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Trimming the Fat with Actifry: Review and Giveaway

May 23, 2012 By Robin Strong Elton 66 Comments

potato wedges Actifry

#39

Eat all the junk food you want as long as you cook it yourself.

-Michael Pollan, Food Rules

Partly in an effort to move away from overly processed foods and the fast food chains that are homogenizing America, and partly because I’d love to see my abs again, I’ve been really trying to keep an eye on my diet, particularly my fat intake.

Now, some fats are good. You should always go ahead and spoon a bit of full fat dressing on your salad— it helps you absorb the nutrients. I think full fat dairy is better than dairy that’s been processed. And the fats in olive oil, almonds, etc are beneficial.

But the fats in french fries, Chinese food, anything cooked in heavy oils or drenched in butter… yeah, not so much. Heart disease is America’s #1 killer, guys, and preventable. We need to move more, eat better, trim those bad fats.

I love Michael Pollan’s Food Rule about making your own junk food. It’s just plain sensible: potatoes, in and of themselves, are actually not bad for you. You could live off potatoes for a long time. Chinese food has a lot of good stuff in it. There’s nothing inherently bad about an onion ring until you drop it into a vat of heavy oil.

That being said… making french fries can be a time-consuming process. This is why the Food Rule works: you’re just not going to be willing to take the time every day, so the indulgence gets balanced out over time.

But what if you could make the process easier and healthier, but still tasty?

What if you could do it in a way that’s no muss, no fuss, no nasty hot oil splatter burns? (I have NEVER deep fried anything without burning myself slightly.)

What if you could do it without that lingering smell of cooking oil that takes seemingly days to go away?

What if you could do it without the waste/expense of using large quantities of oil?

And perhaps most importantly, what if it was so easy you could delegate it to the kids?

Oh hai. Allow me to introduce you to my nifty new friend the Actifry.

 

actifry-black

 

The Actifry uses a pulsating heat system on a T-Fal ceramic non-stick (PTFE and PFOA free) pan. A revolving paddle (reminiscent of an ice cream maker paddle) continually turns the food so oil is evenly distributed throughout as it cooks, making for a crispy exterior.

One tablespoon of oil (I used olive oil) is all you need to make 4 servings of french fries.

OK, OK. I also added Italian seasoning to make them supah tasty. But with only one tablespoon of oil, we’re talking 3% total fat per serving, compared to 16% in fast food fries.

Chicken wings? Just throw them in and hit the ON button, and you’ll have wings that are crisp tender in 30 minutes. IT’S REALLY THAT EASY.

 Photobucket

I used to make both fries and wings in the oven, which works but doesn’t get that crispy texture. Plus, the oven uses way more energy than the Actifry (not to mention, heats up the house: a big deal as we head into summer).

Cleanup is easy: all the major pieces come off and are dishwasher safe. No more scrubbing grease off the cooktop! (Jeffrey’s pet peeve. Well, one of a million.)

Got kids? One of the easiest ways to get a kid to eat (and understand why it’s upsetting when they don’t eat foods YOU’VE cooked) is to let them prepare meals themselves. With Actifry, you can do that with much younger kids: help them chop, let them season and place into the Actifry. Then let them set the timer and hit ON. They can watch the food cook under the clear steamless lid (no need for stirring) and serve it from the removable pan. “I made it all by myself!”

Check it out:


The Actifry comes in white and black to match your decor or wardrobe (only sort of kidding). I think of it as my slow cooker’s husband; they will make a great team this summer, keeping the kitchen cool and the kids cooking. I’m also thinking it will work great to keep those wings coming on the 4th of July.

It retails for about $200, depending on vendor (all the usual suspects carry it), and comes with a handy-dandy booklet of good-looking basic recipes. The website helpfully includes community-submitted recipes.

Keep up with Actifry on their Facebook page and on Twitter (@Actifry). They post good stuff like recipes, Twitter events and blog giveaways.

LIKE THIS ONE!

Giveaway!

