It is a statical fact that here in America, June is the most popular month of weddings. You may be finding yourself as an invited guest to a wedding and the glaring question is poised to you, “What gift can I give that will bless the young couple, stand the test of time and help them along their new path together?”. May I suggest health-related objects that can make kitchen time be more efficient, retain more nutrition, and is fun to prepare? 

Now these items can range from a high-efficiency blender to a pressure cooker or to a food processor or even a food dehydrator (added bonus: a juicer is also a good idea). Any of these objects can really change a young family’s life and help prepare them to think more of their health, enjoy easier meal prep, and could even come very valuable once kids come along. 

Let me give you a few suggestions of possible recipe ideas, any of which can be found either with a quick internet search, subscription to a healthy newsletter (hint: HerbalLegacy), or at the cookbook section of your local bookstore/library. 

The most important item in my kitchen is my high efficiency blender. For our family, we have always used a Vitamix. I pull this item out as many as 5 times a day! I find it indispensable for blending the following:

• Smoothies
• Homemade nutmilks
• Lentils for Indian dahl dishes
• Chutneys for Indian dishes
• Grinding herbs for spice mixtures
• Nuts for butters such as cashew, almond, or even walnuts
• Pureeing homegrown greens for making rice dishes
• Preparing herbal combinations. I have even used it for echinacea root grinding! 

For pressure cookers, I have 2. Each of which are essential for my kitchen as well. I have a Kuhn Rikon pressure cooker for all my rice and rice dishes and the ever popular easy to find InstaPot. Let me share with you some ideas for the InstaPot:

• Cooking your overnight soaked beans -economical and healthy
• Sanitizing your jars for canning
• Making fresh soups
• Boiling eggs
• Making chili
• Indian dishes such a dahl or sambar
• Not only for preparing meals, but reheating them on the go. I have used this item to reheat dishes while my kids have been at tournaments, in hotel rooms, and playing sports.

For the food processor, this makes large entertaining a breeze. I have used it to:

• Prepare salads
• Shred beets-very healthy and great source of iron
• Help bring constancy in my food prep for pleasing the eye. Some of my favorites are: shredding carrots, purple cabbage, celery, and daikon.

Finally, we come to the food dehydrator. This is the newest of my kitchen irreplaceable items. I have used this for the following:

• Dehydrated apple rings
• Kale chips (saves over 90% in $ compared to store bought)
• Citrus peels such as lemon or orange. I then will grind these up in my Vitamix and use in my smoothies for extra vitamin C
• Summer herbs grown outside. Then save to use in pesto, teas, soups, etc
• Chili peppers-these grow abundantly in my region. I use daily in cooking needs
• Homegrown greens which I later then powder to once again use in smoothies
• Moringa leaves! Saves more money than I can fathom. We have several of these growing. They produce an abidance of nutrient rich greens which we dehydrate and use all year long. 

So next time you find yourself asking what a perfect wedding gift can be or perhaps you yourself are preparing a registry, give a thought of the items above. For registries, one can arrange a “group buy” to where guests can each pitch in a little $ toward the items of choice. This way, the price tag can be shared amongst several guests. We all can help each other grow healthy together and make the journey easy and fun. 

Angela Sannapu is a Master Herbalist, Reflexologist and Aromatherapist from the School of Natural Healing as well as a Diplomat in Holistic Iridology from the Internal Institute of Iridology. She is an Associate Member of the AHG and is continually learning and helping others in their own journey to Natural Healing.