Monday 4 April 2011

10 Tips for Preparing Healthier, More Enjoyable Meals

Eating is one of the greatest pleasures in life. It is through food that we reconnect with friends, bond with family, and create new memories. If you were to think about some of the best moments in your life, it wouldn’t be too farfetched to say that food played a big part in making them extra special.

1. GO ON A LIQUID BREAK.

We know that we’ve told you that you shouldn’t drink your calories, but as a meal replacement or substitute, smoothies that use fruit and yogurt pack a lot of vitamins and calcium. If you’re too busy to sit down and eat, preparing a quick one for breakfast is a great way to start the day.

2. GO FREE-RANGE AND NATURAL.

If you love chicken, try to see if you can source out the free-range type from your butcher or favorite supermarkets. When eggs or chicken are labeled “free-range,” this means that the birds were raised without being fed chemicals and hormones, so they grew up healthier and without the added complications associated with using artificial feeds.

3. GATHER STEAM.

The most we know of steaming is that it’s perfect for cooking dimsum. But applying this cooking method for chicken or fish is excellent as well; steaming locks in the flavor and natural juices of food without sacrificing its taste. And since all you to cook with is water, it also means that less oil goes into your body.

4. SAUCE UP YOUR LIFE.

If you’re just love tasting the sauces that come with your favorite dish, why don’t you try making your own? Although a wide variety of bottled and pre-packaged sauce mixes is available, a look at the labels will reveal that they’re full of preservatives and salt—not good at all. Try and mix up a simple sauce using ingredients available in your pantry. You never know, your concoction may beat out even a champion chef’s effort! That’s because the only person you're trying to impress with your cooking is yourself, so you can tailor your recipe to your tastes.

5. BE ADVENTUROUS.

Limiting yourself to the offerings of your neighborhood supermarket or grocery is a sure way to tire out your taste buds. Why not go out and see what ingredients and produce are available at the weekend markets that are scattered throughout your part of the city? Better yet, take a few friends on a culinary road trip and see what local delights you can source from nearby provinces. You just might find that previously unavailable ingredient you need to whip up the perfect dish.

6. COOK, DON’T OVERCOOK.

Never overcook your food. You lose nutrients and flavor when food spends too long on the burner. On top of that, overcooked food is harder to digest—in cases where food is cooked on a grill, it can even become a cancer risk.

7. SKIP THE SALT AND USE HERBS.

Salt is a primary culprit for high blood pressure and also contributes to water retention, hastens bone thinning, and can lead to kidney disease. Using too much of it to flavor food is a bad idea. Substitute salt in your recipes for herbs and spices that compliment the flavors of your ingredients.

8. EAT DESSERT.

Nothing complements a great meal better than a scrumptious dessert. But indulging in sugar-rich, high-calorie treats every day is not a good idea. If skipping dessert is not an option for you, you can choose to make it healthier by eating fruit accompanied by low-fat cream. It’s just as delicious, but contains much less fat.

9. EXPERIMENT.

As the old saying goes, “nothing ventured, nothing gained.” If you can’t find a restaurant that can satisfy your cravings, whip up your own culinary masterpieces! There’s a different kind of pleasure to be had from putting together a delicious meal, then sitting down to enjoy it. And since you know exactly what goes into your dishes, portion control and keeping tabs on your diet will be that much easier!

10. LEARN, LIVE, LOVE, COOK!

The best chefs in the world earn their reputations because they are passionate about their craft. They’re artists; they see cooking as a way of expressing what they feel and as a way to appreciate the world they live in. If you employ the same mindset, your may just be on your way to becoming the next culinary superstar!

No comments: