Secrets of Success

Save Money on Tomato Paste

Often a recipe calls for less tomato paste than is in the can you bought. Not to worry - freeze the remainder in ice cube trays, using 1 Tbsp per "cube". Once frozen, put in a freezer bag and label. Keeps 2 to 3 months.

Cutting Small, Round Fruit Quickly

Rather than cutting grapes, cherries or cherry tomatoes one by one, try this. Arrange the fruit close together on a cutting board. Take a flat object (such as the flat part of a plate bottom), and place on top of the fruit. Press firmly, but gently. Run a sharp knife through the fruit, halfway between the flat object and the cutting board. Voila! Several fruit cut at once.

Tasty, Crunchy, Crouton Substitute

Instead of croutons on your salad, try crumbling a rice cake over it. Rice cakes come in many flavors these days, including my personal favorite, white cheddar - which weighs in at a mere 40 calories for a regular sized rice cake.

Keep Your Cilantro Fresh Longer

When you bring your cilantro home, trim a small amount off the bottom of the stems, remove any leaves near the bottom, and place the cilantro in a jar of water. Make sure no leaves get into the water. Place the jar in the refrigerator. Your cilantro will stay fresh up to 2 weeks!

Make Tracking Your Food Easier

Keep a binder with blank paper in an easily accessed place in your kitchen, such as a cupboard. Pull it out any time you prepare anything and jot down what it is and how much of it you're using. Pull out the page and set it by your computer or phone so you remember to enter it later.

Cut Down on Cooking Oil

Put all of your oils in spray bottles, label them and adjust the spray to a mist. Use in place of cooking sprays - you'll need much less oil when you saute foods.

Personalize Your Efforts

Seek yourself in everything you do - make your efforts personal by relating your personality to them. Ask yourself, "What side of me is most involved in this endeavor?".