|
|
|
|
|
Healthy
Cooking - Tricks of the Trade
Ever wondered what are the essentials to cooking healthy?
Well, here we provide a series of necessary tips to having a
healthy and hearty meal.
Buy fresh
produce and herbs whenever possible. Remember, you are
relying on the flavor of these fresh ingredients to
replace the fat.
Eliminate
the deprivation mentality. There are a number of ways:
A. Presentation is very important psychologically. Arrange
foods nicely. Use garnishes of contrasting colors. Use
appealing plates, utensils, napkins and glasses. Small
touches make a difference; like lemon wedges in your glass
of water. Be aware of color and design.
B. Create an atmosphere of indulgence when you dine. Pay
attention to the view, lighting (can't beat candlelight).
Add flowers, music and art, whenever possible.
C. Eat with friends and loved ones... it is good for your
digestion.
D. Don't deny yourself ...find a healthy alternative and
indulge.
E. Cultivate an attitude of enjoyment and elegance
Make
learning to eat and cook healthy - an adventure that is
stimulating and fun! You'll experience new flavors, dishes
and spices.
Adapt your
favorite recipes so you can still enjoy the dishes you
like. Here are some basic principles for reducing fat
content:
1. Use non-stick pans.
2. When you need to use oil in cooking, use a pastry brush
to apply oil to the pan to minimize the amount needed.
3. Whenever possible, cook/sauté in liquids instead of
oil. You can use water but this is an opportunity to add
flavor. Based on what you are making, options include:
broth, soy, lime, lemon, nonfat milk, fruit juice, tomato
sauce, white vinegar and red vinegar and combinations of
these. Don't be afraid to add a touch of unorthodox
ingredients to boost flavors (i.e. ketchup, mustard, apple
sauce) as well as aromatics (garlic, onion, peppers,
chilies, ginger) and, of course, herbs and spices.
4. When you need to thicken a liquid (for example, making
a "cream" sauce, a "cream" based soup,
gravy, etc) you can minimize fat by adding one or more of
the following: flour, agar, cornstarch, potato flakes,
yogurt, nonfat evaporated milk, powdered nonfat milk.
Reduction (boiling off excess water) as well as pureed
fruit or vegetables can also be used depending on what you
are making.
5. When a recipe calls for eggs, two egg whites can often
be used instead of a whole egg. You can also use an egg
substitute product. When making an egg dish, you may want
to add turmeric to the egg.
6. When a recipe calls for whole milk, use nonfat milk
mixed with one of the following: powdered nonfat milk,
nonfat evaporated milk or a little nonfat yogurt.
7. Whenever possible, substitute the nonfat version for
the skim or regular version of the following: yogurt, sour
cream, cream cheese, cottage cheese, cheese, milk, ice
cream, frozen yogurt, salad dressing, gravy mix, etc.
8. To replace meat in a recipe, you can try any
combination of the following: textured vegetable protein,
tofu, mushrooms (fresh or dehydrated), eggplant (good
flavor when grilled or braised), lentils, rice (including
wild), or other grains such as oats, etc.
9. When you remove the meat from a recipe, you may want to
give it a new focus instead of a meat substitute.
Vegetables that lend themselves well to this (especially
in salads and sandwiches include: asparagus spears,
roasted red peppers, egg plant (especially braised or
grilled), grilled vegetables, chilies, tomatoes.
10. Think variety in your breads/sandwiches. Many grocers
make their own fresh breads and you can rotate the
following types, which are all available: rolls, whole
wheat, pita etc.
11. Toasted rolled oats can be used in place of nuts.
12. A steamed milk substitute (for cappuccino) can be made
by putting nonfat milk in your food processor until it
whips.
13. A whip cream substitute - just add honey and vanilla
to the above recipe (#12) and then whip in food processor
(must use immediately though!). Turns fresh fruit into
dessert.
14. For binding in casseroles, stuffed vegetables, etc.,
use breadcrumbs, rice or other grains, cooked oats, mashed
potato, egg whites and combinations of these. Secret for
great meatless meatloaf is applesauce, as well as tomato
paste.
15. Nonfat cheese can be made with nonfat yogurt and a
yogurt funnel.
16. If you crave French fries, cube potatoes (skin left
on) and place on a nonstick cookie sheet under the broiler
until golden brown. Serve with ketchup. YUM!
