When I sautee "soft" veggies like spinach I use cooking spray. If I am sauteeing something that takes a little more time, I actually start it off by steaming in the saute pan with just a bit of water. Once the veggies are almost soft, and the water has evaporated I spray with cooking spray and finish them.
Otherwise, EVOO is so much healthier it isn't even funny,
But if you like the buttery taste, go with half butter, half EVOO.
I never used cooking spray for anything at all. Last year I discovered the generic butter flavor and really liked it--you can use it on almost anything for instant butter flavor. I am all about whole foods but this is one of my justifiable cheats.
Margarine is barely even a food product, so I use EVOO for everything. Another good oil for sauteeing is Grapeseed oil. Another healthy oil that have a high smoke temperature and no flavor. I don't have a problem with butter either, I am just not supposed to eat dairy.
Last edited by WildThings; 10-04-2009 at 01:38 PM.
You can also use a little chicken broth. It adds a little flavor. Sometimes I will steam with chicken broth and then add a teaspoon of room temperature butter to finish a sauce after I turn off the heat.
Ooooh definitely NOT margarine. One of the worst fats you can put down your throat. That should be your last choice. For anything. Always.
For veggies, I use olive or canola oil or cooking spray.
I just started doing something interesting. I put a dollop of oil in a saute pan and spread it with a pastry brush so that the whole pan gets coated. I do the same when I'm roasting veggies. I put the oil on the roasting tray and spread it with the brush. I get great overall coverage that way and have cut back on the cooking spray due to it.