Actifry has supplied me with one unit to give away to a lucky health-conscious reader. Just follow the directions in the Rafflecopter widget to enter. Up to 12 entries are possible, do as many as you like. Good luck!

 
a Rafflecopter giveaway

Disclosure:
I received an Actifry for review purposes and one to give away, as well as compensation for my time. All opinions are my own.

 

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Filed Under: Conscious Consumerism: Shopping & Reviews, Food & Recipes Tagged With: actifry, healthier fries 66 Comments

Comments

  1. LaTanya says

    May 23, 2012 at 6:56 am

    We are trying to eat healthier and better, so this would definitely help us.

    Reply
  2. Dana says

    May 23, 2012 at 7:04 am

    I’ve been wanting to try one of these. I’m glad to know someone who has tried it personally.

    Reply
  3. Renata says

    May 23, 2012 at 7:15 am

    Would love to make healthy french fries!

    Reply
  4. Cindy says

    May 23, 2012 at 7:16 am

    I am SO into this thing. My family loves fries to no end. If I could make them taste as good as a restaurant, but more healthy…I’m all over it. 🙂

    Reply
  5. Uneeka Jay says

    May 23, 2012 at 7:23 am

    I would love to have one of these to make French Fried!!

    Reply
  6. Tammy says

    May 23, 2012 at 7:33 am

    I would love it because my family loves fried foods. I won’t make them, because they are so unhealthy. This would be great!

    Reply
  7. LeeAnn says

    May 23, 2012 at 7:40 am

    I would love to be able to give my kids healthier versions of some of their favorite foods…the Actifry seems pretty awesome!

    Reply
  8. Martina says

    May 23, 2012 at 7:44 am

    I would love an Actifry becuase I would be able to make a wide variety of healthier food options for my two very picky little girls.

    Reply
  9. Christina says

    May 23, 2012 at 7:46 am

    When my husband jokes that he married me for my deep fryer, I think he’s only half joking. Between him and two picky eaters who only seem to want chicken nuggets, popcorn shrimp and fries — all deep fried of course — I’d love the chance to prepare things they’ll actually eat in a healthier way that maintains texture. Plus, I won’t have to buy so many candles to try to hide that lingering deep-fried oil odor (hear that honey, oh, and btw, candles are 2 for $20 again starting today at B&B Works ;))

    Reply
  10. Meghan Finley says

    May 23, 2012 at 7:50 am

    I’d love to have one and make healthier food for my family

    Reply
  11. Jenny says

    May 23, 2012 at 8:35 am

    Our family loves fried foods, I hate that so much oil is needed and unhealthy! This family of 4 NEEDS an Actifry!

    Reply
  12. Melissa says

    May 23, 2012 at 8:51 am

    Potatoes!

    Reply
  13. nancy says

    May 23, 2012 at 9:18 am

    Would love to have one to give to my daughter, easy to use, she could cook safely, no more deep fat frying those french fries!

    Reply
  14. Denise M says

    May 23, 2012 at 9:40 am

    i would love one so that i could make healthier fried foods with less mess

    Reply
  15. Bridget says

    May 23, 2012 at 10:03 am

    Eat all the junk food you want as long as you cook it yourself.
    -Michael Pollan, Food Rules

    That quote summed up perfectly what I was attempting to explain to my husband a few days ago- I’ll make a batch of super buttered chocolate chip cookies and eat the entire batch (hey, I’m breast feeding two I need those calories…or that’s what I tell him) and I still feel I’m doing right because I’m not eating a batch of super processed oreos or store bought cookies.

    I already eat whole batches of cookies, so you can imagine my frying habits — if I don’t win this fryer my hugely obese self will come back and haunt you!

    Reply
  16. Sonya Morris says

    May 23, 2012 at 10:55 am

    I would like an Actifry to give my family a healthier option than fried foods and tastier than baked.

    Reply
  17. Sherry says

    May 23, 2012 at 11:56 am

    I want one so bad they look awesome!

