The right kitchen tools make healthy cooking quicker, easier and more enjoyable. Nancy Waldeck, a chef at Thomas F. Chapman Family Cancer Wellness at Piedmont, shares the four kitchen essentials every home cook needs in his or her arsenal.

1. Food processor

"This is the workhorse of the kitchen," Waldeck says.

Instead of spending time finely chopping vegetables (such as Brussels sprouts for a salad), toss them in the food processor to reduce your work time significantly.

2. Microplane

"I love the microplane because it adds so much speed and value to the kitchen," she says.

A microplane can be used for many purposes, from zesting a lemon to shaving dark chocolate to adding finely grated fresh garlic to a soup.

3. Salad spinner

"The difference between a great salad and a ho-hum salad is lettuce that is dry," Waldeck says.

She also uses her salad spinner to dry fresh herbs after rinsing them.

4. Immersion blender

Instead of a traditional blender, Waldeck favors her immersion blender, particularly for soups.

"It'll go right into the stockpot for gorgeous pureed soups that are super healthy," she says. "No cream, just pureed vegetables."

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