The Guide to Kitchen Essentials
Content, product testing and layout by
Borden Communications + Design
Having the right "stuff" in our kitchens means everything...
inside this guide you'll find the best cookware, gadgets, accessories,
small appliances, and more - but, no gimmicks, of course.
Get inspired to make and share good, clean food.
There are more products available today than ever before that
are designed to make our lives “easier,” many of which are to
help us out in the kitchen. But if you have a drawer filled with
utensils that serve one single purpose, doesn't it take you more
time to rummage through everything to find that banana
slicer, and then put everything back into the drawer, than it
would to have just used a regular ol' knife?
Buying the right stuff means less clutter in our kitchens, our
lives, and the landfills, using fewer resources, more money in
our wallets, and more tools that actually serve us, rather than
aggravate us. If we simplify, it's easier to find what we are
looking for when we need it.
Plus, having the right tools means we won't need lots of little
gimmicks; Just a great, inspiring space to make and share good,
clean food.
It's amazing to me that people argue organic vs. local when it comes to their food. Is organic only for
those who don't want toxins in their bodies, and local is reserved only for environmentalists who weigh
their food miles? It's actually best that we all strive to be eating local AND organic food, by choosing
what's in season. Our grandparents ate “organically” and locally, and they cleaned without chemicals
too. Wow, that makes sense! I always got along famously with my grandparents so, as they are amazed
with the “progress” of our world, I am interested in some regression back to how they lived as kids it's
great that we have a lot to share and learn from each other.
Now, let's nip this argument in the locally grown, organically cultivated bud and move forward (or was
that backwards?).
Why Local?
It's fresher - shorter time from farm to table
It's tastier - do your own taste test…as an aside, if your food needs to travel far, t's bred to withstand a longer shelf life and is usually picked before it's fully ripe
It's healthier - retains more nutrients and has less preservatives and additives because long distance travel is not required
It's environmentally sound - long distance travel requires more packaging, refrigeration, fuel to get to table, and generates more waste and pollution (did you ever wonder how produce arrives from Mexico without bruises and without being rotten?)
It's cheaper - less middlemen, less marketing and less transportation costs
It's neighbourly - money stays in your community, creates jobs and supports local farmers
Why Organic?
It's tastier - again I suggest doing your own taste test…but without all of the synthetics, it's just pure unaltered delicious food
It's healthier - higher levels of vitamins and minerals and less exposure to chemicals and synthetics
It's environmentally sound - my farmer friends have given me lots of reasons, but simply, crops grown without synthetic pesticides, herbicides, fertilizers and GMOs mean fewer of these items are being produced and fewer are being released into our soil and water
Keep in mind, your money is your voice. With every dollar you spend, you are telling that farmer or that
restaurant or that supermarket or that company to make more of the same.
So, YOUR wise choices are a benefit to us all!
What should you buy foryour kitchen, Local or Organic?
Bake and cook in glass like this and you can
easily and safely go from the oven, to the table,
to the fridge, and back again. Yes, they come in a
variety of shapes and sizes to bake all of your
loaves, casseroles, pies, and more!
Pyrex Glass Bakeware
www.pyrex.com
People have been cooking with stoneware for
thousands of years. Why? It’s heavy duty,
distributes heat evenly, and is free of toxins, so
you can bake even crispier fries, or your gram’s
cookies exactly the same way she made ‘em!
Hartstone Pottery
www.hartstonepottery.com
A great pot can shorten your cooking time
(really!), and make your life (or at least your meal
prep) easier. Salad master claims their cookware
allows you to cook your food quickly and evenly,
and protects the quality, purity, and flavour.
Salad Master
www.saladmaster.com
Cast iron is one of the original nonstick cooking
surfaces. They last forever, and they don’t have
any nasty PFOA’s (google if you don’t know why
we should be avoiding them!) so you won’t be
eating, or inhaling any toxic sprays or coatings.
Lodge Seasoned Cast Iron
www.lodgemfg.com
Cookware + Bakeware
www.lisabordenworks.com
It’s just as important to consider what you are cooking with or on, as it is to choose healthful ingredients.
Avoid non-stick coatings, and cook on safe surfaces that won’t leach into your homemade, clean cuisine.
The last thing any of us need is more plastic in
our kitchen, in our lives, and in our world. So,
let’s get it out! Glass is definitely the safest bet,
and the only way to be sure you are only adding
what your recipe is asking for.
Anchor Hocking
www.anchorhocking.com
The faster you peel your potatoes, the better,
right? We agree with chefs that a straight blade
peels faster than anything else. This stainless
peeler also has a side cutter to remove blemishes,
and make decorative cuts into fruits and veggies.
Stainless Steel Peeler
www.swissmar.ca
Take your fave raw veggies and spiralize them
into delicious (carb-free and fat-free!) noodles or
slice them in just minutes. Raw zucchini turns
into amazing spaghetti the kids will even eat. It’s
safe enough (and fun) for kids to use too.
