Angelina's Top 10 Essentials for Everyday Healthy Cooking

Angelina's Top 10 Essentials for Everyday Healthy Cooking

As we spend more time working from home, we find ourselves in the kitchen more often. Although it's nice to snack on junk food, making healthy foods is a must if you want to feel good and keep your energy up. We asked former US figure skater and recipe developer Angelina (@athleticrecipes) about her must-haves for everyday healthy cooking.

"As a home cook, recipe developer, and food photographer who's passionate about healthy cooking, I have explored many foods and appliances to elevate my at-home culinary game. 

Cooking with the best foods and having quality performing equipment are very important to me because with these essentials, I can create the best high-quality recipes that are both nourishing for the body and soul. 

I have picked my favorite ingredients and kitchen appliances that can help you improve your healthy cooking. These are the top ten must-haves that every health-conscious home cooking needs!
Creator Image
Angelina Huang
Healthy Recipe Developer & Food Photographer

Healthy food blogger who creates recipes inspired by her lifestyle as an elite figure skater. Competes at the international level and was formerly on Team US... See More

  • Philips Kitchen Appliances Viva Airfryer Image 1
    Source：amazon.com

    Philips Kitchen Appliances
    Viva Airfryer

    Angelina Huang

    This minimalistic, sleek-looking airfryer from Philips has found its way into my daily routine. Not only is it great for cooking up delicious food, but it's also quick and convenient to use. You can air fry anything in the large 2.75-quart basket which is the perfect size for a family of three or four. 

    From on-the-go snacks to finger food appetizers to weeknight meat entrées, you can do it all in the air fryer! Unlike the deep fryer where you need a pot full of oil, the airfryer uses hot air and circulates it around the food to develop that crispy outside we all know and love. It is a great healthy alternative to deep frying.
    $73.99
  • Chosen Foods 100% Pure Avocado Oil Image 1
    Source：amazon.com

    Chosen Foods
    100% Pure Avocado Oil

    Angelina Huang

    Avocado oil is essential to have on hand when cooking healthily consciously. In my house, it has replaced all refined oils like vegetable and canola oil. Avocado oil has so many more benefits compared to those other highly processed oils. It's higher in nutrients, has no trans fats, and you know exactly what plant it comes from. 

    With a high smoking point of 500 degrees Fahrenheit, it's perfect for high-heat searing, stir-frying, and grilling. It's also great for making salad dressings and sauces, drizzling on soups, and baking all sorts of treats. 

    I love the avocado oil from Chosen Foods because it's 100 percent organic and it comes in a sustainable glass bottle. They are very clear and transparent about their labeling and marketing which makes me feel good about what I'm buying.
    $19.99
  • Great Value Garbanzos Chick Peas Image 1
    Source：walmart.com

    Great Value
    Garbanzos Chick Peas

    Angelina Huang

    As a recipe developer on Instagram, I get a lot of recipe requests using specific foods. My most requested ingredient is chickpeas, also known as garbanzo beans. They are high in protein, making them very appreciated amongst plant-based eaters. 

    Though I am not vegan, I cook meals that highlight chickpeas several times a week. They are incredibly versatile, and I have created so many different recipes with these little legumes. You can make hummus, curries, fritters, salads, and even cookie dough! I get my chickpeas from Walmart because they are extremely low in cost and convenient to grab.
    $1.18
  • Instant Pot Instant Pot Image 1
    Source：amazon.com

    Instant Pot
    Instant Pot

    Angelina Huang

    The Instant Pot has become the newest obsession in home cooking. With a press of a button, you can have soups, stews, steamed veggies, rice, yogurt, and even cakes ready to enjoy with little to no effort! This electric pressure cooker is very easy and simple to use. 

    It's much better than the traditional stovetop version which can be finicky (and, at times, dangerous) for many amateur cooks. This device can also replace your slow cooker, rice cooker, steamer, yogurt maker, and many more appliances. It's hard to imagine my life without my Instant Pot. I can just set it and forget it until it's done cooking.
    $139.99
  • Quaker Old Fashioned Rolled Oats Image 1
    Source：amazon.com

    Quaker
    Old Fashioned Rolled Oats

    Angelina Huang

    These Quaker old-fashioned rolled oats are a pantry essential. From a classic bowl of warm oatmeal to baked oatcakes, you can make all things oatmeal-related. They are also great in burger patties and meatballs as well as cookies, granola bars, and pancakes. 