17. Salt substitute - any other seasoning product.
18. Snacks - look for fat-free potato chips. Can be paired
with fat-free dips (use a mix but substitute nonfat
ingredients, make your own, or prepared.) Nonfat tortilla
chips can be paired with fat-free bean or fat-free cheese
dips or salsa.
19. Think fresh spices! Fresh spices that can enhance a
lot of vegetarian dishes are cilantro and basil but there
are many more to try. Enjoy!
20. You can still enjoy dessert! Most nonfat frozen yogurt
and nonfat ice cream are so good you won't miss the lethal
stuff. Especially if you top them with fruit. Also having
a mix of fresh fruits is of course most desirable. Fresh
fruit can be topped with a flavored nonfat yogurt, whipped
cream (see #13), or a puree of other fruit.
21. Breakfast is easy. You can make lowfat versions of
omelets, scrambled, as well as hot and cold cereals,
fruit, etc.
22. Be adventurous! Experiment! Enjoy!
|
|
Top |
10
Tips to Eating Healthy
Experts agree that the key to healthy eating is the time-tested
advice of balance, variety and moderation. In short, that
means eating a wide variety of foods without getting too many
calories or too much of any one nutrient. These 10 tips can
help you follow that advice while still enjoying the foods you
eat.
1. Eat a variety of nutrient-rich foods. You need more
than 40 different nutrients for good health, and no single
food supplies them all. Your daily food selection should
include bread and other whole-grain products; fruits;
vegetables; dairy products; and meat, poultry, fish and other
protein foods. How much you should eat depends on your calorie
needs. Use the Food Guide Pyramid as a handy reference. (link)
2. Enjoy plenty of whole grains, fruits and vegetables.
Do you eat 6-11 servings from the bread, rice, cereal and
pasta group, 3 of which should be whole grains? Do you eat 2-4
servings of fruit and 3-5 servings of vegetables? If you don't
enjoy some of these at first, give them another chance. Look
through our recipes section for tasty ways to prepare
unfamiliar foods! (link)
3. Maintain a healthy weight. The weight that's right
for you depends on many factors including your sex, height,
age and heredity. Excess body fat increases your chances for
high blood pressure, heart disease, stroke, diabetes, some
types of cancer and other illnesses. But being too thin can
increase your risk for osteoporosis, menstrual irregularities
and other health problems. If you're constantly losing and
regaining weight, a registered dietitian can help you develop
sensible eating habits for successful weight management.
Regular exercise is also important to maintaining a healthy
weight.
4. Eat moderate portions. If you keep portion sizes
reasonable, it's easier to eat the foods you want and stay
healthy. Did you know the recommended serving of cooked meat
is 3 ounces, similar in size to a deck of playing cards? A
medium piece of fruit is 1 serving and a cup of pasta equals 2
servings. A pint of ice cream contains 4 servings. Refer to
the Food Guide Pyramid for information on recommended serving
sizes. (link)
5. Eat regular meals. Skipping meals can lead to
out-of-control hunger, often resulting in overeating. When
you're very hungry, it's also tempting to forget about good
nutrition. Snacking between meals can help curb hunger, but
don't eat so much that your snack becomes an entire meal!
6. Reduce, don't eliminate certain foods. Most people
eat for pleasure as well as nutrition. If your favorite foods
are high in fat, salt or sugar, the key is moderating how much
of these foods you eat and how often you eat them. Identify
major sources of these ingredients in your diet and make
changes, if necessary. Adults who eat high-fat meats or
whole-milk dairy products at every meal are probably eating
too much fat.
Choosing skim or low-fat dairy products and lean cuts of meat
such as a flank steak can reduce fat intake significantly.
If you love fried chicken, however, you don't have to give it
up. Just eat it less often! When dining out, share it with a
friend, ask for a take-home pack or a smaller portion.
7. Balance your food choices over time. Not every food
has to be "perfect." When eating a food high in fat,
salt or sugar, select other foods that are low in these
ingredients. If you miss out on any food group one day, make
up for it the next. Your food choices over several days should
fit together into a healthy pattern.
8. Know your diet pitfalls. To improve your eating
habits, you first have to know what's wrong with them. Write
down everything you eat for three days. Then check your list
according to the rest of these tips. Do you add a lot of
butter, creamy sauces or salad dressings? Rather than
eliminating these foods, just cut back your portions. Are you
getting enough fruits and vegetables? If not, you may be
missing out on vital nutrients.
9. Make changes gradually. Just as there are no
"super-foods" or easy answers to a healthy diet,
don't expect to totally revamp your eating habits overnight.
