When I’m rushing to get dinner on the table, it’s easy to become slapdash with recipe measurements, but it’s important to pull out those
measuring cups and spoons when preparing heart-healthy recipes. It’s very tempting to pour a swirl of olive oil into a pan, estimating that I have about a tablespoon, but if I don’t measure it, I could end up with much more or much less than I think. In addition to having more fat and calories than I counted on, I’ll probably be disappointed with the results.

Last weekend I added another tool to my heart-healthy cooking essentials—a kitchen scale.  Cooking Light recently began publishing recipes listing flour measurements by weight, as well as the approximate measurement by cup. Editors explained that weight is a more precise measure, which is especially important in light baking.  For example, if you pack flour into a measuring cup, you’ll have much more flour than if you spooned flour into the cup lightly. As a result, your cake or cookies could come out dry.

By taking an extra moment, we can make sure our recipes match our expectations and the nutrition facts listed on the page.