    Another way to use these rolled oats is to blend them up to create oat flour which you can then use as a substitution in many baking recipes. Eating a whole grain and fiber-rich diet can help promote good digestion and reduce heart disease, and that's why I incorporate oats into my eating lifestyle.
    $11.39
  • Bragg Organic Apple Cider Vinegar Image 1
    Source：amazon.com

    Bragg
    Organic Apple Cider Vinegar

    Angelina Huang

    Apple cider vinegar has so many benefits and lots of medical experts recommend a daily intake of this superfood. Some of the great benefits are that it promotes a healthy immune system, aids the digestive system, lowers blood sugar levels, and helps your body absorb minerals. I love it as a flavor booster, too. 

    I mix together salad dressings, marinate meats, and pickle veggies with apple cider vinegar. The reason I choose Bragg's apple cider vinegar is because it is organic, raw, and unfiltered. 

    It includes the "mother" which means the beneficial bacteria, enzymes, and probiotics are present. That's crucial in picking the best apple cider vinegar, and the one from Bragg's hits all the marks.
    $12.98
  • Vitamix Professional-Grade Blender Image 1
    Source：amazon.com

    Vitamix
    Professional-Grade Blender

    Angelina Huang

    This high-speed blender from Vitamix is a game changer! It's full of intense power, and it can blend the toughest of ingredients. I'm a long-term Vitamix user, and their products never disappoint. The quality and functionality are perfect and it is consistent every time you use it. 

    Use this blender for smoothies, juices, dips and spreads, creamy soups, batters, sorbet, and ice creams! It is essential for precision cooking and will definitely elevate your culinary game. The Vitamix 7500 Blender performance is unbeatable, and I highly recommend getting your hands on one.
    $479.95
  • Whole Foods Market Organic Cauliflower Image 1
    Source：amazon.com

    Whole Foods Market
    Organic Cauliflower

    Angelina Huang

    The rave of this cruciferous vegetable has gone on for several years now, and I can see why. It's been a big trend in health-conscious cooking and eating with people using it as a "better-for-you" substitute for carb-heavy dishes. Cauliflower rice and cauliflower crust pizza are amongst the most popular uses of this antioxidant-packed veggie. 

    Some of my favorites include za'atar roasted cauliflower, turmeric cauliflower and chickpea curry, and creamy cauliflower soup. It's so versatile and can be used in so many delicious recipes. Cauliflower is one of my favorite low-calorie, nutrient-dense, and fiber-rich foods!
    $3.99
  • Ballarini Parma Forged Aluminum Nonstick Fry Pan Image 1
    Source：amazon.com

    Ballarini
    Parma Forged Aluminum Nonstick Fry Pan

    Angelina Huang

    It's so hard to find a good non-stick pan that can survive longer than a handful of uses. Ballarini makes some of the best nonstick pans out there. This fry pan is my favorite. It heats quickly and evenly, and it has endured my everyday use of it for a long time. 

    The 8-inch size is light and compact which is perfect for making breakfast omelettes and frittatas, searing salmon fillets and beef steaks, and simmering sauces or jams. The nonstick part is very important to me because it minimizes or even eliminates the use of oil, cutting down on the fats and calories. 

    If you're looking for a high-quality and affordable nonstick pan, this one from Ballarini is the one to go with!
    $24.95
  • Kirkland Signature Himalayan Pink Salt Image 1
    Source：amazon.com

    Kirkland Signature
    Himalayan Pink Salt

    Angelina Huang

    Salt is essential to making a dish taste good, and with my cooking, I want to use the best of the best. I love how I get to freshly grind the beautiful crystals of pure Himalayan pink salt onto my dishes, taking the fanciness up to 100! This salt brings a whole nother level of flavor, and it adds lots of nutrient benefits. 

    It is loaded with minerals and trace elements which is what gives it its recognizable pink color. Himalayan salt is naturally harvested by hand and goes through minimal processing, making it a natural, additive-free alternative to table salt.
    $11.99