I just saw the movie, Julie and Julia. It's a must see for all you foodies out there. Being a foodie myself, I got motivated to try my hand at some gourmet goodies. Although not a chef, I have lots of cooking experience and I love to try new recipes and experiment with flavors and textures. So, before I went to the market to buy butter, eggs, cream to concoct some masterpiece, I asked the question, “Can we have those wonderful flavors without all the fat and calories?” The answer is “Yes!”
The number one way to cut the fat and calories is simply by having smaller portions of the “real stuff”. When we eat larger portions of calorie dense foods, we are putting ourselves at risk for weight gain and health complications. What is a proper portion? For portion guidelines, check out the website http://www.mypyrimid.gov/ .
Another way to make cooking more healthy is to substitute lower calorie, higher fiber foods for fat laden ones. An example is instead of making cream sauces with butter, rue and heavy cream, you can substitute cornstarch as the thickener and use puree cooked vegetables as the liquid. Flavor it up with fresh herbs and spices.
Cooking methods also reduce calories. Baked, broiled, grilled or poached are recommended cooking methods for meat, fish and poultry instead of frying. If you want to use a fry pan (some people just can’t get away from it), use it to sear meats or fish until it “lifts” from the pan, giving a nice brown, crisp coating. Then finish in the oven. Serve with a spiced up vegetable puree, salsa or vegetable/ bean relish. Your taste buds and waistline will thank you!
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