Cooking Tools
Heart healthier cooking doesn't have to be difficult. And while you probably have all the kitchen tools that you need to prepare healthier meals already, you may want to consider adding some of these items to make it even easier:
- Non-stick cookware and bakeware lets you cook without adding fat.
- Ridged grill pan for stovetop grilling. The ridges drain fat away.
- Pastry brush to help you control the amount of oil you apply to foods and cooking surfaces.
- Food processor or a blender for pureeing fruits and vegetables.
- Parchment paper for fat-free lining of baking and roasting pans, and for creating packets called papillote that let foods cook without added fat. Parchment paper is available at specialty cookware stores and some supermarkets.
- Roasting rack for meats and poultry to allow fat to run off.
- Sharp kitchen knives for trimming fat and skin from meats, poultry, and fish.
- Wok or large heavy skillet for stir-frying with little added fat.
- Cheesecloth or a fine sieve to thicken low-fat or fat-free yogurt. Place yogurt in a double thickness of cheesecloth or sieve over a bowl and refrigerate, allowing the whey to drain off. Three hours of straining gives a consistency like sour cream; eight hours results in a spreadable yogurt cheese.
- Egg separator to easily separate the white from the yolk. Egg whites are fat-free.
- Steamer or microwave to cook vegetables and fruits in a small amount of water.
- Cookbooks that feature heart healthier recipes and techniques.