    Reply
  18. Alissa says

    May 23, 2012 at 12:06 pm

    My mom has wanted an ActiFry for months. I hope to win her one and surprise her for her birthday!

    Reply
  19. Karen says

    May 23, 2012 at 12:51 pm

    I want to make healthy fried zuchini

    Reply
  20. anne s. says

    May 23, 2012 at 1:14 pm

    would love to try fried steak in this machine. yum yum yum

    Reply
  21. Amy from Occupation: Mommy says

    May 23, 2012 at 1:20 pm

    I would love to make homemade french fries or chicken nuggets for my kids!

    Reply
  22. katrina says

    May 23, 2012 at 1:34 pm

    because we are trying to eat and thus cook a little healthier in my family

    Reply
  23. amy pugmire says

    May 23, 2012 at 1:39 pm

    would love to try chicken nuggets.

    Reply
  24. Rachee says

    May 23, 2012 at 2:28 pm

    I like fries but hate grease. This looks like a win/win

    Reply
  25. Nichole says

    May 23, 2012 at 2:45 pm

    Been hearing a lot about the actifry and think it sounds like a neat gadget!

    Reply
  26. David Holder says

    May 23, 2012 at 4:53 pm

    Because it sounds great!

    Reply
  27. Diane says

    May 23, 2012 at 6:20 pm

    Would love to try making fries with coconut oil, especially sweet potato fries. Looks like a great kitchen tool!

    Reply
  28. Jennifer Boudreau says

    May 23, 2012 at 6:47 pm

    Heathier way for cooking!

    Reply
  29. Kelly D says

    May 23, 2012 at 8:50 pm

    I would like an Actifry because I like that you only need one tablespoon of oil to prepare food in it and the recipes on their site look great. This would give me a lot more food options for my family.

    Reply
  30. Christy says

    May 23, 2012 at 10:01 pm

    I’m all about sweet potato fries, especially if I can make them in a healthier way.

    Reply
  31. Kristen M. says

    May 23, 2012 at 10:53 pm

    I’d like an Actifry for making sweet potato fries.

    Reply
  32. heather c says

    May 24, 2012 at 2:36 am

    I’d love one so I can eat sweet potato fries and roasted chick peas whenever I want, without the ‘fried food’ stigma!

    Reply
  33. Liliana says

    May 24, 2012 at 6:42 am

    I love how it gives you healthy meals and how parts are dishwasher safe to make cleaning up easy. Easy meal….easy clean up 🙂

    Reply
  34. Grace says

    May 24, 2012 at 12:53 pm

    What a great idea! So glad I saw the Facebook post about this. Does it do doughnuts?

    Reply
  35. Molly says

    May 24, 2012 at 12:54 pm

    Because I have a box of beignet mix from New Orleans that Nathan brought back for me and we need the actifry to make the beignets!

    Reply
  36. Julie says

    May 24, 2012 at 2:55 pm

    make chicken wings with thanks

    Reply
  37. Char W says

    May 24, 2012 at 3:10 pm

    I would love to be able to make healthier meals using less oil, especially fried items like potatoes.

    Reply
  38. Laura V. says

    May 24, 2012 at 8:10 pm

    I NEED one! I am trying to lose weight and this would help!

    Reply
  39. Georgiana says

    May 24, 2012 at 9:11 pm

    Would love to make healthy stirfrys and french fries too!

    Reply
  40. tuesday says

    May 25, 2012 at 8:00 am

    we LOVE wings but can’t find a place that makes them well – would love to try myself

    Reply
  41. Emily N says

    May 25, 2012 at 10:47 pm

    because we love eating healthy and this would give us more options for cooking

    Reply
  42. Crystal says

    May 25, 2012 at 11:27 pm

    I would love to cook stir fry, french fries, zucchini, etc. in a healthier way! Plus my friend has one and she loves it!

