baking

Does anyone bake with oil? I hate to use margarine with all the transfat. But if I bake with oil does it turn into saturated fat during the baking? I know my brownies will never become a health food but I'd like to make them a little less bad for my skinny kids.

All Oils are 100% fat (14 grams of fat and 120 calories per tablespoon) If you're looking for the healthiest choice, which is always on my mind, go with an extra-light olive oil. Its 77% Monounsaturated fat, which is more than any other fat or oil out there. Monounsaturated fats are the way to go with healthy baking because of their ability to lower bad cholestoral while not having an effect on levels of good cholestoral.

As just a side tip, make sure you use extra-light olive oil due to it's low flavor/aroma content. Depending on what you're baking, you may not want to incorporate that robust taste and aroma that you get from extra-virgin.

I hope this helps out.

Have you tried substituting applesauce instead of oil?  I try not to bake because sweets are my weakness, but I have heard it works really well, and that your cakes and stuff come out very moist, but don't taste apple-y....Just a suggestion!  You might google it and see what the conversion is--ie. how much applesauce in place of oil.

if I am using a box recipe -- I replace all the oil with unsweetened applesauce.  It's generally 1/2 cup of oil to 1/2 cup of applesauce.  Back when I used to bake, I always got raves for the moistness of the cakes.

You can also do something with ground flax seed, but I've never tried that -- good way to sneak in fiber and omega 3 (or 6?) fatty acids (essentials)