Vegetable Spiral Slicer
http://amzn.to/Zvp7aD
Useful GadgetsIf you have great, useful gadgets & not too many of them (important!) , you’ll never need
to reach far into cupboards or drawers for these easy to use (and easy to clean!) tools.
www.lisabordenworks.com
Whether you are mixing or serving hot or cold, it
is important to not put any toxic materials into
your food (and not to scratch your pots and
pans!). Try these utensils made from beachwood
from sustainably managed forests.
Beachwood Cooking Utensils
www.noplastic.ca
Super Storage
This reusable, fluid, and air resistant beeswax
coated wrap keeps your leftovers fresh and
delicious. It’s Canadian made (yay!), reusable and
compostable, so you can say goodbye to toxic,
wasteful, expensive plastic wrap forever!
Abeego
www.abeego.ca
Fill these paper bags with anything from fruits
and veg, to fresh baked breads, even your
favourite house plant. They feel like leather, and
wash like fabric, and are made from virgin fibre
from cultivation, not through deforestation.
Uashmama
www.uashmama.com
These jars are perfect for storing fresh juice,
homemade salad dressings, and canning
preserves! We love them even more than mason
jars because they’re easy to stack, pour from, and
the reusable glass lids aren’t lined with BPA!
Weck
www.weckcanada.ca
There’s so much plastic in storage these days, it’s sickening, literally. It’s easier than ever to quit
buying plastic wrap and containers when there are so many great options (for on the go too!).
www.lisabordenworks.com
Your food stays fresh and ready to go with you in
these reusable, airtight containers. These glass
goods are incredibly affordable, freezer and
dishwasher safe, and the thick glass makes them
durable and chip-resistant too.
Frigoverre
www.trudeaucorp.com
Table Toppers
These artful drinking glasses are handmade from
the bottom half of old wine bottles! Wine Punts
recycles thousands of wine bottles each month.
Every single glass is inspected so you can feel
good about doing good with every sip you take.
Wine Punts
www.winepunts.com
Sourcing flatware that isn’t made in China wasn’t
easy. Liberty Tabletop says they are the last
flatware manufacturer in the USA. They use
recycled 18/8 stainless steel, and operations run
off hydro-electric power from Niagara Falls!
Liberty Tabletop
www.libertytabletop.com
Don’t you find that food is simply more delicious
when eaten off of a pretty plate? (We think so!).
These sea glass designs are handcrafted in the
USA in a LEED certified facility, and a portion of
the proceeds go to local and national charities.
Riverside Design Group
www.riversidedesigns.com
Stay clean and tidy with organic cotton napkins.
Madder Root’s linens are printed and sewn in
Maine with organic materials and solvent free
water based inks. They’re great for every day
use, hostess gifts, and picnics too!
Madder Root
www.etsy.com/shop/madderroot
After prepping and preparing your local, organic ingredients, present your dishes to your family
and friends with tableware that is as conscious and unique as your meals themselves.
www.lisabordenworks.com
You may not realize that you need this appliance,
but you really do. You really, really do. It’s fully
automatic (once you add the ingredients) making
it a smooth and easy process to whip up drinks,
hot soups and cool ice creams in just seconds.
Blendtec Designer Series www.blendtec.com
Make your own nutrient dense compost fertilizer
from your own food waste and table scraps. The
Ultra is automatic, energy efficient, and emits no
trashy odours. You can tuck it away in cabinet,
but we’d rather leave it out on display.
Nature Mill www.naturemill.com
A slow cooker, rice cooker, steamer, and yogurt
maker all in one! It’s made from unglazed Zisha
clay (so no plastic, chems, aluminum or lead
touches your food!) and it preserves your food’s
nutrients, enzymes, and vitamins too.
VitaClay Smart Organic Multicooker www.vitaclaychef.com
We finally found an incredible counter top oven
that isn’t coated with a non-stick lining! This
convection oven also has full steaming capability
cutting cooking time as much as 40%. Steam,
poach, bake, and broil to perfection!
Cuisinart Combo Steam + Convection Oven www.cuisinart.ca
Small AppliancesCooking time with these efficient, multitasking, compact appliances over your
large"standard" kitchen appliance is life changing and brilliant. Trust us.
www.lisabordenworks.com
This jar is a genius for whipping up recipes like
nut and seed butters, dips, salad dressings, and
baby foods. Simply add ingredients and twist the
lid while the blend cycle is running to achieve a
perfect blend every time.
Blendtec Twister Jar www.blendtec.com
Dehydration is the healthiest, easiest and most
economical way to preserve foods. With this
dehydrator, you can make fruit and kale chips in
no time! A fun and healthy idea for any party
menu, and the inserts pull out for easy clean up.
Excalibur Dehydrator www.excaliburdehydrator.com
The water from fruits and veggies is delicious
and full of healthy benefits, but don’t buy the
stuff filled with added sugars and preservatives.
Make your own (with organic produce of course)
so you know exactly what’s in it!
Omega Juicer www.omegajuicers.com
Mix, grate, and chop it up with your trusty food
processor. This reliable appliance makes tedious
tasks seem like a breeze, saving you time and
energy that you can spend instead enjoying your
meal and your amazing dinner company.
