Food often becomes an integral part of spending time with family and friends. Whether you're cooking for yourself or a group, improve one of life's pleasures by preparing healthier -- yet tasty -- meals. Use fresh ingredients whenever possible, as well as low-fat dairy products and whole grains. Combine this strategy with cooking techniques that can help you prepare healthy, delicious meals.
Step 1
Grill beef, poultry or fish during the warmer months. Grilling provides a healthy way of cooking because fat drips off the meat and into the bottom of the grill. Coat the meat with a small amount of olive oil or cooking spray to prevent your food from sticking to the grill. Don't flavor your food with too much salt. Replace excess sodium with fresh herbs and seasonings for additional flavor.
Step 2
Don't baste meat in its own fat. Place a roasting rack inside a baking dish so the fat will drip off the meat into the bottom of the pan. Use fresh herbs, citrus juice and wine to add moisture to meat.
Step 3
Steam fish and vegetables to cook them without adding fat used in such methods as frying and sautéing. Place a steaming rack inside a pan containing boiling water for the best results. Ensure the water is at least 2 inches from the food you're steaming. For foods that may break apart during steaming -- such as tuna and swordfish -- use a basket to firmly hold the items together.
Step 4
Prepare meats, soups and stews in a slow cooker. This method skips the browning process for onions and garlic, which can add additional fat to your food. Slow cooking also helps preserve much of the nutrients present in fresh vegetables -- you lose such nutrients when you blast food with high heat. Use lean cuts of meat; trim any fat.
Tips and Warnings
- Use your slow cooker to prepare food a day in advance. Skim additional fat off the top of a stew or liquid-based soup once it cools in the refrigerator overnight.
Things You'll Need
- Grill
- Olive oil or cooking spray
- Herbs
- Seasonings
- Baking dish with roasting rack
- Citrus juice
- Wine
- Pan with steaming rack
- Roasting or steaming basket
- Slow cooker
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