Healthy Hollywood: Fab Food Friday – Oprah’s New Favorite Food Product!

Oprah loves to let the world know when she’s discovered something new and sensational. The media giant caught the attention of Healthy Hollywood when she tweeted and uploaded a picture to instagram declaring her favorite healthy kitchen gadget – T-fal ActiFry. “This machine…T-fal ActiFry has changed my life. And, they’re not paying me to saying it.”

Oprah, who has publicly struggled with her weight, always seems to be on the hunt for better ways to eat. Her latest kitchen obsession is this multi-cooker that reportedly helps transform just about any type of food into a low-calorie dish. So, how exactly does it work? The food-maker claims it only takes a tablespoon of oil and it can cook a variety of dishes from meat to veggies to dessert to even French fries.

“Most dishes in the ActiFry take around 15 minutes and it automatically cooks everything, so all you have to do is put in the ingredients in, shut the machine, start the timer and walk away.”

If you’re curious to check it out, this machine will set you back $250.00 But, the folks at the cookery shared a few recipe possibilities.

Sweet Potato Fries

Makes 4 servings

Ingredients:

1 3/4 pounds sweet potatoes (3 medium), unpeeled

1 ActiFry spoon of canola oil (you can substitute any type of oil)

Salt, to taste

Directions:

1. Cut the sweet potatoes into 1/2 inch thick fries. Rinse them in cold water, drain well, and then dry them thoroughly with paper towel.

2. Put the potatoes in the Actifry pan, drizzle with oil and cook for 40-45 minutes until they are tender and somewhat crisped. Season with salt and serve.

Sloppy Joes

Serves 4

Serving size 1 sandwich

Ingredients:

8 ounces lean or extra-lean (90 percent lean or higher) ground beef

1 small onion, diced

2 cloves garlic, minced

1/2 medium red bell pepper, seeded and diced

3/4 cup canned pinto beans, preferably low-sodium, drained and rinsed

1 8-ounce can no-salt-added tomato sauce

1 tablespoons tomato paste

2 teaspoons cider vinegar

2 teaspoons unsulfured molasses

2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce

1 teaspoon yellow mustard

1/4 teaspoon salt, plus more to taste

Freshly ground black pepper to taste

4 whole wheat burger buns

Directions:

1. Crumble the meat into the Actifry, add the onion and cook for 5 minutes, breaking up the meat the meat into crumbles with a spoon once or twice as it cooks.

2. Add the garlic and red pepper and cook 3 minutes more.

3. Stir in the rest of the ingredients, except the buns, and cook for another 5 minutes.

4. Season with more salt to taste (if needed)

5. Place a heaping 1/2-cup scoop of the mixture onto each bun and serve.

— Terri MacLeod