Got any?

One that I just started doing is when I'm cooking veggies on the stove top, I usually start with about a tablespoon of olive oil. after adding onions and mushrooms, and zucchini or whatever, all the oil is soaked up and the bottom of the pan is dry and threatening to burn. Usually at this point I would add more olive oil, but I started adding a little splash of water. Just enough to keep the bottom of the pan moist. The watter will evaporate before the oil, so it's not like steaming everything. It's still sauteing, but just without all the oil. The sauce in the bottom of the pan is just great, too.

What's your tip?

Herbs and Spices are your best friends when it comes to adding flavor without adding in calories... Hot and spicy, mild and tame, and everything in between - you can take a simple piece of white fish, chicken breast or humble potato and transform it into anything... with just a shake of this and a dash of that.. .

Let your nose be your guide and have fun playing...

Also, if you get yourself a good nonstick pan, the olive oil doesn't burn off quite as quick.

I'm a cooking show junkie from way back- when cooking shows were only on PBS and there was no food network - Jeff Smith, ,the Frugal Gourmet -before he got unfrugaled for messing around with little boys... had a great tip - Hot Pan, Cold food -and the food doesn't stick.

I am not a fan of teflon pans -- but if you use a good pan with a solid bottom - or an enamel covered cast iron pan (basically spend more than 9.99 on your pan ) if the panis hot enough wwhen you drop the food in - I've never had a problem with food sticking...

I try to make food for the family that is healthy, but not as restrictive as I've been. Finding that happy medium can be tough at times, like last week when I made spaghetti and meatballs. I used beef instead of ground turkey. No reason the kids can't have something like that from time to time. Me too. I just can't eat as much of it as I want. To make it better for me I diced up some cold cucumber and put the sauce on that. I also had no problem maintaining portion control when I know how many meatballs I should eat.

Last night I made broiled pork chops. I made some applesauce to go with it. Easy as can be. Core and peal four apples (I love granny smith). Slice into small bits. Put in sauce pan with two tablespoons of water and a teaspoon of salt. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and cover. cook for about 15 minutes and serve hot. Went great with the pork. Nice treat for the kids and good for me.

My friend and I starting replacing butter with apple sauce when recipes required butter. Its very good.