Cooking Tips

Healthy Cooking Tips

COOKING:
  • Use healthy fats. When sautéing foods, choose plant-based fats such as olive oil, canola oil, and coconut oil (sparingly). Animal-based fats such as butter and bacon grease are much higher in saturated fat (the bad fat). While coconut oil is also high in saturated fat, the fat chains are shorter and therefore less damaging to the heart.
  • Toss the fryer. There's no need for it. There are plenty of other options such as grilling and roasting that make foods just as delicious, but are much healthier and lower in fat & calories.
  • Experiment with spices. Salt (sodium) may enhance the flavors of some foods, but herbs, spices, citrus, onion, and garlic can do just the same, if not more! A high sodium intake is linked with many chronic diseases such as hypertension and kidney disease.
  • Make veggies the base. Vegetables are high in fiber, water, vitamins, and minerals. And, they are low in calories! Start with veggies, then add protein, and lastly starches. Adding more vegetables to your dishes helps you fill up faster and allow dishes to be lower in calories.
  • Don't be afraid to substitute!* Here are a list of some substitutes when cooking.
    • Breadcrumbs: ground oats, crushed cornflakes
    • Butter: canola oil, olive oil --> 1 cup butter = 7/8 cup oil
    • Oil (when sautéing): broth
    • Ricotta cheese: low-fat cottage cheese
    • White rice: brown rice
    • Sour cream: low-fat plain yogurt (regular or Greek)
    • Mayonnaise (in salads): low-fat plain yogurt
    • Ground beef: ground turkey, ground chicken, ground bison
    • Soy sauce: low-sodium soy sauce
BAKING:
  • Make it from scratch. Have you ever looked at the ingredients in canned frosting? The second ingredient is "hydrogenated oil," AKA trans fat! Not to mention the other additives and preservatives of packaged frosting and mixes.
  • Reduce portion size. For example, when making cookies drop by 1/2 tablespoon rather than 1 tablespoon.
  • Substitute!* Here are some common substitutes for baking.
    • Buttermilk: 1 cup buttermilk=1 cup milk of choice + 1 tbsp. lemon juice
    • Shortening: unsalted butter or margarine, unsweetened applesauce
    • Butter: unsweetened applesauce, avocado, mashed banana, margarine, oil (see above)
    • Eggs: flax meal (1 large egg=1 tbsp. flax meal + 3 tbsp. warm water), egg whites (1 whole egg = 2 egg whites)
    • Dairy milk: original almond milk, soy milk, hemp milk
    • Sugar: honey (1 cup sugar = 3/4 cup honey), unsweetened applesauce
    • Honey: agave nectar, maple syrup

*All substitutions are 1:1 unless otherwise specified

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