    Reply
  43. *°•ƸӜƷ Louis ƸӜƷ•°* says

    May 26, 2012 at 5:01 am

    I love that is a healthier alternative to frying

    Thank you for hosting this giveaway

    Louis
    pumuckler {at} gmail {dot} com

    Reply
  44. Linda Meyers-Gabbard says

    May 26, 2012 at 8:04 am

    Why? Because I’d like to cook with less oil and keep all the flavor.

    Reply
  45. Rachel A. says

    May 26, 2012 at 9:07 am

    I’d love to be able to make fries more easily!

    Reply
  46. Julie says

    May 26, 2012 at 3:42 pm

    we need to eat a whole lot healthier and this would help..

    Reply
  47. Carla Garcia says

    May 26, 2012 at 4:59 pm

    I’d like to fix healthier meals

    Reply
  48. Elena says

    May 26, 2012 at 5:11 pm

    I would love to win it for my Mom

    Reply
    • Zyrine Kirk says

      August 17, 2012 at 3:32 am

      Me too. I want to win on this giveaway. I love this stuff.:)

      Reply
  49. Patricia Wojnar Crowley says

    May 26, 2012 at 9:55 pm

    I love that it would make some of our favorite foods healthier!

    Reply
  50. Brittany C says

    May 27, 2012 at 7:54 am

    I like that it uses less oil! This would be great for my family! Thanks for the giveaway!

    Reply
  51. Nancy B says

    May 27, 2012 at 9:49 am

    I would love to win this because my family loves fried foods. I could still make what they like, but be able to make it a little healthier for them.

    Reply
  52. rebecca w says

    May 27, 2012 at 4:08 pm

    I’d like to make healthier versions of fried foods that my family wants

    Reply
  53. Harmony B says

    May 27, 2012 at 8:06 pm

    I have 4 guys to feed, I prefer to cook healthier

    Reply
  54. carole says

    May 27, 2012 at 9:49 pm

    senn this on tv and would like to try it

    Reply
  55. Leanne M says

    May 27, 2012 at 11:32 pm

    I’d love it because it is a healthier alternative to fried foods

    Reply
  56. Rochelle says

    May 28, 2012 at 5:18 am

    I’d love to win because I could make crispy fries without all the fat. Thanks!

    Reply
  57. Teresa says

    May 28, 2012 at 2:05 pm

    I’ve heard so many good things about the Actifry. Food is so much healthier and is still delicious.
    tssk10(at)gmail(dot)com

    Reply
  58. Tina M says

    May 28, 2012 at 2:05 pm

    I’d love to make healthy fries!

    Reply
    • Carol Scott says

      August 3, 2012 at 5:00 am

      I also love eating foods that have fats as well. In fact, I am not on diet so it is okay for me to eat fat foods.

      Reply
  59. meredith says

    May 28, 2012 at 7:50 pm

    i would like to try this b/c i like to cook healthy

    Reply
  60. Jessie C. says

    May 28, 2012 at 9:15 pm

    I’d like to make healthy meals.

    Reply
  61. Carmen says

    May 28, 2012 at 9:40 pm

    We love fried foods, but don’t own a regular fryer because it would be unhealthy.

    Reply
  62. Laura Jacobson says

    May 29, 2012 at 2:31 pm

    My new years resolution was to eat healthier in the new year. I have to admit..it has not been going the greatest…but I am trying. I have never heard of this before, but this would be wonderful! I think its so great that you hardly need any oil! Would love to win and help me get on track with eating healthy!

    Reply
  63. Michelle Thomas says

    October 20, 2012 at 9:54 pm

    Hello, I have been doing some research on these, as I really wanted one, but according to T-Fal’s website, they do use PFOA to make the non-stick coating but it supposedly is burned off during the manufacturing process (they have independent studies of testing after manufacturing to show PFOA’s)BUT they clearly state that their coating is a PTFE….

    Reply

Trackbacks

  1. 7 Reasons I love the T-Fal ActiFry - Review & Giveaway | Jersey Family Fun says:
    May 23, 2012 at 3:15 pm

    […] Simple, Green, Organic, Happy […]

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