Healthy, Tasty, Are You Really Talking About Food?

by Andrea Lynn

In a culture of waifish women and constant diets, culinary school was a shock to my system. Stepping through those glass doors on 23rd Street was escaping into a food-centric world in which you are instructed to taste everything that passes your grasp. No excuses.

      

There were days when I sampled 30 types of cheese, foie gras cooked in a variety of ways and various Prosciuttos. Throughout the process, you learn to enjoy more than the sheer taste of food. Food is not the enemy. Why waste time and energy eating what you can not enjoy?

Here are a few things I've picked up along the way on how to make food a healthy but tasteful existence.       

• Substitute refined-carbohydrate-based foods with grains as much as possible. Not only do these items have less calories and fat, whole grains deliver flavor and fiber. Experiment with lesser-used side dishes like quinoa, barley or bulger wheat. I've quickly become addicted to forbidden rice, a multi-grain, black Chinese rice packed with a nutty flavor. You'll never go back to white rice again. If you're in a pinch timewise, Uncle Ben's sells packets of brown rice that heat up in a few minutes.
• Also, try substituting your usual pasta for whole wheat. I was completely skeptical but found that with the thinner pasta like angel hair there's actually no difference, except a slightly longer cooking time. Note: Just because an item boasts "whole-grain" on the package label does not mean that is the case. Check the ingredient list to be sure.
• Grilling is one of the healthiest cooking methods, but for those without the means, there are numerous options. Try an indoor grill, which sits over your burners. Also, invest in a nonstick cast-iron pan. The amount of oil needed when you cook will lessen immensely. Stay away from nonstick cookware like Teflon which emit toxic fumes when heated to a high temperature.
• On that same note, stir frying vegetables and meat in a nonstick wok is another healthy alternative for dinners. Use stock, wine or a small amount of oil to cook with.
• Choose quality oils – my mainstays are olive and canola. Avoid hydrogenated oils (manufactured oils with trans fats), refined margarines and oils, animal oils and fats and shortenings. Studies have found numerous health risks linked to hydrogenated oils, in addition to claims like it slows down metabolism.
• Substitute skim or 1 percent milk instead of whole; reduced sour cream, yogurt or cottage cheese instead of full fat sour cream; and reduced mayo instead of the real. I love mayonnaise but substituting yogurt in place of it in tuna salad barely changed the taste.
• Measure condiments. Think you're putting just a teaspoon or two of salad dressing on your salad? Measure to find out. Studies have found we underestimate how much we actually use.
• Add fresh or dried herbs, citrus zest, garlic and chiles to kick up the flavor of your meal. Marinades are also a great way of adding flavor as well. I'll even bake my chicken straight in the marinade to enhance the flavor further.

(Andrea blogs at Madison and Mayberry.)

Comments

[chefboy-r-d]

I loved red fruity wines to the point I became a cooked drunk. So I changed over to Welch's grape juice and now I have diabetes and 6 months to live. I dream about my cooking days in the sauce.

[chefy]

Why not get rid of that canola oil that is gentically modified and substitute with rice bran oil-so much better for you-grapeseed and avacado oils are good as well.