Sticking to your weight loss diet while eating out is hard to do, but for many people the task of cooking a healthy meal at home is even more difficult. For the sake of your diet and weight loss in Crawfordsville it is time to learn how to cook a few healthy meals. The good news is that by learning just a few healthy tricks you can start cooking nutritious meals for you and your family tonight.
Cooking healthy doesn’t require much expertise. By simply finding a good recipe that meets your diet, having the right tools in your kitchen, purchasing a few hearty ingredients and learning one or two simple techniques, you can get on the fast track to dinnertime success. As you focus on your diet and weight loss efforts, learning to cook healthy can boost the health and wellness of your entire family by encouraging you all to sit down to dinner together and enjoy a healthily, well-prepared meal.
Here are a few tips to get started:
Find a recipe: Whether it comes from a cookbook or the Web, find a recipe that meets your dietary plan. If you have any questions about an ingredient, contact your weight loss doctor. Try starting with something simple like grilled chicken or fish.
Get the tools: If you don’t already have basic kitchen tools, a quick trip to the store will help you find all you need, such as a cooking pot and frying pan, wooden spoon and spatula, knife and cutting board, a strainer and an oven glove. Your recipe will tell you what tools you need for a particular meal.
Purchase ingredients: Stick to the outer perimeter of your grocery store for the freshest ingredients like meat and produce. Talk with your weight loss doctor to create a list of foods that are good for your weight loss diet plan. Foods that are often considered healthy include lean protein sources like poultry, fish and beans, brown rice and whole grain pasta, fresh produce and zero-calorie spices like rosemary, thyme, paprika, garlic, salt and pepper.
Once you have all of your supplies it is time to start cooking. Make sure that you preheat your oven fully and that you use a thermometer to ensure that your meat has reached at least 160 degrees before you serve it.
When cooking with oils remember to go light. Vegetable and olive oil are both great choices, but should never be heated above a medium setting on your burner. Getting your oil too hot may smoke out your kitchen and burn your food. Also, make sure you are only using a small amount of oil—one or two teaspoons should be enough. Too much oil in the pan will fry your food, which is not a healthy cooking method.
Do you have any other healthy tips for the beginning cook? Share your thoughts and experience in a comment below!