container that I often use for grinding flax, chia, oats, and other seeds to make flours…There are lots of other models and brands that can suit your needs, but this is the model I have and I use it almost every day.
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Fabric salad bowl covers: Yes, there’s such a thing and they’re great! They aren’t airtight, but they certainly work to keep a salad fresh in the fridge for a day or two or on your way to a friend’s potluck. They also come in handy during your backyard feasts when the bugs tend to want to land on all your food. They’re washable, reusable and soooooo cute!
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A cheerful set of string lights to brighten up your outdoor space: Speaking of being outside, this is the time you start fantasizing about outdoor dinners and a leisurely glass of wine while you take in the sunset and the glory of night-time nature. I bet you’re just as excited as me to get set up for fresh and festive outdoors evenings. In fact, since we just moved into our new house a few months ago, we will be spending a lot of time outside getting our backyard set up and putting these lights in place is one of the things I look forward to the most!
Hope you are getting as stoked about spring as I am. Would love to hear from you – what are your spring must-haves? How are you planning on clearing out the clutter and starting fresh? Let me know in the comments below!
KD
