What's in your cart? Chef Justine Doiron shares her gut-friendly kitchen must-haves
We've got the inside scoop on this New York Times best-selling cookbook author's essentials.
- Chef Justine Doiron shares her kitchen must-haves and gut-health favorites for the holiday season.
- Doiron recommends a box grater as a simple tool to incorporate more vegetables into your diet.
- For gut-friendly snacks, she suggests crispbreads, coconut butter, and probiotic supplements.
- Doiron has partnered with Nature Made to curate gut-friendly recipes for the HelloFresh meal-kit service.
Temperatures are dropping, which means we've entered the season of cozy soups and holiday baking. It's a wonderful time of year for those who love to be in the kitchen (myself included), but it could also mean more digestive issues as a result of some holiday-inspired changes to your usual diet.
Whether you're getting in the kitchen testing out new fall recipes, planning a big Thanksgiving menu or you're hoping to improve your gut health while indulging on all the holiday favorites, best-selling author and chef Justine Doiron has you covered this year. The USA Today Shopping team sat down with Doiron to learn about her kitchen must-haves ahead of the holiday season and her gut health favorites.
Here are some kitchen essentials the New York Times best-selling cookbook author suggests shopping for this holiday season:
What's in your cart? Chef Justine Doiron shares her kitchen must-haves
Despite a love of the kitchen, one of the worst parts of being an adult is choosing what you're going to have for dinner everyday. A couple years ago, my husband and I bought a couple cookbooks to help decide. Doiron is a best-selling author and recognizes how unfair it might seem to recommend her own cookbook, but nevertheless, she wouldn't write something she doesn't love.
“I know, I know, it is my book, but I tell people all the time that if I could only cook the same 100 recipes for one year, I would be happy using just this cookbook," Doiron said. "It includes everything I want to eat, and is such a great guide if you are trying to find fun, flavorful ways to insert more vegetables in your life.”
Justine Cooks: A Cookbook: Recipes (Mostly Plants) for Finding Your Way in the Kitchen
And her go-to kitchen necessity? It's not some over-the-top gadget, but a simple box grater.
“I’ve recently committed to a box grater and it has changed my life," Doiron said. "I’ve been loving grating vegetables - think carrot, cucumber and zucchini. It totally changes their eating experience and fits more diverse fiber into my diet without it feeling like a chore. Call me a convert, but I’m in.”
This Williams-Sonoma version is a bit of an upgrade for your kitchen, but it also comes with a food storage box so your grated vegetables aren't all over your counter.
Williams Sonoma Zwilling Z-Cut Box Grater
Daily meals that are healthy and gut-friendly are a challenge for everyone, including best-selling chefs. Doiron partnered with NatureMade to curate gut-friendly recipes on HelloFresh that anyone can make.
“I love creating meals that promote healthier living and, as a recipe developer, curating a gut friendly menu felt like a natural extension of my ethos,” said Doiron.
Aside from the gut-friendly recipes available, meal kits can be a life-saver when you're busy prepping bigger holiday meals or shopping for last-minute gifts. With HelloFresh, you can avoid that dreaded, "What's for dinner?" conversation and cross that trip to the grocery store off your to-do list.
Justine Doiron's gut-healthy favorites
Doiron admits that no matter how healthy one eats, late-night cravings for something sweet or savory hits us all. When they get to her, she reaches for these Sigdal Bakeri crispbread snacks.
"These are such a snacking treat because you can eat them as sweet or savory, use them for a charcuterie party spread, or break them up and snack on them for any late night crunchy cravings (which I have…often)," Doiron said.
She said she loves them so much that she included an at-home version in her cookbook, but loves the pre-made versions that pack in gut-friendly ingredients like quinoa, buckwheat or millet.
"I spread them with avocado and flaky salt, or go the sweet route and add some peach jam and brown sugar," Doiron said. "Or! Coconut butter, chocolate and sea salt, so I get a bit of fiber with my sweet treat.”
Sigdal Bakeri All Natural Norwegian Crispbread
Speaking of coconut butter...Doiron has her own recipe for it. But, she also recommends picking up a jar.
“I’m practically dependent on the stuff," Doiron said. "Coconut butter is just blended coconut, unlike coconut oil, which is extracted. This means you keep all the fiber from the coconut as well as the healthy fats - it’s great for gut health and quick snacks."
Artisana Organics Raw Coconut Butter, 14-Ounce
For the adults who don't have time to prepare gut-friendly snacks, but still care about their health, Doiron recommends leaning on a strong probiotic. Her choice is Nature Made's extra strength probiotic gummies.
"With the prevalence of fast-paced, on-the-go schedules, Nature Made’s probiotics and prebiotic support supplements offer a convenient way to support your digestive system every day," Doiron said.
Nature Made Probiotics Extra Strength Dosage
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