17 Kitchen Gadgets that Help You Lose Weight
Let's face it: All those diet plans and low-calorie recipes mean squat if your kitchen cupboards are lacking the tools that make cooking healthy meals no-excuses easy.
Luckily, you don't have to be Julia Child in order to whip up something that's low-calorie, but still satisfying. And to prove it, we gave staple kitchen items a second look to see if they can't work beyond their intended purpose to help you trim calories and fat. The results? They totally can..
But wait! We haven't even told you the best part yet. Now that you know you can use most of what's already in your kitchen drawers, you'll easily be able to eat four 400-calorie meals a day, which, as you know by now, is the key to lasting weight loss. Plus, you'll fuel energy, rev metabolism, and feel fuller longer.
Ready to get cookin'? Read through to see all 17 double-duty kitchen gadgets now!
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1. Measuring Spoon Set
If you thought these were only good for measuring liquids, think again. You can use them to sprinkle on just the right amount of sugar (8 calories per 1/2 tsp), nuts (15 to 20 calories per teaspoon), or mini chocolate chips (20 calories per teaspoon).
2. Digital Kitchen Scale
Double-check the weights of whole fruits and vegetables and visually compare different portion sizes to avoid calorie creep. For example, a small (6 oz) potato has 130 calories and a medium (7 1/2 oz) potato has 160 calories. A 1-ounce of Italian bread has 70 calories and a 2-ounce slice has 140 calories.
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3. Vegetable Peeler
Sorry veggies, but you're no longer this appliance's one and only. Use it to slice cheese or chocolate into ultrathin 10-calorie curls, or make zucchini or eggplant ribbons to cook and serve like spaghetti or linguine, but with less than half the calories!
4. Cheese Grater
Use the extra-fine grate for a 20-calorie, 1-tablespoon dusting of cheese on steamed vegetables, or shave medium ribbons of chocolate (25 calories per tablespoon) to liven up a bowl of berries.
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5. Storage Containers, Serving Spoons and Utensils
Once you determine which container can hold your 400-calorie serving of pasta, you'll never have to measure it out again. Same for a soup ladle. At 1/2 cup per ladle, dishing out an 80-calorie serving of tomato sauce is a breeze. Or serve yourself 1 cup, or 2 ladles, of split pea soup for an easy 180-calorie appetizer.
6. 12-Cup Nonstick Muffin Pan
Ah, so that's why the muffin man is so popular! In addition to your favorite breakfast, you can also use these pans to bake quiche, cake, quick bread, and hors d'oeuvres in right-size portions.
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7. Coffee Grinder
Not that you need another reason to love the tool that brings you your morning java--caffeine! antioxidants!--but here's one anyway: You can use it to chop 1 tablespoon of nuts for a quick 50-calorie garnish.
8. Nested, Heavy-Gauge, Stainless Steel Measuring Cups
These are a lifesaver when you can't seem to eyeball ingredients the way your mom does. But, if you use them directly on the stove, you can also hear or reduce small amounts of liquid for sauces and salad dressings.
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9. 2-Cup Glass Liquid Measuring Cup
For melting and warming: Measure soft butter or margarine, chocolate chips, milk, and so on directly in the cup then microwave. For salad dressing: Layer oil, vinegar, and other ingredients using the measurement markings, and combine with a small whisk or immersion blender.
10. Metal Tea Ball
Normally used to brew tea, which you can drink to lower blood pressure, this appliance also promises calorie-free flavor. Just fill it with herbs or spices and add to the pot when cooking soups and desserts.
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11. Collapsible Metal Vegetable Steamer
You can steam much more than broccoli! Cook Asian dumplings without adding calories or prepare cubs of delicate silken tofu that still hold their shape. Might we suggest our Indian Vegetables with Baked Tempeh recipe?
12. Coffee Drip Cone
Line with a paper or gold filter, fill with plain yogurt, and place over a bowl in the fridge; as the whey drains off, you get Greek-style yogurt. Because it's thicker than regular yogurt, some people find it more of an indulgence.
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13. Parchment Paper
Typically used to line your cookie sheets, you can now use it to wrap fish or chicken fillets, or thinly sliced meat, along with vegetables in a parchment packet and bake for a flavorful, low-calorie meal.
14. Mini Food Processor
The food processor is already pretty handy, but we're taking it a step further. Make bread and cracker crumbs for a quick, 10-calorie-per-tablespoon crunchy topping. The crumbs can be for entrees, or even dessert!
15. Rice Cooker
Move over, rice: This cooker can also steam vegetables perfectly al dente. Bonus: Steamed veggies retain more of their vitamins than when they are boiled.
16. Slow Cooker
Soak dry beans for a couple hours and then cook overnight; they hold their shape and are cooked just right. Then, you can toss them into our Slow Cooker Black Bean Chili for a heart-healthy meal that's full of fiber.
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17. Small Plates and Bowls
Point blank: big plates equal bigger portions. With smaller dishes, your meals will look larger, and you'll feel like you're eating a larger portion. Here are some 400-Calorie staples:
· 8" salad plates
· 8- to 12-ounce soup/salad bowls
· Tall, skinny drinking glasses
· Small serving bowls and spoons
· 8- to 10-ounce mugs for lattes, hot cocoa
TELL US: Which kitchen gadgets do you use most often?
--By Stephanie Castillo, Prevention
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