Make good use of kitchen gadgets and you'll save time, energy, avoid messy clean-ups and enjoy healthier meal preparation with ease.

• Make homemade pestos in your blender; make them lighter by replacing most of the oil with good-quality, reduced-sodium broth

• Puree fresh and frozen berries to make fruit coulis (a fat-free sauce made from just fruit to pour on low-fat frozen yogurt and angel food cake)

• For a fresh spice flavor (versus pre-ground, bottled spices), toast whole seeds of cardamom, cumin and fennel and then process until finely ground

• Quickly chop herbs to add flavor and zing to practically ANYTHING (add fresh herbs just before serving)

• Use shredder attachment to shred carrots and zucchini for quick breads and muffins

• Finely grate fresh citrus peel (oranges, lemons, limes, grapefruit) and add to sweet and savory dishes and baked goods

• Finely grate hard cheeses so you can add great flavor while using less cheese

• Puree soups and sauces right in the pot or pan; it’s more convenient and will cause less mess than using a blender

• Grill meats, poultry, fish and vegetables with little or no fat and loads of flavor (the more you use the pan the more seasoned and flavorful it becomes)

• Thinly sliced potatoes, sweet potatoes and other vegetables before roasting (for baked chips and fries)

• Use to roast tomatoes and bell peppers to bring out their natural sweetness