KITCHEN TIPS

(These tips were gathered from emails and websites, and CHMP is not responsible in any way for their accuracy and we are not promoting any products in any way.)

Substitutions to use when cooking:

1 cup honey = 1 1/4 cups sugar & 1/4 cup liquid

1 cup whole milk = 1/2 cup evaporated milk + 1 cup water

1 tsp lemon juice = 1/2 tsp vinegar

1 cup butter = 1 cup margarine or 7/8 cup vegetable oil

1 cup yogurt = 1 cup buttermilk

1 tbs flour (for thickening) = 1/2 tbs cornstarch or 2 tsp quick-cooking tapioca

1 cup buttermilk = 1- 2 tbs lemon juice or vinegar + enough milk to make 1 cup

1 tbs fresh herbs = 1 tsp dried herbs

1 square unsweetened chocolate = 3 tbs cocoa plus 1 tbs shortening

1 tsp baking powder = 1/3 tsp baking soda + 1/2 tsp cream of tartar

1 cup all purpose flour = 1 cup whole wheat flour

1 cup brown sugar = 1 cup white sugar + 2 tbs molasses

1 egg = 1 heaping tbs soy flour plus 1 tbs water

1 tsp dried mince onion = 1/4 cup raw minced onion

Don't use a gallon of words to express a spoonful of thought!

How to make recipes healthier:

Almost any recipe can be made healthier. Below is a handy guide of healthier ingredients you can use to cut down fat content by substituting a no-fat or reduced-fat ingredient, sugar-free instead of sugar, etc.

REDUCED FAT CHEESES: Ricotta, cream cheese, shredded cheddar, shredded mozzarella, shredded Mexican, sour cream, cottage cheese, lite Velveeta.

EGSS: Use egg substitutes if you are watching your cholesterol.

LOW FAT/SUGAR: Ice cream, sherbert, lite Cool Whip.

SALTS: Substitute herbs & seasonings like garlic & onion powder instead.

REDUCED FAT BAKERY PRODUCTS: Low carb whole wheat items such as crackers, bread, pita bread, tortillas, english muffins, bagels.

WHOLE WHEAT PASTAS: Available in lasagna, macaroni, penne pasta, rigatoni, spaghetti & noodles.

RICE, BEANS & NUTS: Regular and instant brown rice, regular and instant wild rice, variety of dried beans, dried seeds for sprouting, raw nuts (not processed in oil).

OILS AND FATS: Extra virgin olive oil, canola or sunflower, cooking spray, margarine.

CANNDED GOOD: 98% fat-free cream of mushroom, brocolli, chicken & celery soups; Low fat chicken, beef & vegetable broths; water packed tuna; chicken or turkey packed in brother; tomato products such as tomatoes, tomato juice, tomato sauce.

MEATS: Reduced fat or turkey bacon, lunchen meats, reduced fat or turkey hot dogs, breakfast sausages, bonless & skinless chicken breasts, ground turkey, lean ground beef, lean cuts of beef or pork, turkey breasts.

FISH: Low-Fat (less than 5%) - catfish, monkfish, black sea bass, cod, orange roughy, flounder, pollock, grouper, red snapper, haddock, rockfish, sole, sea trout, striped bass, whiting, swordfish, tilapia, halibut.

MISCELLANEOUS: Non-stick cooking spray, low fat coffee creamer, low carb/sugar cereals, powdered milk, low sodium soy sauce, sugar-free pancake syrup, sugar-free

Jell-O & pudding mixes, unsweetened cocoa powder, light corn syrup, reduced fat mayonnaise, reduced fat salad dressings, low or no sugar applesauce, reduced sugar jams/jellies, low sugar peanut butter, sugar free hard candies, low fat buttermilk, reduced fat popcorn, fat free fig bars, unsweetened fruit juices, fresh or dried herbs, fine sea salt, spices and spice blends, Splenda.

DID YOU KNOW?

Peel a banana froom the bottom and you won't have to pick the little 'stringy things' off of it. That's how the primates do it.

Take your bananas apart when you get home from the store. If you leave them connected at the step, they ripen faster.

Store your opened chunks of cheese in aluminum foil. It will stay fresh much longer and not mold.

Wrap your celery in aluminum foil - it will stay crunchy much longer

Peppers with 3 bumps on the bottom are sweeter and better for eating. Peppers with 4 bumps on the bottom are firmer and better for cooking.

To really make scrambled eggs or omelets rich, add a couple spoonfuls of sour cream, cream cheese, or heavy cream in and then beat them up.

Add garlic immediately to a recipe if you want a light taste of garlic, and at the end of the recipe if you want a stronger taste of garlic.

Reheat pizza - heat up leftover pizza in a nonstick skillet on top of the stove, set heat to med-low and heat until warm. This keeps the crust crispy.

Expanding Frosting: when you buy a container of cake frosting, whip it with your mixer for a few minutes. You can double its size.

Reheating refrigerated bread: to warm biscuits, pancakes, or muffins that were referigerated, place them in a microwave with a cup of water. The increased moisture will keep the food moist and help it reheat faster.