Healthy Cooking Secrets

A healthy eating plan doesn't mean you have to sacrifice your favorite foods or give up flavor. All that's needed is a little adjustment, an open mind, and an experimental spirit. Try some of these tips when preparing your favorite home-cooked meals to make them lower in fat and more healthful.

Adjust your recipes ~

Use applesauce or other fruit purees in place of butter or oil in baked goods. (Pureed prunes work well in chocolate baked goods.)

Substitute 2 egg whites for one whole egg or three whites for two whole eggs.

In place of sour cream, try using non-fat sour cream, yogurt or pureed lowfat cottage cheese.

Use skim milk in place of whole milk.

Replace heavy cream with evaporated skim milk or lowfat yogurt.

Add various kinds of fruit or vegetable to baked breads to make them interesting and more flavorful.

Add fiber such as oatmeal, wheat germ, Raisin Bran, Bran Flakes or All-Bran to muffins and breakfast breads.

Use whole grain for part of your ingredients instead of highly refined products such as whole wheat flour, whole cornmeal, and oatmeal.

Use fruit and vegetable salsas to spice up or add zip to meats and vegetables.

Experiment with a variety of spices and herbs in your dishes to make them interesting.

Decrease sodium by using low sodium or unsalted ingredients.

Reduce sugar by 1/4 to 1/3 in baked goods and desserts. Substitute flour for the omitted sugar. (Don't decrease sugar in yeast breads because sugar feeds the yeast.)

Use spices in baked goods. For example reducing sugar and adding cardamom, cinnamon, nutmeg or vanilla to your recipes will enhance the impression of sweetness.

Add a variety of vegetables to meat dishes to reduce the amount of meat you eat and increase your vegetable intake.

Use sharp cheeses in your cooking; you can use less and still retain flavor or experiment with using low-fat or fat-free cheeses.

Make marinades with juices and broth instead of oil.

Try these cooking methods ~

Trim all visible fat from meats before cooking.

Refrigerate all stocks, stews, and soups and remove the congealed fat before reheating.

Use non-stick pans and cooking spray to reduce the need for oil and butter.

Grill or roast meat on a rack so the fat drips away.

Microwaving meals requires little or no fat to cook.

Poach foods by simmering them in hot liquid such as broth, water, wine, or juices; no fat required.

Steam your vegetables in a basket over boiling water or in a food steamer.

Sauté food in a non-stick pan using water, broth, juice, wine, or cooking spray.

Stir fry meat and vegetables in a non-stick pan or wok using broth or a dab of olive or canola oil.

Brown meat pieces and crumbled hamburger, drain off fat, and rinse in strainer with hot water before adding to a recipe.

Bake foods using non-fat marinades to retain moisture.

Source:

http://www.primusweb.com/fitnesspartner/library/nutrition/nutritn.htm