I recently went to an event where the chef of one of the city's top French restaurants was demonstrating the techniques behind some of his most popular menu items. The crowd of spectators, mostly adult mom-daughter pairs and eager young housewives with reluctant husbands in tow, watched in rapt attention as the chef stirred polenta into chicken broth. "Then we add a little butter," he said, scooping up what looked like an entire stick of butter with his wooden spoon, and plopping it into the bubbling polenta. His audience gasped and visibly flinched. Then they cheered. Copious amounts of cream, butter, duck fat, salt, alcohol… the demo was full of sinful ingredients, and when we all sat down and tasted the recipes that were demonstrated, it was clear that dietary don'ts like these were what made everything taste so good.

But, of course, most of us don't eat like that every day. Most of the week we eat virtuously, so that when we're at fancy French restaurants, we can indulge without worrying about it. Luckily, help can be found in the form of appliances that make it easy to prepare low-fat, whole-food and otherwise good-for-you meals. And if you prepare them correctly, you might not even miss the cream and butter.


1. A Griddler
When I was on the market for an indoor grill, I chose the Cuisinart Griddler over one of the ever-popular George Foreman Grills, and it ended up being an excellent decision. Whether it's making grilled cheese sandwiches that crisp up nicely without the generous smear of butter that my mom used to apply to the bread, or quickly grilling fish or turkey burgers without the fuss of setting up the grill, or even making whole-grain pancakes that brown perfectly, the Griddler can do it all. I think the secret is in its interchangeable non-stick cooking surfaces (it comes with both a smooth griddle plate and a ribbed grill plate). Just a tiny spritz of cooking spray and food gets browned and deliciously crusty without the use of lots of oil or butter.

2. A Blender
My husband and I have a rule — on weeknights, we don't drink alcohol, and we don't have dessert. The exception, at least in the dessert department, is smoothies. Made with fat-free vanilla yogurt, frozen berries, and just a little sugar-free vanilla pudding mix, smoothies are nearly as rich-tasting as ice cream, but without the guilt. And making them is a snap with our powerful blender. See for yourself with my recipe for Blueberrie Smoothies.

3. A Rice Cooker
I've extolled the virtues of my rice cooker in the past, and my feelings for this little machine just keep getting stronger. Whole grains, brown rice, oatmeal and even steamed vegetables are easy and efficient to make. My latest favorite is throwing some shelled, frozen edamame into the cooker with jasmine rice and a few dashes of ponzu sauce. It makes an easy, delicious side dish.

4. A Steamer Insert
Years ago, a friend gave me an All-Clad 3-quart saucepan with steamer insert. I used the pan constantly, but it took me a while to warm up to the steamer insert. Now, I use it at least once a week to quickly make healthy vegetables. Just fill the pan with a couple inches of water, fill the insert with vegetables (I even use the insert as a colander to rinse the veggies), and cook them over medium-high heat until tender. My current favorite is green beans, which I drizzle with a tiny amount of sesame oil and toss with sesame seeds. With asparagus in season, I also steam asparagus and season it with balsamic vinegar, sea salt and cracked pepper.

5. An Outdoor Grill
If you eat as much fish as we do, you'll understand why a grill is indispensable. There are few other ways to prepare food that gives it so much flavor, without the use of any fattening ingredients. And fish, with its mild flavor, seems to lend itself particularly well to grilling. I sprinkle tilapia with taco seasoning and grill it up for fish tacos (serve with corn tortillas, sliced avocado, chopped cilantro and a "slaw" of napa cabbage tossed with salt and fresh lime juice). I marinate tuna steaks in soy sauce, coat them in black and white sesame seeds, and grill them just until the outside is seared. And I wrap salmon in Grilling Papers, along with bok choi, and cook it until the fish is infused with the woodsy cedar flavor.

What must-have tools or appliances do you have in your kitchen for preparing healthy meals?

Image courtesy elvisripley.