Posts by robtwist:
3 Ways To Start Cooking Light
May 26th, 2008Cooking light is all about healthier cooking. Cooking light need not mean bland and tasteless food. It can simply mean taking an existing favorite recipe and substituting some ingredients for their lighter alternatives.
Cooking lighter is easier today as many of our staple foods now have a light version. For example, cheese is now being made with alternative milk such as goats milk, skimmed milk is also used now too and these alternatives do not affect the flavor at all. Butter can be eliminated by substituting with low fat spread to reduce calorie intake significantly. It is important to make sure that you are eating the right fats and avoiding trans fats where possible.
Dressings are particularly high in all the wrong things so try a low fat mayonnaise or fat free ranch dressing in your sandwiches. Avoid using foods coated in oil, many types of tinned fish are now packed in water rather than oils, this significantly reduces your calorie intake.
Bread can be a very unhealthy food, especially if you eat a lot of it. Go for a 100% whole grain bread because it is high in fiber and low in fat. Choose whole grain also when buying muffins, rolls and other foods such as pasta and rice. Whole grain foods help to protect against some diseases and can make you feel less lethargic. A great start to cooking light.
Change the oil you cook with. Olive oil is expensive but is ideal. Try using smaller amounts, you will often find your food tastes better. If you cannot afford olive oil, canola is a good alternative which won’t burn a hole in your pocket.
If you are into baking, try using Splenda, a no calorie sweetener instead of sugar and try unsweetened apple sauce instead of vegetable oil. Line your baking pans with no fat cooking spray instead of butter and use semi sweet or preferably dark chocolate.
