Whilst we all love eating out at a favorite restaurant, there is nothing quite like a home-cooked meal. These days we are all looking at ways to live healthier lives and a huge part of that is making the right food choices. Unfortunately, so many of us are intimidated by the thought of cooking a healthy meal from scratch using all fresh ingredients, but there is really no need to be. Cooking a delicious, nutritious meal at home really is very simple as long as you know what you are doing.
This article is our guide to expert tips on how to cook healthier meals.
1. Use the Right Healthy Cooking Equipment
We have all eaten something out at a restaurant and wondered how the chef manages to cook it that way. Whether it’s a roast potato that is far crispier than ours or a piece of beef that just falls apart, replicating these dishes at home often seems impossible. One of the main reasons that professional chefs are able to create these dishes is because they have superior equipment to yours. The experts from CorrieCooks.com explain that restaurant kitchens have a whole host of equipment and gadgets that you may have never even heard of. For healthy homemade stews, soups, and casseroles, you should look at buying an instant pot to make the cooking process really simple. Another excellent device that every kitchen needs is an air fryer, which enables you to cook anything you can cook in a traditional fryer but with far less fat.
2. Choose the Freshest Healthy Ingredients
The secret to great food is great ingredients, and when you are looking to cook healthy meals, the most important thing is to choose meat and produce at the absolute peak of its freshness. One chef explains that just because you particularly love one type of vegetable, if it is not in season locally, then you are better off using an alternative in your meal. Fruits and vegetables that have been flown in from thousands of miles away are never going to be as fresh as something that was pulled out of the ground locally the day before. The fresher your produce, the healthier the meal. The same goes for meat, fish, and other protein. Always use local, organic produce that is free from pesticides and hasn’t been frozen.
3. Use Healthier Alternatives to Common Ingredients
One really easy way to cook your favourite meals but to make them healthier is to replace some of the less healthy ingredients with alternative options which are better for you. One modern French chef explains that traditional French cuisine uses a lot of butter and sugar so to reduce the fat and calorie content he uses almond butter in his pastries and sweetens them using fruit zest rather than sugar. When frying food, try to use healthier oils as this can dramatically reduce the fat content of your cooking. Olive oil and coconut oil are far healthier options than cooking with lard or sunflower oil.
4. Choose Healthier Cooking Methods
When you have quality ingredients, it is vital to cook them in the right way to help maintain their freshness. What is most important, however, is that you choose healthier cooking methods so that you are not adding extra fat, salt, sugar, and calories to the food as it cooks. Frying food is one of the least healthy ways of cooking. Instead of making french fries or chicken wings in a deep fat fryer, you can oven bake them instead. Rather than sauteing steak in a pan with oil, you can grill it instead of a fat-reducing grill. Poaching food is excellent because it requires no added ingredients at all, so try poaching eggs, fish, and chicken for ultra-lean meals.
Nutritionists agree that steaming vegetables is not only a great way to cook delicious produce, but the process also locks the maximum amount of nutrients inside the vegetables, which are lost through other cooking methods. Wherever possible, eat vegetables and fruit that are raw as you do not lose any nutrients at all and so get all the vitamins and minerals from your food.
You are what you eat, and so making sure that you are cooking healthy meals for yourself and your family is really important for creating a healthy life. Many people are worried about cooking fresh ingredients and so opt for more convenient processed options, but this is far from the healthiest way to cook. Make sure to implement the tips in this guide, and you will be able to cook delicious, healthy meals every time.