Tips for stocking your kitchen

Here are some tips to help you make healthy cooking quick and full of flavor:

Stock your kitchen with herbs and spices, fresh lemons and limes, onions and garlic, flavored vinegars, reduced-sodium broth and soy sauce, evaporated skim milk, and butter-flavored powders.

Use nonstick skillets and pots, and cook vegetables in a steamer.

Invest in a cheese grater. Replace high-fat cheeses like cheddar, American, and Swiss with grated part-skim mozzarella or other low-fat cheese.

Use a blender to puree vegetables and beans for soups and fruits for smoothies.

Sharpen your knives often so you can cut vegetables quickly and thinly slice meat.

Cook favorite, low-fat recipes in batches and freeze, extra portions to have ready when you are in a hurry. Or take leftovers for lunch the next day.

Reference: Healthy cooking brochure by Krames with contributions by Ann Del Tredici (MS, RD) and Sally Mackey (MS, RD)