You may have patted yourself on the back for choosing the best ingredients for your next meal. However, it is crucial that you also imbibe the right techniques to ensure the meal stays healthy. Cooking is an art and to extract the most nutrients out of your meal you need to cook healthy too. Here are the best tips to help you cook healthy each time.
Reducing salt quantity
Instead of the regular one teaspoon salt try cutting it in half. Replace this with herbs of your choice such as parsley etc. You could also add a bit of lemon zest, flavored vinegar, crushed garlic or other spices to help enhance the taste of the meal. That way, you will not miss the salt that much! You can also get a little experimental and make your own concoction of herbs like paprika, onion, garlic or parsley flakes. Mix them up together nicely and store in an airtight jar for later use in the next meal.
Steaming and grilling
Frying vegetables or meat for extended periods can reduce their nutritional qualities. The key to healthy cooking is to reduce cooking times to retain the crispness and color of the vegetables. Hence, steaming, grilling and sautéing are some of the best ways to cook your ingredients. Only in cases of quick frying can you fry the ingredients at high temperatures.
More vegetables
Add more vegetables into each meal whenever you can. In fact, the more colored your meal is, the more nutrients you take in. Incorporate more salads along with each meal. If you are cooking meat, add a healthy mix of steamed vegetables laced with vinegar for accompaniment. You can even add yellow peppers to your stews and soups to enhance the flavors. Instead of having fatty sauces as dips for your meats, try making your own fruit chutneys or vegetable salsas.
Low fat substitutes
Trade the mayonnaise for a low-fat dressing. Try low-fat dressing such as flavored vinegar, a concoction of spices, mustard sauce and other ingredients to toss your favorite salads in.
Egg whites instead of yolk
The yolk of the egg is the tastiest and yet it is also the fattiest. If you love baked foods, try substituting egg yolk for the whites. For example, recipes like soufflés primarily use egg whites so it would be a healthier option for you.
The kind of oil you use
Healthy oil choices such as canola or olive oil are much healthier for the body. Make sure to drain excess oil in case you are frying something. You can use blotting paper or tissues for this purpose. Make sure if you are serving soups that you chill the soup first and then reheat it so that you can remove the fatty top layer easily.
Roasting is healthier
Roast chicken can not only be immensely satisfying and delicious but it also cuts down the fat content drastically. You can also stir-fry fish and other easily cooked meats. For meats that take longer to cook roasting is a healthy option.
Home baking
If you love baking your own cakes, breads and other goodies at home, then try using yoghurt, mashed bananas or even pureed prunes or applesauce for at least half of the fat or shortening. This way the fat content is reduced dramatically and you will end up having a moist cake in the process, which tastes heavenly.
Soya and flax
When making dough or using flour in a meal try putting in a bit of soya flour or flax in it. You can also try adding wheat germ or bran in your muffins and breads. Soya flour is great when used in biscuits.
Healthier desserts
For all those of us who love sweet things, you can opt for fruity desserts instead of the fatty cookies and cakes. Try fruit smoothies, custards or fresh fruit served with yoghurt as natural and healthier choices. You can also substitute ice cream with sherbet or frozen flavored yoghurt. Try topping up cakes with pureed fruits or sauces as healthier options.
Crunchy cravings
If you are craving for something crunchy do not reach for the pack of potato chips – just yet. Try making your own concoction of roasted nuts like almonds, cashews and walnuts. Studies indicate that these nuts help satiate hunger faster and thus you will be less likely to binge later on. In addition, these provide a nice crunchy taste and fulfill your body’s dose of omega-3 fatty acids.
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