With more people cutting back on cholesterol, fat and sodium, more people are looking for healthier ways to cook flavorful meals.
Often, by making small changes to your cooking methods, you can turn out healthier foods that everyone will enjoy.
Use oil and butter sparingly.
Choose healthy oils for cooking like olive oil, peanut oil or grapeseed oil.
They are low in saturated fat and contain nutrients that benefit your health.
Trim all visible fat from your meat before cooking.
After cooking, drain off any fat in the pan that has rendered from your meat.
Remove the fat off the top of soups, sauces, stews and gravies by chilling it and skimming the fat off the top.
Reheat and enjoy.
Baking is a good method of cooking that does not add fat.
Bake vegetables and meat dishes.
Broil seafood and lean meat on a pan that lets any fats drip away from the food.
Fresh herbs and spices add a lot of color, flavor and aroma to the foods you cook.
Citrus zest, herbed vinegars and toasted nuts or seeds also add a lot of texture and flavor.
Don't just rely on salt.
While everyone needs sodium, in most foods you could easily cut half of it and still have a tasty meal.
If the weather is nice, try grilling.
You can get a grill to fit any need, from a single person to a large family.
Smaller items like seafood or chopped vegetables can be grilled by using a grill basket.
You can find them anywhere that sells grills and their accessories.
Poaching means to gently simmer your foods in water, broth, juice, milk or vinegar.
Poached foods are tender and delicate.
The liquid can be used to make a sauce to pour over the top of your food.
Another way to poach food is to put all your ingredients into a foil pouch and cook it in the oven.
Roasting is a great way to prepare seafood, meat and poultry.
Baste your meat with broth, juice or wine to add flavor without adding fat.
If you want to make a gravy from the drippings, you can get a gravy strainer that will allow you to remove the fat easily.
Sauteing can be a great way to get the most flavor from your food.
Use a tiny amount of cooking spray, broth or wine to add some moisture.
Sauteed food caramelizes the outside of vegetables and concentrates the flavor while keeping the inner portion tender.
Simmering or braising is a method of cooking meat or vegetables in liquid.
This is usually a slower cooking method.
It is a wonderful way to prepare tougher cuts of meat, as the braising softens the fibers, making the meat tender and juicy.
Fruits can be simmered to create sauces or to add to desserts.
Steaming is a simple way to cook food by hanging it above a simmering liquid.
Your food will keep its nutrients and flavor with this cooking method.
If you use broth or juice, it will help flavor your food.
Stir-frying became popular several years ago.
On high heat, vegetables, meat and a bit of oil or broth are combined for a very fast, healthy way to prepare a meal.
Explore some of the more traditional simple sauces and avoid soy sauce if you want to cut down on your sodium intake.