Cuisinart www.cuisinart.ca
More Small AppliancesThere’s no need to overpay for prepared foods when these great appliances make it
quick and easy to whip up homemade snacks, chips, dips, and sips.
www.lisabordenworks.com
If you’ve ever struggled to get the inside of your
bottles and tumblers nice and clean, this is the
brush for you. Simply place the long end inside
the bottle and squeeze the handle to clean both
the inside and the outside effortlessly.
Full Circle
www.fullcirclehome.com
Scrub well with these copper threads that gently
removes cooking grime on your pots, pans, sink,
and stove, and even safe on glass and stainless
steel. It’s double layered for strength and just
throw in the washing machine for a fresh start.
Bürstenhaus Redecker
shop.redecker.de
It doesn’t need to cost a fortune to keep the
kitchen clean. Microfibre cloths and water do a
remarkable job lifting any dirt, bacteria, or grime
left behind. They’re economical, machine
washable, and can be used over and over.
E-Cloth
www.ecloth.com
Real CleanWhether you are tidying before your meal or on cleaning duty afterwards, you want your home to be truly clean.
Replace every conventional cleaner under the kitchen sink and in the laundry room with NOTHING (well, maybe
not nothing, but as close to it as possible!). You do NOT have to sacrifice the cleanliness of your home.
www.lisabordenworks.com
Most cleaners pollute our homes with chemicals
that we inhale and absorb all day long (causing
headaches, itchy skin, and much more). You can
easily and inexpensively make your own truly
natural and smart cleaners with safe ingredients.
Full Circle
www.fullcirclehome.com
How many plastic straws get thrown out each
day? (It’s scary!). Strawesome’s reusable glass
straws are safe and toxin-free, and come with a
lifetime guarantee - that’s how committed this
company is to their functional works of art.
Strawesome
www.strawesome.com
Artful Accessories
Sure, drying your dishes isn’t always fun, but you
can make it look fun and be conscious about it
too. Growing cotton uses more insecticides than
any other major crop! Choosing organic is a
much safer choice for our health, and our future.
Ferm
www.ferm-living.com
Whoever thought something practical couldn’t
also be fun and stylish, obviously hasn’t seen
these organic cotton oven mitts. Stay cool, and
protected with something you’ll feel good, and
look really good, slipping your hands into.
Ochre & Ocre
www.ochreandocre.com
If food is art, then this natural slate board is the
perfect canvas. So much so, it even comes along
with soapstone chalk to write directly on the
slate to identify what you’re serving, or scribble a
tasty greeting for your guests.
Brooklyn Slate Company
www.brooklynslate.com
The kitchen is a place to feel inspired and be creative, so give it as much
flavour and flare as the food you’re plating, and keep it green and toxin-free.
www.lisabordenworks.com
On The Kitchen Bookshelf
Terry Walters delivers super simple, incredible
tasting, plant based recipes that work with the
season we’re living in. She gives approachable,
healthful, and nutritious information that
satisfies our craving for easy, real, clean food.
Eat Clean, Live Well
www.terrywalters.net
We can’t imagine a healthier cook book by a
better chef (and person). These tempting dishes
are bold, innovative, fresh, easy and above all
delicious. Both vegans and non-vegans will find
them absolutely delicious.
Vegan Everyday
www.dougmcnish.com
Ditch the calorie counting and fad diets, and
discover how much fun you can have when you
UnDiet! Meghan’s vibrant, inspirational message
will help you find your way to true health - trust
us, this IS the way to eat and live life!
UnDiet
www.meghantelpner.com
Find out what’s good for personal health, what’s
good for the planet, and what tastes great. Learn
how to find your way around a farmers' market,
how to cook with the least amount of energy,
and how to eat locally, even in winter!
The Conscious Kitchen
www.alexandrazissu.com
You don’t need to be vegan to enjoy these books (we don’t like labels, and we don’t like
“mock” food!), you just need to appreciate simple, quick, clean recipes & perspective!
www.lisabordenworks.com
From Here to There
We’ve all been there, when we’re at the market
and realize we’ve forgotten to bring our reusable
bags. Problem solved with these bags that roll up
into tiny balls to leave in your purse, briefcase, or
in your car. (Easier to fold than a pair of socks!)
Flip & Tumble
www.flipandtumble.com
Why use a single-use zipper baggies when there’s
something safer, reusable, and better looking?
These are made in the USA, certified food-safe,
bpa-free, phthalate-free, pvc-free, lead-free, and
can be personalized with your own designs.
Neat-os
www.neat-os.com
This basket can handle it all. It has a tearproof
fabric, sturdy frame, collapsible soft rubber
handle, and the whole thing folds flat so it can
be tucked away in a trunk or front hall. Perfect
for markets, picnics, or to carry potluck dishes!
Reisenthal
www.reisenthelUSA.com
These tempered glass sandwich, snack, and dip
containers can go anywhere you go. And with
colourful lids, you can easily tell whose snack is
whose. Smart Clips lock and secure food inside,
so you don’t have to worry about spills or leaks.
Wean Green
www.weangreen.com
What happens in the kitchen, doesn’t usually stay in the kitchen (or start in the kitchen),
so choose great reusables to bring your food home from the market or with you wherever you go.
www.lisabordenworks.com