Kitchen Products

PAUL:  I don't mind cooking. I make simple meals, and try to be healthy.

Opening Jars

PAUL:  One of my favorite new tools is my electric jar opener. I have always had an under-the-cabinet bottle and jar  opener.  You slide the lid into the v-shaped grip and turn. This works okay one-handed for small bottles and jars, and I use it to open my hobby glue and paint jars. But this kind of opener is hard to use for larger jars, like salsa and spaghetti sauce jars, and sometimes I had to ask Stephanie to open them with two hands.  Now, I use the electric opener all the time.  It's quick and easy even with one hand.

STEPHANIE: I use it when I cook, too. It's great for women because we have weaker wrists. We bought one for my mom and she uses it all the time. Ours is white, to match our kitchen.

Black & Decker JW200 Lids Off Automatic Jar Opener, JW-200. Order online

Iced Tea Maker
PAUL:  I like to drink iced tea all year-round, and usually make a pitcher at a time. To do this safely with one hand, I use a Iced Tea Maker, instead of a kettle. A full kettle of boiling water is difficult to pour into a pitcher, even if you haven't suffered a stroke. This Iced Tea Maker is light-weight and quick and easy to use. I brew green tea with a bag of peppermint tea for flavor.  It's very refreshing and healthy.

Order online

Fruit and Vegetable Brush

PAUL:  I like to eat fresh fruits and vegetables.  My favorites are apples, pears, peaches, nectarines, grapes, and sweet red peppers. I use a brush with suction cups to hold it to the bottom of the sink under the faucet.  It's quick and easy to use with one hand..You can also use it as a fingernail brush. Order online

Important Daily Helper

                            Staying healthy after a stroke often requires taking multiple medications. It is very important to take them on schedule, as the doctor directs. Missing doses or mixing them up can make you sick.Order online or order online.

Popping for Health

I enjoy fresh popped popcorn at home, and after reading the research that popcorn can contribute to a healthy diet  I might eat a little more. I don't use microwave popcorn - it's too expensive, has extra calories, some gets burned, and it's hard to open with one hand.To see one like mine, Order online.

One-Handed, One Touch, No Cord

I do most of the cooking, and I like small, simple, can-do kitchen products that are reasonably priced and easy to use with one hand. I tried the "one-touch automatic can opener" and have been very impressed. It uses batteries, so it can be part of your camping or emergency kit. I put it on the can, and push the button one time. It works its way all around the can, stopping when the lid is completely cut, without jagged edges, so it is safe to lift the lid off. .For cans with pop-tops (hard to pop off with one hand), I turn the can over and use the opener on the bottom. Order online  

Brain Food: Flax Seed

I survived a stroke, so taking good care of my brain is very important to me. Research shows that omega-3 fats help your brain and overall health--which I get by sprinkling a teaspoon of ground flaxseed on my cereal every morning. A bag of dry roasted whole flaxseeds from a gourmet grocery store lasts for months. Flaxseeds should be kept in the freezer in a container (like a plastic food saver) until you are ready to grind them and eat. I grind them easily with one hand in a coffee mill--the same small electric grinder used for coffee beans.
To see a coffee mill like mine,  Order online

Measuring With One Hand

I cook dinner often and need to measure a tablespoon of oil just using one hand. I found the small size OXO GOOD GRIPS Angled Measuring Cup. I put the cup on the counter and pour in the oil to the exact amount I need. The patented angled surface lets you read measurement markings by looking straight down into the cup. To see a measuring cup like mine, Order online

The Cutting Edge

My right hand is paralyzed, so I hold my fork with my left hand. To cut food with one hand, I use the Solid Handle Rocker Knife. It looks like good silverware. It is stainless steel and dishwasher safe and only weighs 3 ounces. The specially designed, curved blade allows food to be cut with a rocking motion. To see one visit, Order online.

In the Kitchen

I recently took a cooking class at the Stroke Comeback Center. We learned to cut cucumbers for salads (see Stephanie's article above) using the OXO's V-Blade Mandoline. It has a textured surface to keep food from sticking, a food holder to securely hold food and protect fingers, and non-slip feet keep it secure on the work surface.

To see the Mandoline slicer, click here.

Easy One-handed Drinks

In the winter, it is nice to have a cup of hot tea or hot chocolate. I have tried the old-fashioned kettle on the stove, and microwaving a cup of water. Both can be a little difficult for stroke survivors who can use only one hand, like me. When I visit my mother-in-law, I enjoy using her electric kettle, so I found one I like, the very reasonably priced Kalorik JK-19967 1500-Watt Cordless Jug Kettle.

This has a locking lid with opening trigger button, an illuminated switch, and easy-grip handle. It boils up to 60 ounces of water twice as fast as a microwave oven, and can also boil just 2 cups. The kettle lifts off its heating element without the cord, also a good for one-handed users.It has an automatic shut-off and other safety features

To see a white kettle like mine, click here.

Handling Cans

Readers of my newsletter know that I have a can-opener easy to use with one hand. Once the can of fruit or vegetables is open, you need to drain the liquid. I found a small dishwasher-safe "can colander" that fits over the top of the can, the "Progressive Housewares GT3966 Can Colander." I can easily hold the colander on top of the can and turn it over in the sink so it drains without worrying about cutting my hand.

Since canned vegetables have added salt, I try to rinse some of the salt off. After draining the liquid, I run a little tap water into the can, put the colander on top, shake, then drain, repeating a few times.

To see one like mine, click here.

Fastening With One Hand

Since I share the cooking in our house, I need a way to close bags of frozen vegetables easily with one hand. I use the "Linden Sweden Twixit Clip Bag Sealers." The set of 27 assorted clips are easy to use, keep food fresh longer, and have a durable hinge. They come in three sizes - 2 1/4", 4 1/4" and 5 1/4" and are freezer, microwave and dishwasher safe.

 To see a set like mine, click here.

One-Handed Low Tech Opener

To open jars, I use a jar opener that attaches under the kitchen cabinet. It has a v-shaped guide that fits larger jars like jars of salsa medium-sized jars of jelly, soda or water bottle tops, and small jars like paint and glue for hobbies.

To see one like mine, click here.

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