8 Famous Chefs Reveal Their Go-To Healthy Cooking Tips

Extra-virgin olive oil is a staple in the kitchen of Rachael Ray, television host and author of Everyone Is Italian on Sunday. "I'm a really big believer in cooking with olive oil," she says. "My family used olive oil on their feet, on their hair and in their food."

Ray also suggests washing, chopping and prepping fresh fruits and vegetables as soon as you bring them into your kitchen. "If you have colorful foods on hand in the fridge, you're more apt to cook for yourself more often and, therefore, you're more apt to lose weight and live a healthier life."

And make sure you've got stock in stock. "Chicken stock, vegetable stock, porcini stock, beef stock — stock adds lots of flavor with very little calories," she says.

When it comes to eating healthy, size does matter, says Geoffrey Zakarian, culinary director of the Palm Court at The Plaza and author of My Perfect Pantry. "Portion size is very important — our potions of indulgent foods are way too large," he says. He also recommends cooking with small amounts of full-fat yogurt and butter. "You might as well use the real thing and just have less of it," he explains. 

Anne Burrell, host of the Food Network's hit show Worst Cooks in America and author of Own Your Kitchen, relies on "real" sweeteners when baking. "I don't like super sweet desserts, so I'm more about natural sugars, like fruit desserts," she says. "You can make a fruit crisp in every season and can definitely substitute whole wheat flour or oatmeal for white flour in the crisp."

Stay away from over-processed meats, recommends Curtis Stone, chef and owner of Maude in Beverly Hills and author of Good Food, Good Life. "Inexpensive and unprocessed foods like beans, rice, nuts and grains are far healthier than modern convenience foods, like soda and processed breads and cheeses," he says.

He also suggests preparing for the week ahead by cooking in batches, like "boiling a dozen eggs and making a big pot of veggie soup." Finally, he makes sure to keep a well-stocked pantry with foods like lentils, dried pasta, canned or semi-dried tomatoes and capers so he can always throw together a quick meal. 

"Whenever I'm trying to cook healthier, I swap olive oil for butter, and instead of frying, I bake," says Marc Murphy, chef and owner of Benchmarc Restaurants, judge on Chopped and author of Season with Authority. 

But what he thinks is most important for eating well is using fresh ingredients and planning meals ahead of time. "Once you've got your meals organized, don't forget to season," he says. "It all adds to even the simplest plate of asparagus or chicken."

Yes, chocolate can be a health food — as long as you indulge in the "highest" one. "The higher cocoa content is better for you because it contains lower amounts of sugar and is full of antioxidants (flavanols and polyphenols), which help lower blood pressure," says Jacques Torres of Jacques Torres Chocolate. For a nutritious treat, he'll coat blueberries in dark chocolate with 60% cocoa.

He'll also make a bark using a dark chocolate with 72% cocoa content: "Simply temper chocolate, mix in as many different kinds of nuts (which are high in protein and fiber), pour it on a parchment paper lined sheet pan and let it set. Then break it up and enjoy!"

When it comes to homemade sauce, it's all about getting the right consistency. But how do you get the perfect sauce texture without using less-than-healthy ingredients? "Instead of thickening sauces with flour, you can use a variety of things such as tomato paste, agar agar or potato powder," says chef Eric LeVine, partner at two New Jersey restaurants, Paragon Tap & Table and Morris Tap & Grille, and author of Small Bites Big Flavor. "Or you can let your sauce slowly reduce over a simmer."