Changing too much, too fast can get in the way of success.
Begin to remedy excesses or deficiencies with modest changes
that can add up to positive, lifelong eating habits. For
instance, if you don't like the taste of skim milk, try
low-fat. Eventually you may find you like skim, too.
10. Remember, foods are not good or bad. Select foods
based on your total eating patterns, not whether any
individual food is "good" or "bad." Don't
feel guilty if you love foods such as potato chips, candy bars
or ice cream. Eat them in moderation, and choose other foods
to provide the balance and variety that are vital to good
health.
|
|
Top |
The Food Guide Pyramid is an
outline of what to eat each day based on your needs. It's
not a rigid prescription but a general guide that lets you
choose a healthy diet that's right for you.
The Pyramid calls for eating a variety of foods to get the
nutrients you need and at the same time the right amount of
calories to maintain a healthy weight.
Use the Pyramid to help you eat better every day. Start with
plenty of breads, cereals, rice, pasta, vegetables, and
fruits. Add 2-3 servings from the milk group and 2-3
servings from the meat group. Remember to go easy on fats,
oils, and sweets, the foods in the small tip of the Pyramid.
The Food Pyramid for Asians:
What Counts as One Serving?
The amount of food that counts as one serving is listed
below. If you eat a larger portion, count it as more than
one serving. For example, a dinner portion of noodles would
count as 2 or 3 servings of whole grains.
Be sure to eat at least the lowest number of servings from
the five major food groups listed below. You need them for
the vitamins, minerals, carbohydrates, and protein they
provide. Just try to pick the lowest fat choices from the
food groups. No specific serving size is given for the fats,
oils, and sweets group because the message is EAT SPARINGLY.
Milk,
Yogurt, and Cheese
|
|
1
cup of milk or yogurt
|
1
1/2 ounces of natural cheese
|
2
ounces of process cheese
|
|
Meat,
Poultry, Fish, Dry Beans, Eggs, and Nuts
|
|
2-3
ounces of cooked lean meat, poultry, or fish
|
1/2
cup of cooked dry beans, 1 egg, or 2 tablespoons of
peanut butter count as 1 ounce of lean meat
|
|
Vegetable
|
|
1
cup of raw leafy vegetables
|
1/2
cup of other vegetables, cooked or chopped raw
|
3/4
cup of vegetable juice
|
|
Fruit
|
|
1
medium apple, banana, orange
|
1/2
cup of chopped, cooked, or canned fruit
|
3/4
cup of fruit juice
|
|
Bread,
Cereal, Rice and Noodles
|
|
1
slice of bread
|
1
ounce of ready-to-eat cereal
|
1/2
cup of cooked rice or noodles
|
|
|
Top |
SOME
'FOOD' FOR THOUGHT
Carbohydrates:
Group of foods including sugars and starches that give us the
most and quickest source of energy e.g. rice, bread, cereals
etc.
Proteins:
Helps us with the essential day to day growth and
repair of our body e.g. milk, eggs, meat, fish etc.
Fats:
Energy reserves and protection for the body e.g.
butter, ghee, red meat (contains saturated fat) etc.
Vitamins and Minerals:
An important essential for normal metabolism, growth
and development of the body. Here is a guide to the important
ones:
Vitamin
|
Purpose
|
Source
|
|
A
|
Maintenance
of healthy skin and sight
|
Lamb
liver, raw green vegetables, carrots or cheese
|
|
B
|
Helps
release energy from food, repairs and maintains
nervous system
|
Lamb
kidney, chicken breast, brown rice, whole meal bread,
peanuts or bananas
|
|
C
|
Helps
maintain healthy skin, gums, teeth and blood vessels
|
Oranges,
honeydew melons or green peppers
|
|
D
|
Helps
maintain to have strong teeth and bones
|
Milk,
egg yolk, fish such as hilsha and carp
|
|
E
|
Acts
as a natural anti-oxidant and helps to protect the
body tissues
|
Peanuts
or cooked spinach
|
|
Iron
|
Vital
part of the red blood cells which carry oxygen from
our lungs to all body cells
|
Lamb’s
kidneys, dried fruits or boiled green vegetables
|
|
Calcium
|
Helps
build and maintain strong bones and teeth
|
Cheese,
yogurt or milk
|
|
Zinc
|
Helps
with growth and development and involved in the
development of a healthy immune system
|
Fried
lamb’s liver, crabmeat or whole-meal bread
|
|
|
Top |
|
|
|
