Healthy Cooking is Easy!
If you’re new to cooking in general or looking to use less oil, my 3 easy kitchen hacks will help get you cooking healthy and confidently! You deserve to eat good AND feel good! Don’t be intimidated. You can do this! Healthy cooking is easy! Let’s get started!
Healthy Cooking Step 1: Roasting
Typically you’ll see any recipe that uses roasting, call for oil. The purpose is to help the seasonings stick. This step is not necessary and research is showing the harmful effects of oils on our overall health. I will not go in-depth into the evils of oils in this article but I highly recommend you check out this article if you’re intrigued by my bashing of oil.
When not using oil, it is important to use parchment paper to keep the vegetables from sticking to the baking sheet. Cut up your fruit and veggies. Sprinkle seasonings on top then toss to coat. Spread across the parchment paper and roast at 350 degrees for 35-40 minutes or until tender. Stir halfway through roasting for even cooking. It’s that easy!
Healthy Cooking Step 2: Sauteeing
Your arteries will thank you for using either vegetable broth or water for sauteeing your vegetables! When I first started cooking this way, I’ll admit it was hard to give up oil! My taste buds were accustomed to consuming my food saturated with either salt, sugar, or oil. Cutting out sugar and now cutting back on salt has also helped me to appreciate the natural flavor of the veggie in question all the more! You can read more about my story here. Now, let me show you how to make this magic happen!
Use a Non-Stick Skillet
It goes without saying that to sautee without oil, you need a nonstick skillet. I LOVE mine (you can purchase it here) and provided you use wooden utensils, it will last you a long time! I also use my cast iron pan from time to time but that takes a bit more water to make sure nothing sticks. Experiment with different types of pans until you find a favorite!
Cook low and slow
So once you have your nonstick skillet, make sure your pan is thoroughly heated and add your vegetables one at a time. I like to use onions to start. They give off their own liquid or as it is commonly called, sweating. This prevents them from sticking and as long as you cook them on low to medium heat and stir frequently, you won’t need to add much, if any at all, for liquid. Doing so allows them to carmelize and let out their sweetness!
Healthy Cooking Step 3: Soaking
You may be surprised to learn that you don’t need to suffer from flatulence when you eat beans. Yep. It’s true! Soaking the beans breaks down the antinutrient or phytic acid which our bodies are unable to digest; hence the lovely after-effects we all know and don’t love. Soaking sounds like a lot of work but it is really quite easy! Simply add a 3/4 cup of dry beans to a canning jar. Fill with water and soak for 24 hours. Drain and let sit for another 24 hours. Rinse them once and then sit for another 24 hours and at this point, you will see that the beans have begun to sprout. Do not be alarmed. They are now ready to be cooked and used in any recipe!
Soaking removes contaminants
Another reason to consider soaking your own beans is that it removes the outer skin of the bean which can be coated with pesticides or herbicides. Before beans are released to the market, they go through threshing and cleaning but are not washed because that would cause them to sprout. You will rest easier knowing your family is getting the best food possible! I am a huge fan of Azure Standard which is a bulk whole food company out of Oregon and they offer many organic options shipped to locations all over the US!
Conclusion
So there you have it! My top 3 easy kitchen hacks for healthy cooking! I told you it was easy 🙂 I am still learning so check back often to see what else I discover and we can learn together! Please leave me a comment on what YOUR top 3 kitchen hacks are and may we all eat healthily and stay healthy!
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