1. You can sauté without oil or fat—just use high heat and rapid motion.
2. Use a Silpat for even, clean baking. It’s worth the investment.
3. Use (unflavored!) dental floss to slice soft cheeses, like goat, into even discs.
4. Use an ice-cream scoop for cupcake and muffin batter for perfectly sized treats.
5. Invest in a candy thermometer for making confections like caramel and candy.
6. Swap out turkey bacon and sausage for pork bacon and sausage for a healthier version of classic breakfast staples.
7. Cook with quinoa. It’s a superfood that can be served savory or sweet.
8. Nonfat Greek yogurt is rich-tasting and filling, but still good for you. Try it in dips or topped with honey and fresh fruit.
9. Swap out whole grain pasta for regular – chances are you won’t notice the difference!
10. Similarly, try brown or black rice in place of white.
11. An immersion blender is your saving grace when it comes to soups – you’ll never have to move hot portions back and forth from a blender again.
12. To intensify the flavor of grains, try toasting them over medium-high heat.
13. When making Mexican food, always toast or steam your tortillas – they taste best that way.
14. Save chicken carcasses to make your own homemade stock for use in other recipes.
15. You can substitute half the all-purpose flour in your recipe with spelt or white whole-wheat flour.
16. When making dough, use the food processor – it’s quick, easy, and keeps the ingredients cold.
17. Always roll dough from the center to the outer edges, and maintain even pressure while doing so.
18. If dough tears, patch it with a little water or a beaten egg, then press the torn area together.
19. When making a bar cookie, use a flexible, flat spatula to spread batter evenly.
20. If you don’t have a pastry bag and tip, that’s ok – use a plastic zipper bag and cut a hole in one corner, then pipe out filling.
21. To prevent dough from sticking to cookie cutters, dip them in flour every once in awhile.
22. If you’re baking at high altitude, don’t skip on completely preheating your oven for at least 15 minutes.
23. On the same note, as soon as they’re done, wrap them tightly in plastic wrap or in an airtight container, otherwise they’ll dry out and get stale more quickly.
24. For a crisp pie crust, place the pie directly on the bottom of the oven – but don’t keep it there for longer than 30 minutes.
25. Homemade food always makes the best gift. Even if you’re an amateur chef or baker, it’s always the thought that counts.

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